Archive for Business-Entrepreneurship
5 Reasons Networking Isn’t Working for Your Business, and Most Likely Won’t Until You Change
Networking is not rocket science. But there is a science to it, and so many are still getting it wrong. There are tons of online groups and live networking events where people claim to network, but all they really do is push marketing. Enough is enough already. You would think that after all of the books, blogs, articles and even classes that are available on the web about networking, more people would actually start to get it.
Yet, there is still a very real air of frustration out there. There are business owners who are fed up because they are restricted from posting their marketing and pitches in online groups, or they’re not closing any sales when they go to events. They feel like networking is a complete waste of their time because nobody seems to want to buy from them.
Well that’s the problem right there.
You cannot interchange networking and closing clients. The two are not the same. Only through real networking…relationship building…can you determine if people are in your target market and build enough trust and authority for them to want to buy from you.
Here are five reasons why networking is not working for your business, and probably never will (unless you change your habits):
- You continue to stay in networking groups out of a sense of loyalty. When you’re starting out in business, it can be tempting to gravitate towards other people just like you. It’s nice to have a core group of people who understand your pains and journey. And you end up spending so much time with them, you feel a sense of obligation because they were there for you through your ups and downs. Well stop that. I’m not saying cut people off or forget where you come from. But what I am saying is as you grow, your environment has to change. If you’re stuck where you are with no signs of growth or future prospects, why are you allowing yourself to remain around other people who cannot navigate you through that? If they’re also stuck, chances are they don’t have a clue on how to get you from this level to the next. Sticking with them won’t help you or them. As you grow (or should I say outgrow), continuously seek out people more successful and smarter than you are. The objective of networking isn’t just to get new sales or clients, it’s to grow. Take a look at your circle and make note of people who remain stuck. Then politely pull away from them. Remember the old adage put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others with theirs.
- You don’t allow yourself to get in a room full of people who are smarter and more successful than you. Some people want to be the smartest person. That way they think people will always come to them for the answers and deem them the expert. The problem with this, besides it being an ego trip that leads nowhere, is that eventually you find yourself in need of help, but because you’ve built this strong facade, you can’t let anyone know you need help. After all, you’re the person people go to for help. If you need help, what does that say about your credibility? See where I’m going with this? Successful people are always looking to learn more and that means finding the people who can teach or guide you. Education never stops and is not limited to having a degree or a title (even if that title is CEO). Seek out people who are where you want to be, then be around them. Do less talking and more listening so you can take advantage of the lessons as they are shared. If you’re content with being the most successful in your group, I’d examine the reasons behind that. Don’t let your ego keep you from succeeding and growing.
- You’re not willing to invest the money it takes to do serious power networking. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. To fully get what you need, you have to invest. Think about it. You always see successful people attending black tie affairs, political events, and conferences that cost money. That’s how they are able to make the real deals with people who can deliver and make it happen. I’m not saying you can never make a deal at a free event. But depending on how big you want to grow your company, you have to put aside a budget to network with power players. Do you really think someone like Bill Gates, Barbara Corcoran, Oprah Winfrey or Warren Buffet would come to a coffee house mixer or a First Friday event? Those events are for people just like you, not people you want to do big deals with. And that’s the last place you want to concentrate all of your networking energy. Successful people pay to be where successful people are, if they want to be more successful. You have to pay to play. Look at the long-term goals of your business and where you want your company and brand to be in your industry. Then determine how much you’re willing to allocate and invest towards networking each quarter.
- You’re afraid to come out of your comfort zone. It can be very scary to leave what you know. The people in your current circle most likely cheer you on and give you words of encouragement. They would never disagree or tell you something sucks when it does. And that’s detrimental to your growth. That should scare the shit out of you. Every now and then you need people who are bold enough to tell you your baby is ugly. Constructive criticism is a crucial part of networking and once you get hooked on the praise that your group gives you, it’s hard to hear the truth when it hurts. To avoid having their feelings hurt, many people surround themselves with a network of yes people who will love everything they do and never challenge it. It’s easy to get caught up in this head trip. People are so politically correct these days because they’re afraid to hurt feelings, and it’s sickening. Political correctness is not helping you grow your business. It’s creating a false sense of security. You’ve got to allow yourself to hear the truth even if it hurts. Putting yourself into the mix with new people who have no stake in your outcome allows you to grow because people will tell you honestly about your business. Do you really want to grow your business? Or do you want to just be around people who are always going to love everything you do? Think about it.
- You spend way too much time marketing on social media sites and jockeying for position so you can get clients. Yes, everyone would love to get clients from their interactions on Facebook, Twitter, etc. But far too many people confuse networking with marketing and selling. Networking on social media isn’t posting your ad or telling people to like your page or connect with you on another social media tool. It’s about getting to know people that you otherwise wouldn’t have gotten the chance to meet were it not for social media. Social media are merely the tools, the conduit to introductions. Not a means to blast or push message your way into people’s lives. There are millions of people out there who listen to so-called social media experts who tell them “get on Facebook, your customers are there”. But they never give them the right techniques on how to connect with them or determine if they’re even there. First impression is everything, and if the first thing I see from you is an advertisement, I’m immediately tuned out. Learn how to use social media as the tool it is to get involved with communities (or build your own), and let people get to know and trust you. Also pay attention to the conversations before jumping in. You learn a lot by listening.
While some networking can be about sales and marketing to get new clients, a majority of it is supposed to be about building relationships with the right people. Allow yourself to be in networks that allow you to give and receive. As a rule, you should be giving as much as you are getting. If you aren’t getting anything from your network, it’s time to move on. Don’t feel guilty about it. Just look at it as a way to improve your circle and grow your business.
Do you recognize yourself in any of these habits? Share your comments below. Also check out Fearless Networking Without Asking Permission.
Til next time.
Adrienne Graham
Surrounding myself with greatness so I can become great.
Check out my new book No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Profit is Not a Dirty Word- But Broke Is
I consider myself a very spiritual person. I pray in the morning when I rise and before I shut my eyes for the night. But all day long, I’m talking to the Lord, asking for guidance and signs that I’m following His will. And believe it or not, most of the times, it’s about my business and His will for it.
I also believe that He does not want us to be deliberately poor. This isn’t going to be a sermon, but it might come close.
Some people are against the teachings of prosperity and financial abundance in the church. I respectfully disagree. I agree that money isn’t the focal point and shouldn’t be used to rule or lead the heart and soul. But God didn’t intend for us to always live in lack. I just refuse to believe that. Prosperity scriptures tell us that we can live wealthy, prosperous and live in abundance as long as we live by His word. It’s not enough to believe this, but you have to have faith and trust in Him, as well as use the tools, or as Steve Harvey recently said, the gifts, he’s given you to carry out what you’re called to do, so you can live in abundance.
MATTHEW 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink: or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
So then why is it so hard for us to apply these principles to our own businesses?
I’ve seen countless small business owners paralyzed by the market, fearful of the economy and stymied by the perception they think clients will have of them if they raise their prices to what they deserve. I’ve heard excuses from well the market is tight so no one is paying that to if I raise my prices I’ll lose customers to I just don’t know how much to charge. People are leaving money on the table out of fear. We can’t have that.
If you were raised old school, you probably had someone tell you that money isn’t everything or that it’s the root of all evil. I disagree. The lack of money is evil. And before someone comes in and says Jesus was poor, also remember Jesus didn’t need money. If you went to your landlord or mortgage holder and told them you don’t need money and you can’t pay, you’ll be put out on the street. If you walked into WalMart to get groceries and went to the cashier and told her you didn’t need money so you would just be taking these few items, security would haul your butt off so fast. We all need money to survive. We just should make it our master.
Businesses, even non-profits and churches, have to make money in order to survive. The lights have to stay on, the water needs to flow and vendors need to be paid. And you, as an expert (designer, creator, maker, or whatever you want to consider yourself) need to produce revenue. There’s no two ways about it. If you want to survive and thrive, your business has to turn a profit. It’s not enough to break even. You have to turn a profit.
Now I want the work at home moms and small at home businesses to really hear me. It may be tempting to say as long as my bills are paid and I have a little money in the bank, I can get by. But that is self-defeating talk that will keep you living below your worth. If you’re content with getting by, then you need to go back and get a 9-5 (or 8-4 or 7-3 or whatever shift you’d work). You’re in business to make a difference, but also to make money. If you’re looking to build a legacy to hand down to your kids, it’s vitally important that you ensure the business is profitable. I don’t know about you, but I’m building a future empire here, and I work hard to do it. I’m worth every penny I charge, and in some cases, more. I’m a capitalist in every sense of the word. A business has to be profitable to thrive.
Don’t be afraid to set your prices based on your (or your products’) worth. If you don’t know what your worth is, take a moment and calculate all of the time, money and energy you’ve put into learning your craft. Think about all the hours you give and what they’re worth. Set a financial goal, a targeted annual revenue, then figure out what you need to do to hit that target. Then commit to doing what it takes and pricing your services and products that will allow you to get the best prices without having to kill yourself to make the numbers. Running a business isn’t about working 90 hours a week to break even. It’s about perfecting your services and products, and delivering excellence that people aren’t afraid to pay for.
It’s OK to give away some stuff for free, and to offer discounts. But it should be at your discretion, not someone else’s direction. And remember, free don’t produce fees™. Don’t let outside factors influence how you set your prices. Don’t compete with other businesses on price alone. You should be focusing on value. And if a potential client complains about your prices, then guess what? They weren’t meant to be your client in the first place. Set your prices with profitability in mind, not just getting by.
If you don’t have the stomach just yet to set or raise your prices, perhaps you should attend my upcoming course: Profit Isn’t A Dirty Word- Creating Pricing Strategies for Your Business on May 1, 2012 at 12PM EST. Attend this livecast event and walk away with a better understanding of and the confidence to set your prices to make PROFITS.
Who’s ready to make money?
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
I’m worth every dollar!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
When Your Business is Like a Good Steak on a Trash Can Lid
Those of you from the Cosby Show era get the reference. Remember when Vanessa came home with Dabnis Brickey, her new fiance, and promptly announced to the family that she was engaged? Dr. Huxtable, true to form, broke down that introduction and expressed his distaste so very elegantly (this is paraphrased but you can watch the video for the exact words).
Dr. Huxtable: Do you like steak?
Vanessa’s Fiance: Yeah, I love steak.
Dr. Huxtable: A Porterhouse. Juicy… nicely marbled.
Vanessa’s Fiance: Absolutely.
Dr. Huxtable: You like mushrooms?
Vanessa’s Fiance: Oh yes.
Dr. Huxtable: You’ve got mushrooms… and onions too. How about a baked potato?
Vanessa’s Fiance: Yes sir.
Dr. Huxtable: With sour cream? Lot’s of fixings. Can you taste it son?
Vanessa’s Fiance: Yes sir.
Dr. Huxtable: Now let’s say I come out of the kitchen with your perfectly cooked steak, and all the trimmings on a garbage can lid. Not so appetizing is it now? Son, that’s how you were brought into this house. On a garbage can lid.
Thank you Heathcliff Huxtable! Watch the video from about the 2:17 mark.
People (and no, I don’t have statistics or quotes on who these people are) often say it’s in the presentation. You’re supposed to have the best marketing material, the best website, and the best sales pitch to make people jump out of their chairs to get their credit card to buy from you. Well, that’s what the Internet Marketers would have you think. Many focus more on push marketing over quality. It’s usually about getting traffic and building lists at any cost. And sadly, their disciples put their all into building the biggest and flashiest websites, squeeze pages and even teleseminars. They are taught that if everything is just right (pretty and compelling), you’ll be able to convert visitors into buyers.
But I beg to differ. There should be a caveat to that statement because the most important thing they leave out, perhaps purposely, is make sure you have something worth buying! How many times have you purchased a product only to see it was not new and improved information that will help you, but rather a rehash of the old material you purchased with maybe a few new worksheets and some prettier graphics? How many times have you purchased something based on a kick-ass commercial or eye catching ad, only to be disappointed with what you got? How many times, as a student of Internet Marketers have you heard them say “it’s OK to repurpose content“? You can repurpose content, but be honest about what people are getting. I can think of one such Internet Marketing guru who tells people to repurpose but I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s not very clear about how or why. In fact one of her own new and improved products was an almost exact duplicate of her previous product except upgraded to include more information about social media. That wouldn’t have been a problem if it were not billed as a more powerful program and cost more money. For the price she charged for it, people were a little pissed off.
But let’s not limit this to just Internet Marketers. Business of all kinds should be mindful of having a professional, authentic brand image. If you come at me with a flashy, well thought out (and delivered) presentation, and your business, product or service is garbage, then we have a problem. False Advertising and Bait & Switch comes to mind. You cannot in good conscience offer products and services knowing that your absolute best wasn’t put into it. I’d much rather see a crappy presentation for a crappy product because at least then I’ll know at that moment that I don’t want to purchase from you. If you wrap up crap in pretty bows and try to pass it off as diamonds, when people unwrap those bows and discover that they’ve been taken, the backlash will be swift and painful. Social media allows people to spread bad news virally in minutes and that’s not how you want your business to be reported.
I give slight leeway to startups, although there’s no excuse for not putting your best foot forward. You still have a chance to clean up your act. I’m taking aim at existing businesses with crappy or unproven (I like the word unstable but tomato, tomahto) services or products who feel the need to use smoke and mirrors along with some slick talk and fancy packaging to woo customers. Nothing irritates me more than to be overly impressed on the surface, then utterly disappointed when I get to the meat of the matter. Make no mistake, you may get customers to buy from you initially, but once people bust you for the fraud that you are, as I said above, the backlash will be swift.
As a business owner, sure, I make mistakes. Not everything I do is perfect, Lord knows. But I do my best to ensure my brand represents me, my values, my mission and my expertise. I work very hard to make sure I’m giving clients over and above what they need. I try my best to present exactly who I and the business are, and what we can do for potential clients. In all my years in business, I’ve never had anyone say that I’ve sold them a bill of goods. I test everything before I release it. Sometimes that means bringing people in for free to beta test, not earning any revenue. But it’s a necessary step I’m willing to take to ensure quality. Take the time to learn what your customers really need, not just give them what you want to. It’s not about YOU.
If you’re going to be a successful entrepreneur, don’t half-step. Go all out, as much as you can within your budget, to make sure your customers are not just satisfied, but that they’ll also run to recommend you to friends and associates. Be protective of your reputation and make sure you put everything through tight scrutiny before releasing any product or service. Don’t let lack of resources or knowledge serve as an excuse to put out inferior products and services. Fancy packaging, ads and websites are not substitutes, they are enhancements. You owe it to yourself and your customers to provide excellence and expect nothing less from your team. And if your customers don’t hold you accountable, you should be re-examining your business! When people are indifferent, that’s almost as bad as them being negative. While presentation is important, substance is crucial.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
It’s not always all in the presentation…there’s gotta be substance!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Don’t Be a Powerful, But Broke Brand
Yes, it’s possible to be a powerful, recognizable brand…and be dead ass broke. I know, because a few years ago, that was me. That was Bethenny Frankel. That was countless other business owners.
OK, I’m not comparing myself to Bethenny. I don’t have a multi-million dollar liquor deal. But she admitted that when Housewives came along, she was stressing over how she’d pay her rent. She had been on Martha Stewart Apprentice (came in second). But while she was a recognized figure, she was a broke person, just like I was. And that’s where we have strong similarities.
Much like her, I spent the better part of the new millennium figuring out what my business should be and trying different variations of it in hopes of success. Where I differed from her, is that I actually ran two business. My recruiting business paid the bills, while Empower Me was struggling. Hell who am I kidding, it was on life support. You already know the story about me starting it as an email list group for Black Women entrepreneurs back in 1998 after I had gotten out of the hospital after a two month stay. I was at a crossroads because I couldn’t physically work, but I knew I had to keep busy. I came up with Empower Me (under a different name at the time) and kind of coasted along. I listened to other people’s suggestions. I tried every tip and trick I could get my hands on. No matter how excited people professed to be, the revenue was next to zilch. I won’t bore you with the story. You can read that in my bio.
So what does all of this have to do with being a broke brand?
Hang on to your hats because I’m about to break it down real and very raw. Here are 6 things you’re doing to create a broke brand.
You’re going crazy on the freebies and giveaways; they don’t always lead to real conversions. As I worked on growing my business, I fell victim to the thinking that free content will drive conversions. I spent a lot of time dispensing advice through my radio show, newsletter, blogs and on social media. I even gave away more free consulting services than I probably should have (some of the recipients didn’t respect my time enough to take it serious). Sure, by giving stuff and services away, you gain a lot of exposure. But while people are “loving” you and the brand, they’re not opening up their wallets. All of that free information may win you loyal fans. But very few open their wallets to actually buy anything or attend any paid events if they can get what they need, even minimally from freebies. I made the mistake of letting people pick my brain until it was numb. Don’t make the same mistake. Set aside a few freebies each year, but stand firm on charging for your services.
You don’t work hard enough to close sales for the major services. Now here is where the Internet Marketers come in and say something like well you didn’t follow the process for closing sales. Oh, but you probably did. Only, the audience you’ve acquired didn’t have the budgets to spend. In other words, freebies attracted a lot of window shoppers, freeloaders and low hanging fruit. They’ll buy the cheaper priced products like books and some pay for the lower cost services or special sales/offers. But not everyone will come out of pocket. In your frustration, you’ve probably resigned yourself to the fact that your audience were people who couldn’t afford you or were too cheap to become clients. So you don’t look outside that perimeter. You’re so consumed with being the expert and being liked, that you didn’t pay attention to the fact that you wasn’t targeting the right people with whom you can close deals and who want your services. Get out there and find the right people who actually need what you have, and they will spend the money.
You’ve grown a large social media following, but they’re not interested in buying from you. Social media has become the enemy, so to speak. Have you ever seen those gurus (and I use the term lightly) who tell you that as you grow your following you grow your revenue? Well that’s bullshit. I’ve been saying for the longest that it’s quality over quantity. I know this because I lived it. I’ve learned to scale back on the number of people I’ll follow back and I scrutinize each connection request more than I used to. Make social media about engagement, not advertising. Be an active participant and not just a message pusher, that way you build a community that will support you. Social media is meant to be used to engage and build relationships so people get to know and trust you. Don’t abuse that trust but don’t let them take advantage of you either. And be mindful of how much free advice you give out on social media because trust me, they’ll come out the woodworks if they think you’re the freebie person. But you won’t get many sales. It’s an added bonus to be popular, but your social media strategy should include a conversion strategy. It can’t always be about making nice. Be nice with a purpose….and a return.
You don’t have a clear strategy for acquiring new clients because you don’t have a clear idea of what you want your business to be. Literally I woke up one morning with this huge epiphany. It dawned on me that it wasn’t that I had to encounter cheap tire kickers. I had not yet put myself directly into the middle of my real target market. In order to find your real target market, you have to define what it is you want the company to stand for, and the kind of people you want to work with. Once you make that shift, your energy will change and you’ll start attracting the right people. It’s not an overnight process, and you’ll have to do some tweaking to your marketing message. But the change in thinking and raising the bar will put you on the right path. Don’t feel that you are obligated to service just any one. Not everyone is your client, and that’s OK. Find the ones who are because trust me, they are NOT in your immediate circle (read: your social networks).
You hang around people just like you. Now on the surface, that may seem ideal. It’s good to have support systems with people who understand what you’re going through. But it’s detrimental to your business. When you hang around people who do what you do, you don’t find clients. When you hang around people in the same situation, status or struggles as you, you don’t advance. Stop and look at some of the groups you frequent. How many stories of struggles and frustration are shared? How many of them are complaining about not being able to afford certain investments in their own businesses? Run immediately to the nearest exit. Now I’ll get some naysayers who will tell me I’m wrong on this, and how we all need to stick together. No the hell we don’t! Why keep yourself in an unproductive environment? It is unproductive because if you’re all high-fiving each other for mediocrity, you can’t really get the honest feedback you need to make improvements. I’d rather someone be raw and real and tell my my shit ain’t cool than to have someone blow smoke up my ass and tell me it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Position yourself to hang around achievers and people who will keep it real even when it hurts.
You don’t really tap into your network…until it’s too late. You’re so busy connecting on Linked In, attending events and padding your network that you forget to build relationships with them. They say pride goes before the fall, and I fell hard. I was drowning but wasn’t screaming out for the life raft. I learned a tough lesson. I have a sneaking suspicion that you do the same thing. Whenever someone asks you if you need something or tells you to let them know what they can do for you, take that serious. When you cultivate those relationships, more opportunities will come your way. Don’t let pride keep you from asking for help when you need it. Don’t abuse your network, but don’t let it dry up either. Networking is give and take. Balance out the give and the take and I promise you that when you need help, it’ll be available for you.
So how much longer are you going to stay a broke brand? These are just words on a screen right now, but I’ve said all of this and more in speeches. The point was driven home. You’re in business to make money. There are operating costs you must meet in addition to your living expenses. If you’re giving it all away, you’re not getting revenue in return. And without revenue you might as well shut the doors on your business. Sure you may be a popular brand. But popular don’t pay the bills. Be willing to invest in yourself and your business but especially be ready to demand others respect the value your bring and pay for that.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
You gotta give to get
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Tell Me Who I Have to Be to Get Some Reciprocity
Sounds a little Lauren Hill-ish doesn’t it?
Can you give me advice on how to spruce up my resume?
Can you introduce me to one of your connections?
Can you tell me how to start my business?
Can you let me take you to lunch so I can pick your brain about an idea?
OK, this is not another bitchfest about people picking my brain. Although if you haven’t already gotten my book, shame on you! But it is a reminder about networking, common courtesy and not burning what could be very valuable bridges. What goes around comes around, and the bridges you burn today could cost you bigger blessings.
While many people have applauded me for writing the initial Pick My Brain article on Forbes, it has confused others. They can’t understand how I can write a book, speak and teach courses on networking and extol the virtues of networking, while standing by my position of not letting people continuously pick my brain for free. You see, networking, real networking, is at the core of my theory of brain picking. The unfortunate part is some people still don’t understand what true networking really is. It would seem that by writing that article, I’ve launched an attack on people who want to network. But really, I haven’t. I’ve attacked people who want to always take but never give. And in a real networking relationship there is always give and take. Some people have no problem with the take, but when it comes to the give, they fall short.
How many times have you gotten a call or an email from someone, perhaps someone you barely know or haven’t heard from in a while asking for help? You get that call or an email asking for some advice or if they could just ask you a few questions. Sometimes they’ll preface it with “we haven’t spoken in a while, I hope all is well” to make it look like they give a damn about anything other than what they want. But we all know it’s a half-hearted pleasantry. They don’t really care, they just want to make sure you think they do so you’ll answer their questions. Upon looking at or hearing the questions, you immediately determine whether it’s a consult in the making or an innocent, legitimate search for help.
I’ve said over and over again that we train people how to deal with us. And if we keep giving away our all, the same people will continue to come back to the well repeatedly. They make it hard for people who legitimately want to network, especially when they don’t know the etiquette rules. So let me break it down one more time for the hard of hearing or just plain hard-headed. Asking and taking without giving back or at least offering to give back is not networking. It is a selfish, greedy act.
When you ask, always give something back in return. Whether an introduction, an in-kind service, an offer to barter or even paying it forward to someone else, you have to bring something to the table. It may be tempting to default to the I don’t think there’s anything I have that you want excuse. Everyone has something of value. It’s selfish of you to not think broader to give back. Whether they ask or not, just make sure you give something back.
Ask the other person what you can do for them or what they need. You’d be surprised at how many conversations end at just asking for a favor or making an empty platitude like if there’s anything I can ever do for you. Cut the bullshit, because you know you don’t really mean it. Your objective is to get what you came for. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Don’t wait for them to ask you for a payback. Just find out what they need then give it to them.
Make yourself accessible for favors. Stop being that person that always says whatever you need, then disappearing when they come to you for a favor. And even if you can’t give them what they’re asking, at least respond to them to let them know. I don’t ask people for many favors, so when I do, people know I really must need them. Nothing irks me more than total silence when I ask for a favor…especially if I’ve done favors for a person in the past. Go a step further and refer them to someone who really can deliver if you can’t.
Encourage others in your network to give back and help. When you have people in your network in need, make introductions amongst them. You keep the circle and the flow of information going. That way you won’t feel obligated to have to help each and every person. By opening up your network within, you allow others the opportunity to step up and offer their assistance when there is a need.
Say Thank You, and mean it. You’d be surprised at how simple yet hard this is for some people to remember. Whenever someone helps me or does a favor for me, no matter how big or small, I say thank you. People like to be acknowledged and know that you appreciate their help. Those two words go a long way and sometimes are better than actually returning a favor. I’ve had many people as guests on my radio show and never even gotten a thank you after. But you live and learn. They’ll never be making a return on my show. Saying thank you is a common courtesy. Get back in the habit of saying it.
So make sure you think beyond just your needs when asking for a favor. Networking is all about reciprocity and paying it forward. When you keep going to the well, eventually people get tired of you and are not so open to helping. Treasure each connection you make and honor them by giving back.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
You gotta give to get
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Real(ity) Entrepreneur- Straight from the Hip Whether You Like it or Not
As I was doing my morning reading (have to keep the mind crisp, you know), there were several great pieces that stood out to me. As I posted my recommended reads on Google+, Twitter and Facebook, I couldn’t help but notice the onslaught of buy me try me ads flooding my stream. Let’s get real, we all have advertised on our social media platforms. I do it, you do it, so let’s not get indignant about ads being there. It’s par for the course. But it wasn’t so much the ads that bothered me as much as the content in many of them.
Everyone and their momma is a coach of some sort or has some system, program, webinar, multi-part series or even book they’re pushing. And on the surface, they all look the same…marketing focused. But if your business/product/service is garbage, all the marketing in the world won’t fix it. Where’s the focus on business foundations like revenue models, operations strategies, staffing forecasting, etc? Nope, you don’t see much talk about that. It’s always about boosting traffic, getting more people to like you on Facebook, social media strategies, list building, working less to make more, automate your systems. It seems they’ve come from that same pool of successful online marketing gurus. I can always tell when someone was once a student of one of these people.
Don’t get me wrong. They are great at what they do, otherwise people wouldn’t be throwing money at them. But I think people are throwing that money at them because they want to emulate them and hope to recreate their success. But the sad fact is YOU CAN’T. You see, many of these programs are designed to teach you Internet Marketing success, not Business Building success. I’ve studied several programs (second hand of course) and in the end they’re all the same, with maybe a different flair that the presenter is bringing. But that works for their business. Lifestyle businesses seem to work well with these programs and I’m not mad at them. If they can find success, more power to them. But when you strip away the hoopla, you still have a business to run. Who’s helping you with that?
But, here’s where it gets sticky and I’ll probably get some heat for this. You know me, I have no problem telling folks to click the “X” and hit the bricks if they don’t like what I have to say. For people like me, that stuff just isn’t designed to be for me. Note I said for ME. For what I’m trying to accomplish, all that stuff is just wasteful noise to me. I’m trying to be in the ranks of Sara Blakely, Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Corcoran, Madame CJ Walker, Kathy Ireland, Tyra Banks, Bethenny Frankel, Magic Johnson, Earl Graves, Sr., William Pickard, Shawn (Jay-Z) Carter, Tyler Perry, Russell Simmons and damn me for saying it, even Donald Trump. These people built businesses and brands. They employ people, they’ve built diversified enterprises…and none of them ever used an out the box, $97/month coaching program to do it. Love them or hate them, they learned their businesses the old fashioned way…by rolling up their sleeves, networking and laying the foundation. And I respect that about each of them.
OK granted, some of them had an advantage. Trump had a rich father. Kathy and Tyra were super models and had that money to launch their businesses. Magic was in the NBA. But all things equal, they still learned their respective businesses and continue to grow, learn and expand. And again, they didn’t do that with a program. If they invested any money, it was in a real education and real mentors that they compensated in some way. They don’t work in their businesses, they work on them. And you don’t see them always on some sunny island with margaritas in their hands, do you? No, they work their asses off so they can enjoy the fruits of their labor. How many of you can just jet off to an island somewhere on a whim? Yeah, me neither…YET.
It’s absolutely OK to buy or attend these programs if they will serve as a springboard for you to do greater things with your business. But if you’re looking for a quick fix, you will fail. The sad reality is many people are looking for the easy way out. They don’t want to work harder, and why should they when you have people like Tim Ferriss telling them they can get rich only working 4 hours per week? Don’t get me wrong, I have the book and I enjoyed it. But it’s not MY reality. My reality is closer to the people above (except I’ve never been a model and don’t have a wicked jumpshot). But I know what I want, who I want to serve and what I want to accomplish. I’m a life long learner and not ashamed of it. The moment I think I know it all, I will fail. It’s not about the millions and billions (OK maybe just a little bit), but building a lasting legacy and knowing I’ve helped people with my skills, knowledge and products and not bullshitted them into thinking they could have some false sense of security. It’s about growing a business where it has a little bit of everything that’s needed by my core demographic.
So while you’re busy listening to MP3 teleclasses, reading transcripts, getting frustrated on webinars that devolve into sales pitches, attending retreats that seem to be more about upselling and rah, rah feel good platitudes waiting on that first million to roll in, I will be working on real solutions for people with real problems. I’ll be networking and growing my inner circle with powerful people who can help guide me along the way by their example and past accomplishments. I’ll be learning new things and pushing myself past the boundaries that others have set. Again, this is my opinion on my future and business. I’m not knocking anyone. As Russell Simmons said Do you!
I don’t want to follow everyone else’s lead. I’m not like everyone else. I don’t want quick solutions, programs out a box, or automated systems to be at the core of my business growth. I want to roll up my sleeves and dive in and build a successful empire from scratch, learning and stretching myself as I go. I want to solve problems and fulfill needs. I can’t do that by using other people’s methods. I want to be able to observe and learn from the very successful people I mentioned above. I don’t want to copy, but I will continue watching and studying and taking plenty of notes. You may have cringed at some of the names I mentioned above, but that’s OK. They’ve all been very successful. It doesn’t matter how they got their break. What matters is what they did with that break and how they continue to push the boundaries. That’s what keeps them on top, and that’s where I want to be. The people at the top aren’t criticizing or bashing what others are doing. They’re busy doing the damn thing. Marinate on that for a moment.
I don’t want people blowing smoke up my ass. I want people who are going to push me harder and force me to think bigger and hold me accountable so I can succeed. I want challenges, not 300 sunny beach days per year on some island. I want to grow an enterprise. I want to never stop learning. I want to build a legacy. I want to employ people with whom I can grow, teach and learn from. I want to make a difference. And that can’t come out some box, book, blog or webinar. That comes from inside me.
My challenge to you: Think about what you’re going to do to build a real, sustainable business. Then do the work to make it happen. If you want to stay purposely small, that’s OK. But if you want to get on the big boys/girls level, you’ve got work to do, and lots of it.
Watch me work. Because that’s what will put me on “the list”. Which list? Time will tell.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Ever evolving, ever learning Entrepreneur!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Screw a ‘Side Hustle’, Are You All In?
It’s my birthday! I’m a very proud 43 years old today. Yeah, I don’t lie about my age. There’s no need to. I’ve earned each and every one of these years and I’m thankful and proud that the Lord has blessed me to live to see another year. And I’m still cute.
Birthdays often make people reflective, and I’m no different. I don’t get overly fussy about bucket lists and things I haven’t accomplished to date any more. I know what I have and haven’t completed and I’m OK with it because I know that everything is in its time. What is meant to happen will and has, and I know what I need to do going forward to keep it moving. I try to never look back.
Entrepreneurship is a passionate topic for me. I’m all for people creating their own legacies and destinies through entrepreneurship. The other day I read various articles ranging from topics such as “the new entrepreneur”, “weeding out wannabe entrepreneurs”, and even an article from the controversial Penelope Strunk about the word entrepreneur losing it’s true meaning. A few weeks back on Twitter, I got into it with a (corporate) CEO who took to the stream degrading anyone who added ‘preneur’ to the end of what they do. The makeshift title under fire was a “dadpreneur”. This CEO said that most entrepreneurs were not really CEOs and therefore incapable of running a real business. And he commented that he was a real CEO because he got paid for his work. I was offended and immediately went into attack mode. You see, I believe everyone has a right to try entrepreneurship to see if it works for them. Who gives a damn what label you put on it? Whether you’re a CEO for a company you’ve built or one that you step into the role, you’re still charged with growing and building a sustainable company. Only, some of us will end up paid more in the long run…and I’m not taking about the corporate CEOs either. You, my friend, are subject to replacement at the whim of a board. When you run your own shit, sure there are risks. But you call the shots.
But then I thought about it a little deeper as I calmed myself down. Could there be just an ounce of truth in what he said? Is that why I was so offended when I otherwise don’t usually care what people say?
Let’s be real for a moment, not everyone can or wants to be an entrepreneur let alone a CEO with responsibility of that magnitude. Some people just want to start a little something on the side and be done with it. But I’m a firm believer that to be an entrepreneur in every sense of the word, you must be all in. I don’t believe in the side hustle or working full time while running a business. When you split your time, you split your focus and limit your profit making capability. If you’re working for someone else, you’re helping to grow their business and make them money. Your side thing can’t flourish the way it’s supposed to. All of your creative energy and the time you should be spending developing leads, gaining customers and perfecting your product or service are put on hold while you fulfill your jobly duties. That’s not fair to you or your business.
It is my opinion that while it’s possible to start a business while you’re working, the chances of it growing to scale and becoming a thriving enterprise decrease the longer you stay employed with someone else. Most people would try to reason that they need to work a job so that they can earn money and have benefits to keep them going until their business can turn a profit. Stop for a moment and re-read that last sentence. Does it make sense to you? If it does, congratulations, you’re not an entrepreneur and you certainly don’t have the mindset to be one. What you focus on is what will flourish. That time and energy you re-channel into your own business will produce the revenue and the customers so that you can make enough to support yourself and sustain the business…and buy your own benefits to boot.
There are many magazines and trendy experts that will tell you a side hustle or side gig is great. And it is, if you’re only looking to make a few extra hundred dollars a month. But if you’re looking to be a serious business owner and a player in your field, you must put all your focus on growing and cultivating your business. You can’t do that working for someone else. Sure, there are a handful of stories where a person got lucky and created something that was an instant hit and sold for millions. But let’s be real. Those stories are the exception, not the rule. People who have grown their businesses put in 150% of their time, money, energy and efforts to be successful. And remember, those cubicle to riches stories usually focus on some tech company and entrepreneurship encompasses far more than just the tech space. And to add, I guarantee that before that quirky little tech company sold, those founders were living on Ramen Noodles to get by.
If you’re considering jumping into entrepreneurship I only have three pieces of advice you must follow. First, be all in and focused. Set yourself up so that you are able to sustain yourself for at least a year to 18 months without a paycheck. That way you can have your bills covered while you grow the business. Second, put a solid team in place (advisory, staff..even if it’s just one other person, or partners) so that you don’t spread yourself too thin and you have a well balanced group of performers who bring different strengths to build one hell of a company. And third, educate yourself as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to go to classes, read books, seek out a mentor or get a business coach who has real business experience to help guide you.
Remember, you’re either all in, or all out. The choice is yours. Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart. You can’t bullshit your way through it blindly hoping for success. It’s real work for a real purpose. If you do it, do it right.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
I stay faithfully All In
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
My Adventures in Venture Labs
So in case you didn’t know, I am now part of Venture Labs, a Tech Entrepreneur Learning Community hosted by Chuck Eesley who happens to be a professor at Stanford University. Pretty cool, huh? I don’t get “Stanford” credit, but I do get what I hope will be one hell of a learning experience.
When I first heard about Venture Labs, I jumped at the opportunity to participate. I mean what better way for a chick down in Atlanta to get involved in a think-tank for budding tech company founders? While I’m not exactly considered a tech company founder (yet), I will be soon. I thought this would be a great way to get my feet wet and get some feedback on a few of my ideas. I’ll be chronicling my experience over the next few weeks.
I found out what team I was assigned to last week and quickly made my introduction. Of a team of nine people, I found it wild that I was the only woman and the only African American. I wasn’t surprised, but I was secretly hoping I wouldn’t be. Why they chose to make me the only girl on the team is beyond me. But I can roll with it and hold my own. What I found even more compelling was that I am the only one without any direct tech or IT experience. I’ll admit, I was a little intimidated at first, but I welcome the challenge. My background is in recruiting tech talent, but I’ve always been a tech geek. I worried that upon learning my lack of technical skills, my team would act dismissive towards me. But so far, that hasn’t been the case.
I had my first meeting this past Sunday. One of the gentlemen on the team drove up to my neck of the woods so we could meet. Another joined in briefly via Google+ Hangout. But I was a bit surprised and disappointed that the others were no shows. My team mate that showed up commented that he had participated in a couple of programs similar to this, and they usually started out big, but then people dropped out. I hope this isn’t the case with my team, but I think it will happen. Our first meeting went very well and my team mate and I got a lot of brainstorming done. In fact, even if nobody else contributes to the assignment, we have enough to complete it. But keep in mind, I won’t be a happy camper if this happens. So let’s hope things pick up.
I’m hoping that this project picks up and that my team comes together. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and do the work. Each assignment is supposed to bring me closer to understanding the collaborative nature of the tech startup environment and prepare me for the tough questions that will be asked of me when I decide to start my own. This is going to be much different than my past experiences and I’m looking forward to it. I’m a sponge ready to soak up the knowledge and get in where I fit in. And if I don’t fit, they’ll get over it and deal with me anyway. Who knows, this could lead to me doing some powerful networking and getting closer to starting my very own tech company instead of just dreaming about it. Wish me luck! You can follow along by subscribing to Chuck Eesley’s Blog and stay tuned for my own weekly updates.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
I’m down for the challenge!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Don’t Let the Help Make You Detached
In the early days of being a CEO of a small company, especially a startup, it’s not unusual to find yourself being all things for your company. I’ve been there. Sometimes I still feel there. HR, marketing, sales, order fulfillment, PR, consultant, secretary, bookkeeper, scheduler, etc, etc. Out of necessity, you find yourself being the main contact for all things for your business. But as your business grows, it becomes increasingly impossible to wear all hats and be all things, and still grow a successful, scalable enterprise. Yet, many people try to do it all anyway and end up failing miserably.
When growing a successful enterprise, as the CEO, you have to grow along with the company. That often means learning how and when to delegate tasks and relinquish some authority to other more capable hands. Many CEOs are type A personalities and have a hard time letting go because they feel like the control is slipping from their hands. Because they’ve been the face behind the company brand, they feel if they aren’t directly involved with every aspect, customers won’t be satisfied and the work won’t get done as it should. But that’s not the case. As you grow a business, you must think long term and bigger than yourself. It’s not all about you. I’m guessing you started a company to see it grow and succeed, not to be enslaved in the day to day minutia.
As my company started to grow, I had to come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t do it all. I had to learn how to hire people to offset my weaknesses and negligible tasks so that I could focus on generating revenue tasks for my business. I had to program myself to let other people do what they were good at so that I could focus on growing the business and doing what I’m good at, so together we could grow the brand. CEOs who have been used to doing it alone for so long find it hard to do this. It was hard for me, but I had to focus on the long term goals for my company. If I wanted the company to grow to scale and be a success, I had to learn to let go and put certain tasks into capable hands. There is nothing wrong with this…provided you don’t get bigger than the brand and find yourself detached from the customers you once served and cared about.
WARNING: As a CEO you have to be careful not to cross the line from successful delegation to blatant detachment.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have CEOs who become detached from the day to day. Now this might seem contradictory given what I said above. But there are certain pitfalls a CEO must be mindful of, or they risk alienating not just their team but their once loyal customers.
The bigger a company gets the harder it is to be involved in all aspects of the business. While as a CEO you should not have your hands in everything, you still need to be able to maintain a bird’s eye view of what’s going on so that you can anticipate problems, manage your team successfully so that they give optimal performance, and focus on delivering value to your customers. Very few major CEOs have been able to successful lead, manage and delegate while getting results and letting the professionals they’ve hired do what they do to keep a business running.
I have to use a few contrasting examples to illustrate my point, so why not use a few people I admire and try to model (no pun intended) my business practices after.
Tyra Banks has done a great job of building not just a solid brand, but a real scalable business enterprise. She is an example of getting it right. From my vantage point, she has surrounded herself with talented people to compliment her ideas and work style, but she has also taken the initiative to learn the business side of her enterprise. I’m not here to debate the legitimacy of the Harvard Executive Education Program that so many people want to criticize her for attending. It was a brilliant move. She has made enough money to sit back and let other people do the heavy lifting. But Tyra decided to go and get further educated to that she could bring that knowledge to her already successful business. In interviews she has said that attending allowed her to not just understand the business practices, but also allows her to push her team and stretch their thinking. She also is very aware of fan feedback which helps her in deciding what the people want, not what she wants them to have. See the difference? She stays involved and active. It’s a team dynamic, but she doesn’t leave final decisions to other people. The buck stops with her.
In a business, I wouldn’t always say the customer is always right. But if you’re in a market where your customers/end users/audience wants something, it’s up to you to deliver. You can infuse your ideas and what you think they’d appreciate, but you must use their wants and needs as a foundation when creating services or products for them. It would be arrogant to just assume or give them what you think they need (hello Facebook, I’m talking to you).
On the flip side, I have to bring in my role model Oprah Winfrey. I have tremendous respect for her and hope to some day work with her. But after what I’m about to say, I have a feeling that won’t happen! Oprah is perhaps the best known brand in the world. Her spirit, philanthropy and passion are infused throughout her brand. She has taken what started as a career at a small local station, gained national exposure with her own show, then grew a behemoth power brand that is unrivaled…well maybe by Apple, but that’s apples and oranges at this point (and yes, pun intended). She has made all the right moves for herself and a few wrong ones, but she’s grown into a respected businesswoman with a vast empire. However, here’s where it gets sticky.
When Oprah started OWN, she readily admitted she was functioning in the capacity of a startup. For all intents and purposes, OWN is a startup so let’s put aside the fact that she’s already a powerful brand and has billions of dollars. Oprah comes from ABC where even though she eventually owned her show rights, she wasn’t responsible for the entire network. Other people did that and all she and her team had to do was show up and create. Now it’s a whole other ball game. She owns the whole ball of wax. All successes and failures start and end with her. As CEO of her own network, she is not supposed to be involved in the day to day. But I think she’s let that disrupt her path. She is what I refer to as a detached CEO.
I read the comments, and I’ve learned that you cannot please all people all the time. If you try, you’re guaranteed failure. But it seems that Oprah isn’t hearing anyone, most of all her core audience. As she should, she has people to handle everything from advertising to creative, but those people are acting on behalf of Oprah….and she’s letting them. I don’t know her personally nor do I know how often she really monitors people’s feedback (other than either the very negative to which she’s responded- check her Twitter- or the very positive, dare I say kiss-her-ass overly fawning we-love-you comments). But the people who have real, valid comments, opinions and ideas are ignored. If she’s listening, her people certainly aren’t because they aren’t making decision that are in the audience’s best interest and damn sure not Oprah’s. Now, I’m not a billion dollar brand nor do I have a global audience (yet), but in my humble opinion, Oprah needs to take a lesson from Tyra and other CEOs who don’t allow themselves to get so far detached from their core audience.
It pains me to see people turning on her and abandoning her. I want her network to succeed. But that’s not what this post is about. It’s about CEOs who need to find that fine balance of running a company effectively while delegating to capable people while still keeping in touch with their core customers.
Learn to listen, lead and delegate so you can grow with the business. And certainly make sure you don’t allow yourself to be put in an ivory tower. Get rid of anyone who tells you what people want rather than trying to understand what they want and finding a compromise. Not all industry experts and executives get it right all the time. They may know more than you, but it’s your company and you know your service/product/audience better than any suit. If it doesn’t feel right in your spirit, don’t let others push you into decisions.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
The Accessible CEO
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
4 Most Important People to Hire for Small Businesses
As a small business owner, you often find yourself conflicted over whether or not to hire people to help or make due with what you’ve got…and sometimes what you’ve got is just you. I have seen business coaching programs that will not take on clients unless they have a staff or at least an assistant. I have issues with that because not all small business owners need staff, but I will admit everyone needs at least strategic team members that will help grow the business.
Now critics and skeptics will contend that a small business can’t hire just for the sake of hiring, and that there has to be a justified need to hire. I can agree with that, in some cases. But the bottom line is if you want to grow your business substantially, you can’t do it alone. You have to hire an effective team to strategically handle certain aspects of your business while you focus on what you do that fuels the company. I’ve learned over the years that certain key personnel are essential if you plan to grow a real business.
Administrative Assistant- I didn’t know how much I really needed one until I first hired one. Some have worked out great, some not so great. But I realize as the head of a growing company, there are certain things I don’t need to be doing on a daily basis. I have a tremendous respect for Assistants because they really do keep us plugging along. They are the gatekeepers, the screeners and the triage for you customers. They keep you from wasting countless hours on things that aren’t as high on your priority list. If you hire no other person, at least get an Assistant. Some will argue that making this hire is a waste of money because they can do the work themselves. But if you are CEO, you shouldn’t be. Make sure you find and hire a great Administrative Assistant to help make you a more efficient CEO.
Marketing Specialist- Unless you are a powerhouse marketer, some jobs are best left to professionals. I see many companies contracting out to marketing firms and end up losing more dollars instead of making more profits. I’m all for outsourcing when necessary, but I think in this case, it’s better to hire someone in-house for this. Having your own marketing person allows you to have a dedicated person to help you brand, promote and build business recognition. An internal person is invested in the success of the marketing strategies because they are responsible for it and their jobs depend on it. Some people say marketing and branding are two different things. And they are, to some extent. But a great marketing person will have a command of the brand and work hard to build a community to embrace that brand. And it helps if they are talented in design and social media too.
Business Development (Salesperson)- In a small company, sales usually defaults to the owner. He or she knows the products, services and company inside and out. So what better person is there to do the selling? The only problem is not everyone is meant to sell and not everyone can sell. As the head of my company, my job is to help others grow their business. Yes, I spend a tremendous amount of time building a community and prospecting. But selling is an ongoing thing. I like to build my client base organically, not by trickery or some funneling harassing techniques. I know that selling is something that is better left for the professionals. A business development person takes care of the prospecting and getting people to the point of closing, and it’s my job to make the close. So if you’re looking to get more customers, service more clients, move more products, hire a business development person to handle the sales.
Human Resources Specialist- As your business grows, you’ll need to add new staff. Once you start hiring people things get tricky. A lot of people choose to ignore the legalities of hiring by trying to game the system. They’ll hire part-timers or independent contractors to avoid paying benefits and in some cases taxes. But this can catch up with you. Some small business owners also fail to create a staffing plan so they’re not caught under or over-staffed. Failing to have a staffing plan can cause you to hire based on panic or perceived need. It can also cause them to postpone hiring and putting more duties on existing staff members, causing them to be overworked. A Human Resources Specialist can help you plan and execute your plan, and keep you in compliance with the department of labor and the IRS. While they should not be confused with or a substitute for Recruiters, an HR Specialist can help keep you current, legal and properly staffed.
There are a few other team members you will need as time goes on. But the above four are ideal for the small business looking to grow. As you grow, you adjust and add staff members as needed, not because it’s what everyone else is doing. Hire your weaknesses and make sure that everyone understands the short and long term goals for your business. You can’t grow efficiently without the right team.
Til Next Time,
Adrienne Graham
Growing my team one person at a time!
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Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
