Everyone always asks my how I do so much and I guess I really didn't know how much I was doing until I took a step back. Every year, I review how I'm spending my time - literally. I track how I'm spending every hour of every day for two weeks. It's brutal. I call it a time and motion study. I then go through and make some decisions - should I be delegating this? Can I automate this? Do I really need to do it?
A few years ago, something big came out of one of my time and motion studies. The concept of procrastination. I'm not a procrastinator by any means (I already have the 2012 National Gift Basket Convention done!). I'm good at tackling things head on and getting them done but sometimes I'm just not in the mood to do things that are complex. I made the decision to make Friday's "Solve Complex Problems" day. It's the day before the weekend, I've had all week to ignore it and now its time to face it and resolve it. Because I know that's what I do on Friday's, I'm actually mentally prepared to step up and deal with whatever it is...
Solving complex problems is never easy or I would have already taken care of it but its also rewarding once its done. Today, I solved 3 complex problems and it feels SO good!
No, you can't know what they are...sorry.
Friday, July 29, 2011
From The Yellow Pages to Online Business Directories Are you in the race to the top?
Remember when it was the yellow pages that brought us the customers? Wow have times changed. I haven’t even seen a yellow pages in forever – except once in a while when I stumble upon it online. Now it’s all about the various search engines.
For our businesses, because the search engines is the primary way we’re found, we have to be in the race to the top and there are a variety of ways you can work to get there. A great way to be in the race is to have your business listed in as many directories as possible. From the online yellow pages to gift basket directories, the more the better. The more times you are able to be found on the internet the better so sit down and start signing up! Some are free and some cost money so watch where you’re spending your money but consider this….directories such as The Gift Basket Association that provides you with a listing on the www.findyourgiftbasket.com directory, is $0.27 cents per day. Just the listing alone is worth the membership. While you’re at it sign up on Merchant Circle, Google directory and as many others as you can find….get into the race.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Net Max = Catapulting.
It was in 2001 when my Mom and I started a gift basket business. We were sitting at a train crossing talking about how it would be nice to own a gift basket business. That turned into a U-turn into Pier One Imports where we bought our first supplies. The problem was that we were so excited about the creative part, we didn't do anything else. No business plan, no thought around who is going to do what - not even a lot of research on supplies. Although we had immediate success with orders, our profit margins weren't proper and we were buying supplies that we probably could have waiting to buy. Since then, the business has grown immensely and so have the profit margins. It took years of trial and error, risk taking, marketing tests and I can now tell you that Gourmet Gifts is successful. In October, it will be officially ten years with a company; over 20 years making gift baskets.
A huge turning point for me with Gourmet Gifts was the realization that my family and friends weren't going to be my number one supporters (except my favorite Aunt Diane - she supports everything I do!). I was so disappointed to see the lack of support and quickly realized that I need to put my concentration on the people that had already stepped up to help me. I also realized that I spend money with a lot of people so expecting a little reciprocal support isn't a bad thing. And then, I joined a networking organization thinking that I'd get even more support - not so much. That's how The Women's Networking Alliance got started but that's another story.
This Turning Point for me developed into a theory I call NetMax. It's a chapter in my book Avance and I've written a few articles about it in Trends and Tips Gift Basket Magazine. It's how I catapulted my business and ultimately grew it from a small little hobby to a full on corporation.
A huge turning point for me with Gourmet Gifts was the realization that my family and friends weren't going to be my number one supporters (except my favorite Aunt Diane - she supports everything I do!). I was so disappointed to see the lack of support and quickly realized that I need to put my concentration on the people that had already stepped up to help me. I also realized that I spend money with a lot of people so expecting a little reciprocal support isn't a bad thing. And then, I joined a networking organization thinking that I'd get even more support - not so much. That's how The Women's Networking Alliance got started but that's another story.
This Turning Point for me developed into a theory I call NetMax. It's a chapter in my book Avance and I've written a few articles about it in Trends and Tips Gift Basket Magazine. It's how I catapulted my business and ultimately grew it from a small little hobby to a full on corporation.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
What is a Turning Point?
I've been working since I was 15. I've had an entrepreneurial spirit my whole life. When I was a little girl, the neighbor and I used to put a rubber band around old newspapers and deliver them to the neighborhood. In mind, I as selling newspapers - the neighbors, however, we're quite confused. My first job at 13 was typing for my Mom's word processing business, The Perfect Page; followed by the baseball field "Snack Shack" manager and then my first real job at a fabric store. I was the store assistant manager at at 17 and started my second job when I turned 19, while I was graduating high school. Those 5 years of working set the stage for who I am today.
Unlike high school, I excelled in my jobs. I put forth a strong effort, received promotions and praise regularly and at age 19, found myself as the Secretary to the President of a major electronics company. That was a Turning Point and one I didn't handle well. The good news is that out of all the candidates he interviewed and the people within the company who applied, he chose me as his secretary. The bad news is that it went to my head, fast. It wasn't long before they let me go for a more mature model and rightfully so. At the time, I didn't care - I was going to become a police officer anyway.
Turning Points are times in ones life where you have reached a pivotal point; felt a particular emotion that had extreme meaning or a "ah ha" moment where you realized you have made an achievement without knowing it. They aren't transitions. They are times when you realize that something you have been working so hard for has happened; that you've made a certain discovery that is going to force major changes in your life or perhaps making a concerted effort to change the landscape of what you are doing for something up.
Turning Points aren't easy to recognize unless you're looking for them. I remember where I was standing when I had my first official Turning Point and once I realized it, I had to sit down and take it in. It was amazing.
...that story is for another day.
Unlike high school, I excelled in my jobs. I put forth a strong effort, received promotions and praise regularly and at age 19, found myself as the Secretary to the President of a major electronics company. That was a Turning Point and one I didn't handle well. The good news is that out of all the candidates he interviewed and the people within the company who applied, he chose me as his secretary. The bad news is that it went to my head, fast. It wasn't long before they let me go for a more mature model and rightfully so. At the time, I didn't care - I was going to become a police officer anyway.
Turning Points are times in ones life where you have reached a pivotal point; felt a particular emotion that had extreme meaning or a "ah ha" moment where you realized you have made an achievement without knowing it. They aren't transitions. They are times when you realize that something you have been working so hard for has happened; that you've made a certain discovery that is going to force major changes in your life or perhaps making a concerted effort to change the landscape of what you are doing for something up.
Turning Points aren't easy to recognize unless you're looking for them. I remember where I was standing when I had my first official Turning Point and once I realized it, I had to sit down and take it in. It was amazing.
...that story is for another day.
Here we go!
Over the years, I had a variety of blogs. One of my favorite blogs was "Coffee Talk with Debbie Q." It was the same format as my radio show - gift basket professionals could ask me questions and I'd do my very best to give them real answers that will help them grow their business and get over a hurdle. My "mini fan mail" would come in 5-6 times a week with appreciate for me giving them some direction. I will share a secret with you though....I had someone that managed a big portion of my business including my blogs, emails, Tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIN updates. Working a full time job and owning a barrage of small businesses requires some delegation. The content, however, was mine - I just wasn't the one to sit down and write it.
It was that whole process - the creation of the blog, the taking of questions and giving answers and the delegation that gave me the ability to do it all and then some. I was able to answer almost every email that came in, take every phone call and at the time - write Avance.
I learned that it was ok to delegate with a trust but verify methodology. I further learned the need to be consistent. If I went more than 4 days without writing in my blog, people were asking if I was ok. I also learned that there are things I know that others don't and the more I share, the better. I can't assume they know what I know and vice versa. I have learned a lot over the years with just this one process and that's what this new blog is about. It is my only personal blog and it's where I will share with you where my inspiration and motivation come from, the challenges I've experienced, my failures and my successes. I hope to inspire you to discover what I call your "Turning Point".
It was that whole process - the creation of the blog, the taking of questions and giving answers and the delegation that gave me the ability to do it all and then some. I was able to answer almost every email that came in, take every phone call and at the time - write Avance.
I learned that it was ok to delegate with a trust but verify methodology. I further learned the need to be consistent. If I went more than 4 days without writing in my blog, people were asking if I was ok. I also learned that there are things I know that others don't and the more I share, the better. I can't assume they know what I know and vice versa. I have learned a lot over the years with just this one process and that's what this new blog is about. It is my only personal blog and it's where I will share with you where my inspiration and motivation come from, the challenges I've experienced, my failures and my successes. I hope to inspire you to discover what I call your "Turning Point".
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