Monday Morning Motivators

2012-01-09T11:31:00.000-05:00

Planning & Preparing

"Plans are nothing; planning is everything." --Dwight D. Eisenhower

January Theme: The 5 Priorities of Business:

Principles - Prepare/Plan - Product - People - Profit.

Business Planning for the C-Suite or mayby SWAT teams

C-Suite is the current slang for the executive team; top managers; corporate officers; and often in a small business the Owner and Advisors.

SWAT is police language for special weapons and tactics.

True planning that is effective for a quarter, a year or longer needs to take into account the past, the what "ifs" of the future with collaboration between the many. This may mean that the C-Suite needs to use SWAT and put aside personalities and feelings to really prepare for the future.

Starting with a SWOT analysis (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats) or planning is one way to really get the juices flowing and to review where the business was, where it is and get some ideas on where it is going. Strengths and Weakness are an internal examination of a business, department or project while Opportunities and Threats are the external analysis.

When working on your SWOT, remember that all businesses have SWAT; you all have special weapons and tactics. Polishing those and refining them so that a clear concise vision is delivered to the staff for activation and implementation will set the tone for a year with hope and aspirations. Knowing where you are going and developing a plan always leads to a great adventure!

Start your planning with a SWOT analysis worksheet.

Linda Lucas Fayerweather
www.ChangingLanes.biz
419-897-0528
linda@changinglanes.biz

Consider working with a coach or a MasterMind Team to make 2012 the year of your dreams!

Workshop on Planning - Northwest Ohio

One Year Action Plan for Success - Planning that works for You and Your Team

On Location at Bowling Green State University at Levis Commons - Begins January 11

Monday Morning Motivators Special Details below >> Details and Registration

Planning for teamwork = Teams that Plan

You have a goal in mind and you want to put it to action, only there is a problem of the in-between. Getting to that goal requires teamwork and planning. Often, getting a plan done will require more than just you. Part of the plan is identifying and getting the team on board or as Jim Collins would say in "Good to Great" get the right people on the bus in the right seats.

Create a team - Which of your staff would best represent your idea or goal? Use the staff members that can bring something to the table and leave the rest to their daily tasks.

Plan a strategy - How do you want to get to your goal, what's your plan? Have a meeting with your new team and draw out a plan of action. Remember to also analyze your risks and weigh the pros and cons of your idea.

Assign tasks - Give your team specific roles tailored to their talents, not just their positions.

Fine tune - Put your team's ideas together and let everyone get a look at the big picture. You may get a few staff members that catch a few errors.

Getting through the in-between works faster if you identify who will help be on your team. Happy Planning.

Tiffiny Fayerweather

tiffiny.fayerweather@gmail.com

Planning for Business on the Internet

Over the next few weeks I'll be talking about the core structure of a business broken down into the 5 P's, in order, Principles, Prepare/planning, Product, People, and Profit. If you miss one of these P's or don't give it enough time of day your business will have a difficult time succeeding.

Last week I talked about your Principles and how they translate over to the Internet. This week we will be talking about Planning, specifically Planning to do Business on the Internet.

Doing business on the Internet isn't very different from a brick and mortar store (B&M) but how you do business and how you should think about your business is very different.

Things that are similar.

Store Location = Domain Name and Quality Hosting.
Store Image = Website
In Person/Phone Customer Service = Phone or Email Customer Service
Customers leave with the product = The product is shipped to them

And all of these factors need to be quality.

But the major things that separates B&M from an online business is on the Internet your business is open to the world where as a B&M is usually limited to an area that you can serve because of customer travel time. On the Internet your business is faceless in the terms of when a customer comes to your web site, they don't see you. They can't interact with with you. Being personable is done through your site being user friendly, presenting quality information, and your customer service. This can be a hard concept to grasp because you never see your customers, you only see I.P. addresses and orders. Your site has to do the selling for you.

In my opinion as a web developer, opening an online store is very easy these days, but making it successful is one of the hardest things. It is even harder than having a B&M. Because most people do not plan or have wild misconceptions behind selling things on the Internet.

You will not automatically get a ton of business and be rich.
Just because you are selling it doesn't mean someone will buy it.
Just because someone else is making money off selling a Widget doesn't mean you will make money by selling the same Widget.
Just because you are selling a lot now, doesn't mean it will continue to sell well.

But don't give up, like any business with proper planning and being smart your business can be on it way to being successful. Here are some tips.

The first and most important step is to plan how your business will function.

How will you take orders?
How long will it take to fulfill orders?
How will you ship your products?
Who is your target market?
How can customers reach you?
What is your policy on returns?
How will you handle lost packages?
Where can you ship to?
Are you shipping items directly or are you using a fulfillment center?
What will it cost to ship your items?
How many items do you need to sell to cover my costs (web site, merchant account, hosting, employees, etc).
Will the shipping rates cover the actual cost of shipping?

These will help you create a solid business plan and give you realistic figures.

Don't undercut yourself then try to make your money back through your shipping costs or try to make an extra buck on shipping costs. Besides a poor functioning or broken web site nothing will drive your customers away faster than high shipping costs. If you can't offer low prices and a decent shipping rate, rethink your business plan.
Get an easy to remember domain name. Being clever might help.
Plan and spend good money on a web site. If your site makes you look like it is fly by night company, you will be treated that way. If it is constantly down, what will your customers think about the products you sell and your customer service? If your site is broken or doesn't function very well, it shows you don't care.
Don't blow off bad reviews. Don't get mad. The best thing to do is respond and resolve the issue. No matter what site the review is on. It shows that you care about your customers and they are not just a dollar sign.
Don't post fake reviews or have friends/family post fake reviews about your business or products.
Be unique but smart. You and countless other people are trying to do business on the Internet, what makes you special?
Do your research. Research your competition. Research how other sites function/user experience. Research User Interfaces.
Make ordering from your site easy, friendly, and go the extra step to make the customer's day.
Stay up on the latest trends, research and figure out which ones will work for your business.
Make sure you have quality information in a neat, consistent, orderly fashion.
Create a quality newsletter. Find the sweet spot on send frequency. It could be once a week, or every other day, or once every two weeks. Don't use it just to spam, us it to educate first.
Learn how to Guerrilla Market.
Reach out to your customers, talk to them, listen to what they have to say.
Become a community resource by having a blog or forum but don't use it to spam your business, use it to create an asset to help drive customers to your business. Give out knowledge.

But what if you aren't selling anything on the Internet? What happens if you just want a brochure site or blog for your business's web site? Everything I talked about still matters. In short, your business plan should include a quality web site just take the selling portion out.

With proper planning and creating procedures, like with a B&M, it will help create a solid foundation for your business.

Jeff Mendelsohn

Liquid Mechanix Studio, LLC

www.liquidmechanix.com

419.297.3364

January Workshops!

One Year Action Plan for Success
Date:	January 11, 2012
Details:	One Year Action Plan for Success - Planning that works for you and your team On Location: Bowling Green State University at Levis Commons Day One - January 11 8:30-4:30 Day Two - January 25 8:30 - Noon Cost:Monday Morning Special $199 with online registration ($299 at the door) - Bring your partner for an extra $90. Registration Here

Building a Thriving Business for Your Future
Date:	January 25, 2012
Details:	Building a Thriving Business for Your Future - Learn the 7 Tips to build a business that will Thrive with or without you. On Location: Bowling Green State University Perrysburg Campus at Levis Commons Cost $69 (additional partners $20 each) January 25, Wednesday 1:30 - 5PM Registration Here

Have a profitable week.

2012-01-02T08:08:00.001-05:00

Welcome to 2012!

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." --Michael Jordan.

January Theme: The 5 Priorities of Business:

Principles - Prepare/Plan - Product - People - Profit.

You are Your Values

Business Principles are built on core values of you and your business.

Principles Defined: Fundamental, norms, rules, values that represent what is desirable and positive for an organization. Principles are basic, change rarely and govern your policies, goals and outcomes.

Core Values Defined: The principles that internally guide an organizations conduct as well as its relationship with the external world. The core values your organization and its key people subscribe to define its character and the substance of your business, management, operations, products and services.

To get started on your business principles, as an owner, you want to be clear what values you as an individual personally hold.

When you are a customer, what makes you happy? What drives you crazy?

When you are a subordinate, What is helpful? What leads to confusion?

When you are with peers or friends, What do you expect others to believe about you? What will you not tolerate?

When you are with your family, What are your dreams? What are your concerns?

Defining your business principles starts with you and is the heart of who you are. Now, verbalizing these will lead to being able to develop and share yours with your team and build the principles your business will hold dear.

Get your ideas flowing by checking out Samples:

Zappos.com is more than create fun and a little weirdness

Whole Foods

Google

Amazon believes in being frugal

IBM had a value jam last summer where they invited all their employees to share what they valued.

Mystic Madness has set up a collection of 20 examples of idea starters for core values.

The principles that you live by in all parts of your life and business will be the values you share with your team. You may not achieve them 100% every day, but voicing them and giving life to them will enhance all you do in 2012!

Linda Lucas Fayerweather
www.ChangingLanes.biz
419-897-0528
linda@changinglanes.biz

Consider working with a coach or a MasterMind Team to make 2012 the year of your dreams!

Instilling Your Business Principles into Your Staff

Getting your staff to care about your business core values or principles is a huge step towards success. Think of your business as an athletic team, every player must be running the same play and want to obtain the same goal. One bad player can throw an entire team astray.

Think about what you want your team to do and how their skills can get your business to where it needs to be.

Practice positive reinforcement: Are you giving positive reinforcement? Or just reprimanding them for little mistakes? If an employee makes a small mistake take her aside and talk about how to avoid the mistake in the future. You have to remember that your staff is human too and when under duress mistakes tend to happen more often.

Share your Core Values to help employees build the your business principles: How are you getting there? How will your staff help you achieve these goals? Don't just tell your team what you want, help them understand and give input into your business values and principles

Print your Core Values and POST them. Seeing the post everyday will remind you and your players that they helped bring these principles to life and at the same time, give a sense of pride in their team.

Tiffiny Fayerweather

tiffiny.fayerweather@gmail.com

Your Principles on the Internet

This week I'm talking about Principles, specifically how your Principles translate over to the Internet.

Your Principles are your values, your standards, your fundamentals, your laws, your rules. They define you but more importantly they should be ingrained into your business and define your business and everything it stands for on every level. They should be well thought out come from your core, not forced, backed up by integrity, and never be compromised. Lastly your principles should serve your customers first then you. But how can your principles translate over to the Internet? Will it actually matter?

Yes, it matters. It should actually matter even more. The Internet is not just a group of people doing things in a virtual world, making up web sites, selling goods/services, forums, and email. Yes, you can connect to people over the Internet but The Internet is a living creature. It is an abstract entity with feelings and is overly judgmental.

If your principles are questionable, the Internet won't take mercy on you. It will chew you up no matter how big or small. The Internet is the gateway to the world and what you show the world better be good because it is out there FOREVER.

It use to be if someone did you wrong who could you tell? Your friends and Family? Your neighbors? "Oh, don't shop there, they treated me terribly." You had no real voice and there was little recourse for the company who wronged you. Now, you can tell the world, NO, the Internet, and if the Internet cares it will back you up. For examples of this do a Google search for the following "Jeff Jarvis Dell Hell", "GoDaddy SOPA", or "Ocean Marketing Penny Arcade"

In a day the Internet can make you rich. In an instant the Internet can ruin your life. Your values, your principles, and everything you and your business stands for will be tested constantly. If you don't have a clear message with what you stand for and the exhibit that message through your actions online and offline, there is no reason for anyone to trust you, no reason for anyone to want to do business with you, and no reason not to destroy you.

But the Internet isn't all bad. It is actually a wonderful place that has changed the world for the better. It has given any one with a computer and an Internet connection access to the world. It has help companies be better and in some cases forced companies to be better. It has helped over throw dictatorships. It has help people stay connected. And so much more. All because the Internet acts like a watchful eye. That watchful eye wants to know where you stand.

Does your business have good intentions?

Does your business listen to its customers?

What does your business do when faced with a bad review?

How does your business stand up against your competitors?

These are all questions your principles should answer.

For my final thoughts, if your principles are tried and true the Internet can be a powerful ally and can help you achieve your goals and dreams you didn't even think were possible. But don't think for a second just because you can't see the people on the other end, it doesn't mean there aren't people and that they don't have a voice.

Jeff Mendelsohn

Liquid Mechanix Studio, LLC

www.liquidmechanix.com

419.297.3364

January Workshops!

One Year Action Plan for Success
Date:	January 11, 2012
Details:	One Year Action Plan for Success - Planning that works for you and your team On Location: Bowling Green State University at Levis Commons Day One - January 11 8:30-4:30 Day Two - January 25 8:30 - Noon Cost: $249 with online registration ($299 at the door) - Bring your partner for an extra $90. Registration Here

Building a Thriving Business for Your Future
Date:	January 25, 2012
Details:	Building a Thriving Business for Your Future - Learn the 7 Tips to build a business that will Thrive with or without you. On Location: Bowling Green State University Perrysburg Campus at Levis Commons Cost $69 (additional partners $20 each) January 25, Wednesday 1:30 - 5PM Registration Here

Procrastination, Again

2011-12-20T09:46:00.000-05:00

Getting Over the Procrastination Hump

A while ago I realized most of the tasks I procrastinate on will only take me 5 to 45 minutes to complete. Not very long at all but yet I would still procrastinate and the task remains incomplete. So I took a moment to think about why I actually don't want to do the task and why I don't want to get it done right now. More procrastination but hey, that's the point.

One thought came to mind is the task is something I didn't want to do. Go figure. But alas, the task needs to get done, also, go figure. But how could I get myself to do the task? Eventually I would grudgingly call upon my will power and do the task that I had to do. Not the best way of doing things if you ask me. My laziness can be mighty powerful sometimes or I have what I consider "better things to do". After countless times of doing this, I had an epiphany.

Once I actually start the task, about 5 to 10 minutes in, I get into a groove and get the task done. In that groove my willingness to complete the task goes up tenfold. I'm already doing it, why not complete it and in the end I feel great about completing the task. On top of that, during the task I usually start to do things faster and what I thought would take me 45 minutes actually only takes me 30 minutes to complete. Woohoo!

I applied my new thought process to a few tasks. If I can get over the initial hump and get into my groove, I'll get the task done in no time. In the end those tasks didn't seem so bad. I felt rewarded knowing that I got the task done and can move on to something else such as relaxing because no TV and no beer make Jeff something... Crazy? Don't mind if I do!

Any way, knowing that I have a groove doesn't necessarily help me do the tasks but knowing that I just have to get over the hump to get into my groove to complete the task helps be start the task. And knowing that there is some sort of reward in the end really helps too.

The next time you are procrastinating on a task, once you actually start it, see if you notice the hump and see if once you get over the hump if the task you are doing really is that bad.

Jeff Mendelsohn
Liquid Mechanix Studio, LLC
www.liquidmechanix.com
419.297.3364

Killing Procrastination in Your Office

Procrastinators are everywhere, and like the common cold, procrastination can be contagious and is more prevalent during holidays and stressful times. One procrastinating employee can set off another and another. Before you know it, many hours are spent checking personal emails, chatting at the water cooler and surfing the web. But is it really their fault, or did they just lose focus?

Here are some ideas to get your employees motivated again.

Start a team: Take a day to start a team that works well together. Team building exercises are a great way to start. Uniting employees in a common goal makes them feel that they are part of the solution and keeps focus on the bigger picture. Make sure you use team building events that create a common goal so your employees work with each other, not against one another. Teams also give opportunities for support without drama.

Gain Employee Insight: Take some time for an all inclusive meeting. Getting everybody together and sharing ideas on how to gain more business or solve complaints from customers will show employees that you care about and respect their opinions. Remember, you hired these people because they were qualified and met your standards, use their potential.

Make it rewarding: Offer incentives for your employees. If sales are high and mistakes are low, share the wealth. Rewards like buying everyone lunch or a small gift card shows that you appreciate what they have done for you. To make it even more rewarding include a personal note of appreciation to each employee. Employees that feel appreciated and respected are less likely to waste your time procrastinating.

Tiffiny Fayerweather

tiffiny.fayerwather@gmail.com

Hope! Get a Vision

If you recoginize when you are procrasting, get your team on board and even recognize the "hump and the groove" and maybe you still feel you are procrastinging, there is hope. Well actually, Vision!

Often when I talk with procrastinators, one of the problems is they just don't know where they want to be or what they want to achieve. I've seen many different ways to create a vision and authors from Steven Covey, Robert Kiyosaki, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and Lewis Carroll who would agree that "if you don't know where you are going than any road will work". Not having a vision can lead to procrastination because the mind and heart really don't know where you are taking them so distractions are just more places to go. Or, if you don't know where you are going, than why do anything.

For businesses and business owners, I use Jim Horan's (One Page Business Plan) method of fill-in-the-blank visioneering.

By ______ (year you will achieve this vision)

grow_____________ (name of your business or department)

into a successful $______________________ (gross revenue)

___________________________________ (local, regional, national international or other)

_____________________________________ (type of company)

providing or specializing in ___________________________ (describe products or services)

for__________________________________ (target market description and customer description).

Once you have filled in the blanks, you can refine this draft to create a statement that you can believe and follow. This alone may help with some of the distractions, shiny objects and squirrels along the road to your vision.

A vision also makes it easier to get your team on board with the work necessary to acheive the vision. Think of the vision as your shiny object and follow it.

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA

Linda@ChangingLanes.biz

419.897.0528

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Changing Lanes LLC

January Workshops!

One Year Action Plan for Success
Date:	January 11, 2012
Details:	One Year Action Plan for Success - Planning that works for you and your team On Location: Bowling Green State University at Levis Commons Day One - January 11 8:30-4:30 Day Two - January 25 8:30 - Noon Cost: $249 with online registration ($299 at the door) - Bring your partner for an extra $90. Registration Here

Building a Thriving Business for Your Future
Date:	January 25, 2012
Details:	Building a Thriving Business for Your Future - Learn the 7 Tips to build a business that will Thrive with or without you. On Location: Bowling Green State University Perrysburg Campus at Levis Commons Cost $69 (additional partners $20 each) January 25, Wednesday 1:30 - 5PM Registration Here

Procrastination

2011-12-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

Fighting Procrastination

Are you procrastinating or are you trying to do too much? Or is it both? I am pretty good about not procrastinating. I do what I need to do sooner rather than later. I get it done so I can move on to other things. But I am terrible at limiting the things that I want to get done and I have little control of the important Have To Do's such as updating a client's site. Which always leads to a lot of things not getting done. To the outsider looking in, it looks like I'm procrastinating. Then it hit me, if I had less to do, I could get more done.

So about a month ago, I looked at my goals for my business. I looked at what I was currently doing and asked myself "Is what I'm doing actually helping me achieve my goals?" For most of what I was doing the answer was a big huge "No". But my business couldn't stop doing most of what it was doing, on the contrary it needed to do more.

I was spending a lot of time doing work that I could have someone else do for me and still achieve the same results. So I hired someone to help me out. I also cut one client down to consulting only and let go another. They required more of my time personally with little return. The work was something I couldn't farm out, be able to manage, and still make money. It was a tough decision and a risk. A risk that I wasn't totally prepared to take but a necessary risk that I had to take to grow my business.

These changes have freed me up to do the more important things that would help my business reach the next level. Yes, I have less money in my pocket now, but I also have more time to concentrate on taking my business to the next level which will lead to higher profits in the months to come.

So how does this tie into procrastination? Because I was taking on so much, I couldn't get everything done. I was procrastinating on things because something would always come up that seemed more important. It was a never ending cycle. There is always going to be something that is important that has to get done "Now".

By hiring help, I don't have to do all the little things that take up all of my time. A lot of the important Have-To-Do's were passed off to my help. The important things still get done and the results are the same. I do have to still manage the work load but instead of spending 10-20 hours a week doing the immediate important things. I spend 3 hours a week managing and delegating what has to get done. It has freed up time for myself to get the other equally important things done.

To help free up your time and kill your procrastination. Ask yourself these questions

--Am I doing things that keep me from doing more important things that will help my business?

--Can some of the things I'm doing be delegated to someone else and still achieve the same results?

--After freeing up my workload, what can I work on to create more profits?"

To help with the process, start small. I hired help on an "as needed basis". Some weeks I have 30 hours of work to pass off to my help. Other weeks I have 2 hours. But with passing my workload to my help, in 6 months I will have built my business up to the point where I can hire part time or full time help.

--
Copyright 2011 Jeff Mendelsohn
Liquid Mechanix Studio, LLC
www.liquidmechanix.com
419.297.3364

Planning beyond Procrastination

Getting a plan on paper is a big challenge. Yes, you heard me, paper. I use the computer to craft, create and refine my plan, but in the end, my plan for the year is on a single piece of paper that is with me all the time. This allows me to jot down changes and corrections to update later no matter where I am; doesn't require electricity, or a connection.

In Brian Tracy's "Eat the Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating", the beginning of getting a plan in order is "Setting the Table". If you have ever had a dinner party and you are running behind, a set table will let the guests know "Yup, the plan for a dinner party is in place."

In the business world, I call "Setting the Table", getting a plan. Although this step may seem easy, here is a process that will help you build the plan.

Know where you want to be (Vision)
Write down one thing that needs to be done to reach that goal
Set a deadline for the this goal
Break this goal into doable parts each with a due date. These are small bites that can be handled in the short run.
Now schedule the tasks in your calendar.
Repeat 2 thru 5 to develop a plan of 7 goals. (plus or minus 2)

For example, if your vision is: "Publish a book by end of year". Then you might think writing the book is the first step. Are you sitting at your desk writing right now? If not, you may need to back up just a little. Your list might look like this:

--Create outline

--Do research

--Write chapters

--Contact editor

--Get edited copy to publisher

Each of these can be further broken down like this:

--Write Chapters

--Write each day from 7AM to 9AM

--Complete Chapter One by February 1 2012

This start does several things; it identifies that you will schedule two hours every day to write. These two hours a day will lead to a chapter by February first ready to go on to chapter 2. By doing this planning, you have gotten into your schedule, made a time commitment and now have something to hold yourself accountable.

The failure of most plans are two fold:

No deadline

To big of projects.

Back to "How to Eat a Frog". This book has a great humor elements and the term comes from Mark Twain saying "If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day."

Frog Rules:

First: If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. Interpretation: Do the biggest, hardest task first.
Second: If you have to eat a live frog at all, it doesn't pay to sit and look at it for very long. Interpretation: Develop a habit to work on that project first, take action immediately.

Challenge yourself to "Set your 2012 Table" with two major goals on paper this week that will make 2012 great, break them into their appropriate tasks and schedule them on your calendar.

If all else fails, buy yourself the Do it Later 2012 Non-Planner to help you NOT get your work done!

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA

Linda@ChangingLanes.biz

419.897.0528

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Changing Lanes LLC

Planning & New Computer Part 4

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Planning and Procrastination
Let's face it - it is December,we have lots of family stuff to do, lots of end of the year stuff and I'msuggesting you should get your 2012 planning done now. Yeah, what planetdid I just drop off of???

Well, these two, planning and procrastination, go hand-in-hand and part of thereason is that planning usually requires knowing where you have been and if you don't know theanswer, sometimes reviewing the past year in your business can lead todisappointment, anger and frustration at a time of the year were are supposedto be jolly, happy and giving. Take heart, the past is done, so "get over it" andbuild your plan for 2012 that will make your business thrive.

Now, slowdown. . .jumping into planning is not the best - planning to plan is usuallybetter. If you are struggling with moving forward,here are some simple tips:

1. Do the toss and pitch- get rid of the stuff that is in your way. Sometimes it is walking intoyour own office from the eyes of your customers. Be critical, be honest,and recycle, repurpose and pitch the trash.

2. Clean your desk - physically, get itin ship-shape. Both David Allen of Getting Things Done and Ellen Rohr advocate"cleaning out the office" when you want to be more productive. Getting everything in its place and put away really will help you get your headaround the next year.

3. Setting the stage for success:

Don't worry about imperfection

Minimize distractions so you can focus

Think healthy, get some good sleep, eat right and maybeexercise some

Know the time of day you are best for thinking and working

Schedule when you will do the planning

Now,while you are doing these tasks above, let your mind wander and think aboutwhere your business has been. When you have completed these projects,often people tell me that they feel a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. That feeling is where you want to be as you startthe planning process, not being dragged down by the past.

Yourchallenge this week is to get ready for planning your 2012! Take thetime to get ready

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA
Linda@ChangingLanes.biz
419.897.0528
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Changing Lanes LLC

______________________

The Right Computer for the Job - Part 4

For the three data entry computers we need to find an i5 with 4 gigs or ram, Windows 7, 21" monitor (can buy separately). Pretty straight forward. For the marketing computer we need an i7 with 8 gigs of ram, Windows 7 64 bit, 1 gig video card with dual DVI outputs or a single DVI and a DVI splitter, dual 21" monitors (can buy separately) and a second hard drive or an eSata port for an external hard drive.

These specs give us a pretty wide range to work with. We could have a computer built for us or find a pre-built system from a major computer manufacturer. Let's explore these options.

Custom built computers can offer several advantages, such as, the hardware can be better and you can customize the computer even more. The down side is it can cost more and you can end up creating a computer beyond your needs. For the average person a custom built computer is overkill. But it is an excellent option when you need a solution beyond what a normal work computer would be able to do.

Pre-built systems will be a great solution for most computer users. The cost is lower compared to a custom built computer because they are mass produced. In general they will satisfy the needs of a general computer user but yet can still be upgradable.

So getting back to my client, since we know what type of computer we want, the first thing we need to do is find out what is out there and to do some research. Check out stores online such as Amazon, Dell, NewEgg, TigerDirect, MWave, Lenovo, HP, GateWay, Asus, etc. If you don't feel comfortable shopping online, check out stores like Best Buy, Walmart, Dell, Fry's, etc but don't be surprised if you end up paying more.

Find the computers that are the type of computer you are looking for. You will notice several things.

There are several different types of CPU versions. An i5 just isn't an i5. There are i5's with 2 or 4 cores. i5's clocked at 2.8ghz, 2.66ghz, 2.4ghz, etc. All with different cache sizes. To know the differences, the higher the number of cores, ghz, and cache, the better.

The price median should be in the range of $200-300. You will find computers that cost for example $600 but also a similar computer that will cost $900.

The next thing to do, especially if you are shopping online, is to read the reviews. Take in consideration the difference between user ignorance and actual issues. User ignorance issues are problems or issues that could be solved by learning. Other ignorance issues might be the reviewer complaining that the color is black, not slate black or the case doesn't fit in the same spot as their old computer. Actually issues could be, the power button sticks, the case fan is cheap and died in two weeks, the case isn't big enough for a certain brand of video card.

Once you have compiled a list of computers with all the different specs, create a price median, For the best deal you will want to find a computer that has the better specs but is at the lower end of your price median. For example, if you are finding i5 computers for $600-900. You will want to find a computer that has better specs than most, should cost $900, with good reviews, for $750.

But you might not find that deal the first time you search. Don't get discouraged, keep looking you will find it. It might take a few weeks but you will find your perfect computer. To speed up the process of finding a deal check out sites such as DealNews.com, Woot.com, slickdeals.net, etc.

After going through this process with my client we found about 15 computers that would work for the data entry staff and about the same amount for the marketing person. Five of the fifteen computers were better than the rest but non were a deal. After watching the prices for about two weeks we got the deal we were looking for, for the data entry computers. It took another two weeks to find a deal on a computer for the marketing manager.

Once the we got all the computers setup and the office staff properly trained/accustom to their new computers and software, we ran the same time waiting test. The time spent waiting was cut down to about 5 hours a week between all four of them. On top of the gained time, obviously productivity is up, but so is office morale. The owner has also scheduled bi-weekly training sessions to keep up on the new software installed on the computers and has committed to yearly technology reviews.

Think of your computer as a tool (which it is). Like any tool you should have the right one for the job. Even though you can get the job done with another tool, it might not be done properly or as efficiently.

If you are still not sure what kind of computer to buy or where to start, ask a friend who is tech savvy to help (but if you do, don't take their help for grant it, buy them lunch!) or head over to your local computer store.

Cyber Monday & New Computer 3

2011-11-28T07:35:00.001-05:00

Cyber Monday - Pictures say . . .

Today is Cyber Monday which immediately followings Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

While visiting a friend recently, in her living room she pointed out a coffee table book of Paris. She said "Here is my trip to Paris". In my naiveté, I just assumed it was the standard Paris-Coffee-Table- Book. It wasn't. It was one she created with her photos from her own trip that spring and I was reminded how pictures say a thousand words as I harkened back to my own trip. Two days later, I saw a hardbound book of a young women's wedding that was wonderful and far superior to the wedding books where the pictures are slide in the top (like mine of years gone by). This, too was created by online software but with the full support and assistance of the photographer. These were both hardbound books with full color pages of pictures, text, and comments. The creativity reminded me of some of the scrapbooking projects I've seen, but again, these were books - not scrapbooks or photo albums - library quality books.

Now, I'm thinking about all the photos I have on Flickr (500+) and my IPhone (3,000+) and who knows how many are in boxes under the stairs! WOW, I could create my own books to have around without having to leave my desk and have them delivered to me in archival quality books - how things have changed, a technology has made it happen!

Next, I envisioned business applications. The obvious are the photographers of the world, but what about this as a unique way to present your designs, or a thank you from a landscaper with before, during and after pictures, restoration of a home or historic vehicle, or maybe a way to document a project at a non-profit. The affordability is there - all the sites I looked at had hardbound products starting at around $12 USD. This is a thank you that is affordable!

Where to start?

I started first at Flickr where I've had an account for 5 years. Their system sends you to Snapfish, one of the top 10 producers of photo books. Next, I asked around and several suggested Shutterfly. Janelle Marzullo of Greentree Loan said, "I've used Shutterfly and the books turned out great." Cheryl Hardy of the Hardy Group has made over 30 books from Shutterfly and says the turnaround is very fast. I also found both Shutterfly and Snapfish allow uploads from your computer, Facebook and your own online sources.

As I searched, I found more and more including tutorials and videos to help get that photo book complete. I also found Smilebooks, Indubook, Picaboo to name just a few. Then I found Jason Dunn at Digital Home Printing who has done an exceptional job of reviewing the top 12 that were available a year ago! Jason has done a superb job of reviewing these.

As you are thinking about Cyber Monday, realize that technology is always changing and what can often set you apart from your competition are the very small differences. Those pictures not only speak but they also trigger the memories you want to keep vivid in the minds of your prospects and customers.

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA

419.897.0528

Linda@ChangingLanes.biz

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The Right Computer for the Job - Part 3

Over the past few weeks I've been sharing a story about a client of mine who's outdated and slow computers for his front office staff were actually costing him over 25 hours a month of lost work time. Last week we created a wish list for the two types of computers my client will need. This week we will do a little research and design a computer for the office staff.

Now before we proceed, I want to say a little disclaimer about the computer industry and this article. Technology is forever changing. What you buy today, there will be something better tomorrow. There are a ton of different options and specs for each and every piece of hardware inside a computer, it is beyond the scope of this article. If you want to know the finer details, do your research or ask a professional.

In my opinion, you never want to buy the best of the current technology. You will be paying a premium for little return over the long run. On the flip side you don't want to buy on the low end either because it will become obsolete faster. With that in mind, its time to do some research and break down our wish lists.

Lets break down the three data entry computers. We don't need power house computers but we want something that will last for a few years. Something that will be able to handle the latest software for a few years to come. In this case, something mid grade.

Latest Operating System: In this case Windows 7: Easy, any new computer will have this.
A good CPU: Right now there are several processor types available, starting from best to worst. i7, i5, i3. There are also two generations of these processors available. Taking my advice from above, we don't want any i3's or a second generation i7. We want a mid grade, so an i5 (first or second generation). If the i5 is a 64 bit Windows 7 will have to be the 64 bit version.
Enough Ram to run Windows 7 and the latest data entry/office software for at least the next three years. From our research Windows 7 needs minimum 1 gig or ram. Heed advice, at least 2 gigs for Windows 7 and another two for software for a total of 4gigs minimum, preferably upgradable to 8gigs, just in case.
19" monitor but preferably 21" or 22". From our research we have found that the difference between a 19" and a 21" or 22" monitor is $30-40.
Since we won't be doing anything but data entry we don't need a fancy video card. In fact an on-board video card will work just fine.
Enough USB ports for an external hard drive (for backups), mouse, keyboard, and flash drive OR an eSata port. This shouldn't be a problem, most new computers come with 2 USB ports on the front and 4 to 6 on the back but still something we should be aware of.

Now let's look at the wish list for the marketing computer.

Latest Operating System: In this case Windows 7. Easy, any new computer will have this.
Dual Monitors to increase work space and productivity: To have dual monitors we will need a graphics card with dual DVI outputs or get a DVI splitter. We don't need a gaming graphics card but we need something that can handle dual monitors and give us a good picture for video and graphic design. The standard today is PCI Express 2.0 x16, preferably 2.1 x16. A good middle of the road card would have 1gig or memory.
Working with large file graphic design, needs to store and open large files: We could get away with a terabyte hard drive or better but if possible a second hard drive or at least enough space in the computer case for a second hard drive.
A good CPU that can process graphics and video editing efficiently for at least the next three years: From above we know there are i7's, i5's, and i3's. Since we do need a computer that can handle video and graphic work, we will want a better processor. The better the processor and more ram, the faster the computer can process the data. An i5 will be able to handle the video work but not as efficiently as an i7. We don't want to spend all day waiting for video to encode. So a decent mid level i7 (first or second generation) would work. Going with an i7 will also require Windows 7 to be 64 bit.
Enough Ram to run Windows 7 and the latest Graphic and Video Software with the ability to upgrade to more Ram. From above we know that we need a minimum of 4 gigs. Since video and graphic work will be more intense on the computer, the more ram the better. A good start would be 8 gigs. The difference between 4 gigs and 8 gigs of ram is a minimal cost to boost productivity.
Enough USB ports for an external hard drive (for backups), mouse, keyboard, and flash drive. This shouldn't be a problem, most new computers come with 2 USB ports on the front and 4 to 6 on the back but still something we should be aware of.
eStata port for external hard drive to store video: this is a must especially if we don't go with a second internal hard drive.

Wow, what a list. So for the three data entry computers we need to find an i5 with 4 gigs or ram, Windows 7, 21" monitor (can buy separately). Pretty straight forward. For the marketing computer we need an i7 with 8 gigs of ram, Windows 7 64 bit, 1 gig video card with dual DVI outputs or a single DVI and a DVI splitter, dual 21" monitors (can buy separately) and a second hard drive or an eSata port for an external hard drive.

These specs give us a pretty wide range to work with. We could have a computer built for us or find a pre-built system from a major computer manufacturer. Next week lets explore our options.

Backup and New Computer - Part 2

2011-11-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

November is Technology Month at Changing Lanes

Back Up Options

Imagine you just had a wonderfulweekend and sneak into the office to finish a project early Monday morning. Youopen the door and surprise, mayhem has beat you to work:

a) Your office has burned to the ground; or

b) Your office has been broken into and your computer work station is missing;or

c) Your computer is dead, just won't come to life; or

d)Your hard drive is missing or destroyed.

While all of these are soundfictional, somewhere these happen to companies every day. Getting back to workwill take time; keeping your data safe is one you can manage.

When I talk about taxing issues,the IRS uses the words "exclusively and regularly" to allow business use ofthe home. The word regularlyrefers to more frequently than occasionally and that is what I often see peopledo - backupoccasionally.

Here are some ideas to keep yourdata safe and secure regularly:

CVD/CD/Blu-ray are a static method of storage and each DVD can hold about 8.5GB. This requires someone to sit and manage this by putting the discs in and out of the machine. Very good option for media (music, audible books) that doesn't change but you want to save. Just make sure you take the time to label the discs as this will save you time in the future.
Flash Drives have been available for a long time and both Sandisk and CES have ones that actually have a button and software that will allow you to auto back up. The 32GB is now averaging $50. Easy to configure and slips in your pocket for offsite storage. How to back up to a flash drive
Online file storage solutions are becoming more popular. Mozy and Dropbox are two places for individuals and small businesses. Dropbox starts with a 2-GB storage, free. To store up to 50GB, will cost you $9.99/month. Many ways to tweak this will help keep your data safe, offsite and up to date. Some restrictions on files and file size but very useful for most office files and a couple hundred photos. Others include Carbonite, Crashplan and Jungle disk. Online tools
External hard drives with backup software. LaCie and Seagate are popular external drives and supporting software like Acronis True Image, Time Machine or the Windows backup tool available on Windows machines are all affordable. On the External Drive, don't skimp on space - think lots of gigabytes (GB).
Network Attached Storage (NAS device) is a freestanding device separate from your computer and can be accessed by other computers in your office. You will most likely want to have a professional set this up for your office.

If you have mission criticaldata, you would be best to talk to a professional to help you set up thesystem; monitor the system, and keep your data safe. Having a plan that fitsyour lifestyle is the key to regularlykeeping mayhem out of your office.

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA

419.897.0528

Linda@ChangingLanes.biz

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----------------------------------

Right Computer for the Right Job - Part 2

Last week I shared a story abouta client of mine who's outdated and slow computers for his front office staffwere actually costing him over 25 hours a month of lost work time. But wouldupgrading to new computers actually cut down on lost time?

Yes, but only if you buy theright computer for the job. The problem with my client is that he bought verybasic business computers. He didn't think about what those computers would beused for and at the time, it was all he could afford. Unfortunately the computersbecame obsolete faster than his growing business and ever since have beencosting him money in the way of lost time.

So how do you pick out the right computer? Before even looking atcomputers the first step is to writedown exactly what you out of a computer. Let's use myclient for example. He needs two types of computers. 1) One type for his data entry employeesand 2) One type for his marketingemployee.

For the data entry computers, those are pretty straight forward.

Latest Operating System: In this case Windows 7.

A good CPU and enough Ram to run Windows 7 and the latest data entry/office software for at least the next three years.

19" monitor but preferably 21" or 22".

Enough USB ports for an external hard drive (for backups), mouse, keyboard, and flash drive OR an eSata port.

Now lets look at the wish listfor the marketing computer.Latest Operating System: In this case Windows 7.

Dual Monitors to increase work space and productivity.

Working with large file graphic design, needs to store and open large files.

Will do some light video editing.

A good CPU that can process graphics and video editing efficiently for at least the next three years.

Enough Ram to run Windows 7 and the latest Graphic and Video Software with the ability to upgrade to more Ram.

Enough USB ports for an external hard drive (for backups), mouse, keyboard, and flash drive.

eStata port for external hard drive to store video.

As you can see the marketingcomputer has a few more requirements than the data entry computers. But how canwe translate those requirements to an actual computer? Next week from thesewish lists we will design a computer for a the data entry computers and themarketing computers.

Evil Printers & New Computers

2011-11-14T19:28:00.000-05:00

Printers are Evil

My printer will drive me to drink

I'm always refilling its ink

It empties my purse

To make matters worse

It's usually on the blink! by Graeme King

As I was working on a serious article about the economics of small business and technology, I realized that my printer is my ultimate nemesis. I really believe I brought this all on myself when I gave up my HP4 (circa 1993) that was still working in 2007 for a printer whose name shall not be mentioned. It wasn't an HP and that is what started the bad karma. After a year, I left it by the street with a note saying "Free - if you want, it is evil." That was followed by an HP that worked OK until I went to Windows 7. . . not even going there. This time, I went to an HP inkjet that had high recommendations, cost a lot less than a laser and the ink was less expensive. I figure if this one is possessed, I'll just keep buying cheaper ones.

My printer often reminds me of the 1970 movie called the "Colossus: the Forbin Project". It scared me then and sometimes my printer scares me now. Here are just some of the things it did on Friday as I prepared for a Saturday workshop.

Not print a black ink only document when it was low on yellow;

Take a perfectly good piece of paper and turn it into an accordion fan;

Tell me I have a spooling issue and to turn off the printer;

While trying to turn off the printer, it wouldn't, so I unplugged it;

When I plugged it back in, the menu display said "You will damage printer if you unplug. Always turn off with on/off button";

My punishment for unplugging it was a "check system" that took 11 minutes - I timed it;

Asked the printer to print 12 sets of handouts, it printed 22 sets;

Every so often while printing the sets, it would wrinkle a page and chew the corner.

After printing 22 sets, I requested it print a single sheet 12 times and it "had no response to that";

Rebooted computer and printer did another "check system";

Asked again to print 12 copies of one page and it did 11 perfectly, but the last one it grabbed more paper than needed and did parts of the document on three pages;

Requested the last page again and it "had no response to that"

I gave up, made a copy on a copy machine at the gas station on my way to the workshop.

I am feeling like it is trying to take over my office. I've actually caught it trying to talk to my computer and monitor that are mostly very well behaved. It will just come to life, make noises, spin its mechanical things and then go back to sleep. I know, like Colossus, it is just waiting to join the other computers of the world that are trying to rule humans.

So, while this venting has been fun, I did a quick Internet search and found two interesting sites. Hope you enjoy them, too.

Printers were sent from Hell - poster available, too!

Your Printer is a Brat

And just do a YouTube.com search on the key words "evil printer" and you will find I'm not alone.

Thanks for listening.

Linda Fayerweather MBA EA
419.897.0528
Linda@ChangingLanes.biz
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=============================

The Right Computer for the Right Job - Part 1

Often, when visiting clients I come across archaic technology and ways of doing processes. When I ask them about it the usual responses are "Its just how we have always done it.", "We don't have the money to upgrade to the latest technology.", Or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The issue is usually dropped due to stonewalling but for the few that realize there is always room for improvement, my heart jumps for joy. I can't help it I love helping people do what they do better.

Think about this situation my one client was in. His company had a small staff for the front office. They all used computers from the early 2000's with a mix of old and newer software. All the computers worked and did the job.

One day, while I was waiting to meet with said client. I was in the front office chatting with a few of the employees. I watched as the one employee opened up some software on her computer. She then sat back and waited. It took over 20 seconds for it to load up. After chatting with her and the rest of the front office staff, they let me know that it is a regular thing. They said that they can only run one, maybe two programs at a time before the computer becomes really slow. If they are working with a spread sheet they can only have 2 sometimes 3 open at a time. They have to reboot at least once a day, too. It was obviously frustrating to them.

I asked them to write down every time they have to wait for their computers to load some thing, whether it is software or something within the program, and roughly the time they had to wait.

After a few weeks I was back for another visit. The office staff presented me with several sheets of paper containing their tabulations. As I waited I looked over the information. Over the course of a day, for the four staff members, on average each waited for the computer to do its thing for over 20 minutes. That included rebooting, loading software, and waiting for the programs to process info or load files, etc.

So on average between the four of them they lost a minimum of 1 hour and 20 minutes a day of work. Over 6 hours of work time a week. Over 25 hours a month. My head started to spin.

When I presented my finding to the owner, he couldn't believe it. He hadn't realized how much time was wasted due to his staff's old computers. But would buying a new computer really cut down on lost time and if so, how much?

Part 2 will continue next week. In the mean time, do the test yourself for the next 7 days. Write down how long it takes for your computer to boot/reboot? How long does it takes for you to load a program or file? Write it down for each and every time. Send use your results and some of your computer specs next Tuesday!

Jeff Mendelsohn

Liquid Mechanix Studio, LLC

www.liquidmechanix.com

419.297.3364

Technology You Can Use

2011-11-09T17:38:00.001-05:00

Kindle [kin-dl] verb
Here at Monday Morning Motivators, we have declared November as Technology month. We will be exploring with you some new technologies that are available and how they can help your business use current opportunities to save time and money. We are thankful for new ideas to get work done!

1. to start (a fire); cause (a flame, blaze, etc.) to begin burning.

2. to set fire to or ignite (fuel or any combustible matter).

3. to excite; stir up or set going; animate; rouse; inflame: He kindled their hopes of victory.

4. to light up, illuminate, or make bright: Happiness kindled her eyes.

Yes, I'm a Kindle fan. I've had a kindle since 2009. Mine is the "old fashioned kind" - E-ink (that mean no colors and not back-lit) with very few bells and whistle like the new Kindle Fire. It makes travel a snap, as I don't have worry what book to take, I take the whole library!

If you are still a skeptic, as of April 1st of 2011, for every 100 printed books that Amazon sold, it sold 105 Kindle books and that doesn't include free titles of which I have many.

Still not ready to pluck down money to purchase a kindle? Take heart. You can read and purchase Kindle books if you have a:

Computer

Smart Phone/Mobile device

Tablet (IPad, Xoom, Playbook, Galaxy, etc)

Amazon, the maker of the Kindle has created an "app" or application that you can download to any of your devices and read books, magazine, newspapers and a more!

I've found this is invaluable when traveling as I can download the Wall Street Journal and read it anywhere I am, not just on my Kindle. The whisper sync technology makes this possible. Well, yes, you will need to have an Amazon account or share one with a family member. That is simple and secure.

Also, there are a multiple of websites that offer and track Kindle books. Pixel of Ink, Kindle Nation and Frugal E Reader are just a few and liking them on Facebook will keep you informed on weekly specials - that means best sellers for educed prices. Several times, I've purchased a best seller before the it was released in a physical book as publishers and authors are striving to create buzz about their works.

Going forward, you should expect to see more and more books available on Kindle as the publishing process is easy and available to the general public. Check out Kindle Direct Publishing for the ease of doing this.

Disclaimer: I'm an old librarian, so I know that books are important and anyone who has visited my office can attest to the fact "I like books". But being able to read a book anywhere, anytime, is wonderful. I'm reminded of Star Trek and how you would see the Captain read from his "Kindle" like device but occasionally have a prized old fashioned book and "Turning pages is especially enjoyable with a young grandchild by your side." said the old librarian.

Check out the bounty of knowledge available to you on a digital reader.

Linda Fayeweather
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--------------------------

Finding the Right Software to Increasre Prodfuctivity - AIM Pro

The right software, like any tool can increase productivity and reduce time spent on any task. I recently found a new piece of software that does just that. Its called AIM Pro (powered by WebEx). You might recognize part of the name. AIM, also know as AOL Instant Messenger, has been around every since AOL sent out those floppy disks with free hours of Internet. AIM is a program to send messages in real time from one person to another. AIM also has a host of other features too.

AIM Pro is AIM for business professionals. It has similar features as AIM but the feature that really caught my attention was the "Share Your Desktop" feature. This feature allows another AIM Pro user to view your desktop. They can see exactly what you are doing in real time.

For me, AIM Pro has changed the way I troubleshoot with my clients and co-workers and how I work with my apprentice. I've only been using this software for over a month now and couldn't imagine life without it now.

For trouble shooting I can see exactly what my clients and co-workers are doing and what errors they are receiving. My clients no longer have to struggle with explaining what the issue is.

--No more back and forth email or calls.

--No more screen shots.

--No more hours of piecing together what they did to cause the issue. They can now show me.

When working with my apprentice, I can show him code that I'm working on in real time, examples, changes and updates to sites/projects. He can show me what he is working on and if he is having issues, I can help him in real time. No more emailing, sending URLs, downloading code from the server, etc.

This is just the start. You could use AIM Pro "Share Your Desktop" feature to do one-to-one training and walk-through's. It also seamless integrates with Microsoft Outlook® and has voice and video conferencing to name a few of its features.

The best part is AIM Pro is free. You can download it here: http://aimpro.premiumservices.aol.com/learn_more.html

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Employees and Small Business

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

Five little Gremlins sitting on your desk!

Here are some QT (Quick Tips) for productivity improvement for your gremlins on Halloween:
Lost Items - we spend 2 weeks a year looking for things. QT - Learn 5S .
Interruptions - make us "lose our place". QT - Keep a log based on Urgency and Importance for a week and study the what, when, where and why of your gremlins.
Meetings - unclear purpose, too long, no follow-up. QT - Have an agenda.
Email - this gremlin is a huge time waster. QT - Sort, prioritize, then read on your own schedule.
Social Media - a great time sucker. QT - have a plan and schedule your time.

Happy Halloween and may all your gremlins behave.

PROS and CONS of Employee VS. Independent VS Contractor

Recently, I talked with a business owner that ended up having a worker be reclassified as an employee from an independent contractor. He had to retain a lawyer and in the end, paid no penalties but did have to pay back taxes and payments to federal and state agencies.

How did this come about?

The worker got injured on the job, had no health insurance and at the urgent care facility said "Yes, this was work related" and the process started with Workers Compensation against the company because the worker never got his own policy. If you use independent contractors, having a contract with them clearly stating they are responsible for their own benefits and taxes is key.

Previously, we discussed how the Internal Revenue Service views if your workers are employees or contractors. This week, we explore the PROS and CONS of each.

Employees:

PRO

Potential loyalty which may yield greater productivity
Multiple roles or cross training of skills
Improved work flow as the staff is "shovel ready" every day
Employee is covered by workers comp and state and federal unemployment

CONS

Added responsibility of employees is almost like adding to your family AND payroll is not for the inexperienced.
Extra overhead and need for employee tools, desks and other stuff. Don't forget benefits and taxes for the privilege of having employees.
Being a manager/boss and dealing with the reality of all that human resources stuff.
Rules are everywhere and vary depending on the number of employees, the employer is expected to know these.

Contractors:

PROS

Overhead costs may be less as a contractor will usually have their own tools and equipment
No benefits to be paid. A company has no requirement to pay any benefits to an independent contractor, in fact, if paid, that action in itself will cause the worker to be viewed as employee.
Contractors work when you need them. This is a better match to the cash flow of the some company's job or project flow.
Contractor has own profit motive - your success and theirs are intertwined.

CONS

Lack of control over time. The fact the worker is called an independent contractor means that the contractor will work for others, too. Your job's priority may not match the contractor's work schedule.
Lack of control over pay. The contractor will set the rate and they can vary from project to project. Also, since the contractor is paying their own employment taxes, benefits and for tools, you should expect to pay more than employee.
Misclassification of worker. If your company is found to have classified an employee as a contractor, there will be back taxes, penalties and interest.

The choice is yours and different jobs will require different workers. Making sure you are following the law and building your business for sustainability will be key.

Useful books: Remember a book is not a replacement for a good attorney and you would be wise to connect with one before you need one. These books can give you a start and ideas of what is involved with business law.

Nolo's Legal Business Contracts and Forms

Encyclopedia of Small Business Forms and Agreements

Business Contracts Kit for Dummies

Linda Fayeweather

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Changing Lanes LLC

I Quit. The Have To VS the Want To -- Employer's Point of View

Are you prepared? When an employee announces they are leaving, the employer should be prepared. As we talked last week, leaving employees fall into two categories. The ones that Have To Leave and the ones that Want To Leave. The majority are the ones that Want To Leave and just become dead weight for their current employer very quickly. So what can be done from a company stand point?

First and foremost, make sure the employee no longer has access to sensitive data and information. Next, review the job description and job processes already written down for this particular position. A meeting could be held to go over the current job description, job processes and status of work in process with the soon to be ex-employee making sure nothing is missed.

For the companies who aren't prepared, take the next few days to learn everything you can about that person's position. Don't waste time. Meet with the person who is leaving, meet with other managers, and anyone who deals with the exiting employee. Gather information and build a job description and the job processes. Don't rely on the exiting employee to create a job description or write out all their job processes on his own as his attention is elsewhere.

A second meeting will be held with owners, managers and HR (in house or outsourced human resource assistance) to make sure nothing was missed and the position, job description, and job processes are in line with what the company wants and needs for the future.

Then it is time for the company to move on by starting the hiring process, promoting someone, dividing the current job processes up along other employees, etc. The soon to be ex-employee can be held on to finish up critical tasks if necessary, if not, he may be let go even if the two weeks aren't complete.

The exiting employee is often dead weight and will do little to benefit the company, especially the Want to Leave employee. A harsh reality, but a reality none the less. Just remember to do this tactfully, the exiting employee isn't being fired and shouldn't be treated as if he is. He is leaving and the sooner the company moves on and fills the void, the better.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

2011-10-24T11:41:00.000-04:00

I Quit. The Have To vs. the Want To -- Employees Point of View
Recently I had a friend tell me that he took a position at a new company. He gave his current employer a little over two week notice. Which is courteous. Don't want to bur Quitn bridges.

By the end of the first week, my friend confessed to me that he had completely checked out. He had no desire to do any work for the current employer. He was ready to move on but felt obligated to stay and muscle (unwillingly) through the remainder of his time there.

That got me thinking, when someone is leaving a company, they fall into two type of categories. The ones that Have To Leave and the ones that Want To Leave.

The Have To Leave are leaving due to circumstances out of their control such as, they are moving, they have to take care of someone, or illness. They don't want to leave and would prefer to stay. They may need the money and would like to keep in good standings so they might be able to come back one day. Those are the people who usually give it their all because they still feel it is their job and have a connection to the company. These people are few and far between but should be kept on as long as possible while the company prepares for what's next.

The Want To Leave, the majority, are the ones who are leaving because they want to. They are moving on to something they consider better. They only gave two week notice because it's the courteous thing to do. If they are not already checked out, they will be shortly.

As I told my friend what I thought, he agreed and laughed that he was taking a two week work vacation. He was right. He become dead weight to his current employer. Although he didn't mind the two week work vacation, he did mind not starting his new job and a company he wants to work for and the significant pay raise. But he still felt obligated to stick out the two weeks.

So what could he have done?

Email us or send us a comment about how you would handle this if you were the employee.
Next week, we explore this from the employers view.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Employee VS Independent Contractor
"I hate having employees - I will just make them all be contractors" said the small business owner to the business coach.

If that sounds like a good idea, think twice. In the old days (1980s and 1990s) the IRS had a list of twenty questions they asked. If you could answer YES to one, the person was likely an employee.

The current view of who is an employee falls into three categories of evidence - sounds so forensic!

Behavioral Control

--Instructions - do you give instructions
--What tools are used and who owns the tools
--Who hires any assistants to work with the worker
--Who and where are supplies purchased
--Do you train the worker or is the worker arriving already trained

Financial Control

--Does worker have other customers
--Does the worker invest in their own success
--Is worker reimbursed for expenses
--Can worker incur a loss
--Does worker have own workers compensation insurance

Type of Relationship

--Does worker have a written contract about the extent of the work
--Does worker receive any benefits such as insurance, pension or paid leave
--Does worker provide invoice for work done

Each case is unique, but 90% or more of cases brought to the IRS attention are found in favor of the worker being an employee.

Publication 15-A and Publication 1779 detail this and both can be downloaded and read at your leisure.

Designing your business for your future means putting the right people to work in the right manner. Outsourcing has its place as do contractors AND employees may be a good idea, too. Just putting the plan in place before you leap is always better than cleaning up the mess later.

Linda Fayeweather
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A Taxing Matter - Tax Workshop for Small Business

The Business Department at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library presents:
A Taxing Matter - Tax Workshop for Small Business
Saturday November 12, 9Am to Noon
Main Library 325 Michigan St - Toledo
IRS enrolled agent, Linda Fayerweather, will discuss tax matters that effect the small busines sowner. A Question and Answer session will follow the presentation

This is a free workshop, but registration is required by calling 419.259.5209

2011-10-17T09:54:00.013-04:00

Planning to Excel

You work hard for your business.

You have a great vision for your business future.
You are passionate about what you provide your customers.

Still, your staff just doesn't get it! You will need dedicated employees - employees that behave as if this is their business, too. In both Stomp the Elephant in the Office and Ownership Thinking , the theme runs strong that attitude is everything and attitudes can be changed both for the positive and negative.

Furthermore, you want your customers to be raving fans and dedicated to your success, too.

I regularly say, you have to have a plan. . . but sometimes, you will find that a simple checklist can keep you and your staff on track. A checklist is based on a plan and is easiest to read each day before life starts getting crazy.

Tips to keep in mind while building your checklist:

1. Tell your Passion. With the passing of Steve Jobs, I am reminded daily that his story was not just Apple, his teams put tools in our hands that were elegant, useful and full of surprises.
2. Know and Share your Metrics. These go back to the plan and graphically say what we are going to do. Think graphs. Increase profit in 2012 is not a goal because $1 more of profit would make that true. Instead, management may want to see a monthly graph tracking actual profit. Or maybe each job is checked for gross profit.
3. Hire right - yes, this is hard, and taking an extra two weeks may seem like an eternity, but the resulting employee that fits and stays is a cost savings in so many ways.
4. Provide leadership - set the example, be humble, treat others they way you want to be treated.
5. Invest in what is needed. Have the right tools for the job.
6. Protect and Project your Standards. Standard Operating Procedures, Policies and Procedures, Employee Handbooks; these are words that you breathe life into each time your create new, enforce old and leave no room for variation.
7. Instill Discipline. Discipline leads to standard outcomes and efficient production. Discipline is a way of behaving in business internalized by your staff.
8. Meetings are action driven and action creating.
9. Ask often - will this waste time? money? energy?
10. Will what you do this day bring you energy?

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." --Steve Jobs

Linda Fayeweather

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Paying Your Employees What they are Worth Part 2
When you are replacing an employee, most businesses understand the role an employee played and will have a job description but they often don't understand the skill and knowledge that evolved over time for that employee. That is true for any job - jobs grow and change regardless of the description. Ask yourself:

*Am I actually paying my employees what they are worth?

*Are my employees worth what I'm paying them?

As a small business owner, it is tough to know what the cost will be if a long time employee leaves. You might find someone who is better for the position, you might not.

Questions to consider:

*Am I prepared if this employee leaves?

*What will it cost to find someone with the same skills?
*Will it cost more to hire someone new and train them versus matching the offer so my employee will stay?
*Does the employee actually want to stay?
*If I match the offer will the employee do more? Will they be worth what I am paying them?
*Is this person right for the position and my company?

When a employee comes and says "I have an offer," it is usually too late to keep them and sometimes, the employee has out-grown the job and you will not be able to keep them happy or employed at your firm. Regular job reviews and work reviews will help you know where your vulnerabilities are.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Employees and Visions

2011-10-12T07:21:00.000-04:00

Behavioral Metrics
You know when you have walked into a company that understands the importance of training employees because as a customer, you will feel heard, helped and valued even if you purchase nothing. Behavioral Metrics are measurements that help companies monitor the actions and attitudes of employees. Effective ways to measure the attitudes of those working for and with you may be project feedbacks, meeting evaluations, employee appraisals and peer evaluations.

When you do these evaluations or feedbacks, the categories you will monitor are:

1. Commitment - adherence to policies, level of participation, and efforts to provide training.

2. Communication - surveys of employees and customers; error elimination caused by ineffective communications; and recognition of outstanding communication of employees.

3. Cooperation - shared financial risks and regards; effective problem resolving and reporting efforts, formal recognition of cooperation.

Your business's long-term success is possible only when employees' behavior is aligned and everyone works for the benefit of the company as a whole. Even if you are a micro business with few employees, your attitude will shine through in the tone and tenor of your communications and your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Linda Fayeweather

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Paying Your Employees What they are Worth

Recently, a friend of mine changed jobs. He worked for a great company, small but great and was treated well. He was able to express ideas and actually see those ideas come to light. His work was rewarding and he enjoyed what he did. But in the few short years he was there, he outpaced his position - his talent and skills grew but his position did not. After 6 years my friend was still being paid as a junior analyst. He had gotten some raises some years, and some years not.

On a whim, my friend interviewed for another job more in line with his skill level. The position turned out to be a low level analyst position. The salary started off at 1.5x his current salary. My friend stepped up his search and within a 6 months had found another job. It was a mid level analyst position, 1.7x his current salary with less overtime, better benefits, and at a similar sized company.

When he told his current employer that he was leaving, they were shocked. My friend kept in contact with a few old co-workers, who kept him appraised of the status of the company. After a month, the company hired someone new. The company couldn't afford someone with the same skills as my friend. Not even close. They ended up with another junior analyst.

The company suffered. Projects took much longer to complete. Work that my friend use to do, never got done. Work had to be redone. Work flow hit a bottleneck. Profits slowed.

This wasn't because my friend was irreplaceable. Everyone is replaceable. The problem is he grew the job and often in small business, as long as people do their job and don't rock the boat, they keep working regardless of their value to the company.

Yearly reviews and occasional job analysis will sometimes save you from replacing employees. The average cost to replace an employee is $17,000 unless they are making over $60,000 in which case it starts at about $30,000. Keeping your employees coming to work is more than just having a desk at the office.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Leadership

2011-10-03T12:05:00.000-04:00

The Month of October is dedicated to Stomping the Elephant in the Office. Now is the time for Small Business owners, managers and workers to take the economy in their own hands and become the businesses that make a difference. Businesses that maintain profitability and have low employee turnover usually are doing many things right. This starts at the top with leadership that is in tune with reality.

I recently saw a CEO of a local company leaving one of his retail facilities. He did several things:

1. He stopped and chatted with the store greeter,

2. He picked up some litter as he walked out the door, and
3. He helped a customer break loose a shopping cart from the corral.

Even if I had not known who this person was, I would have smiled and enjoyed watching this engaged individual. The customer likely did not know who he was, but several employees that were nearby did and will remember. Simple acts of respect to the world around us are hard to ignore and often cause others to respond similarly. Not all people will follow our good examples, but the more we try, the harder it will be to ignore out leadership.

An engaged leader leads to engaged employees who will work with passion and connection to their company. They drive innovation and move an organization forward.

Linda Fayeweather

The Toxic Employee. I'm sure you have worked with a few coworkers or had a few employees that could be considered "Negative", "Not a Team Player", or somebody you just avoid. They cause drama, or feed drama. They are employees that don't promote a healthy work environment and usually the ones that complain the most. Whatever they are, they are toxic. They drain other employees desire to work, they hurt the company, and generally sabotage their own work.

The most common types of Toxic Employees are the:

         Office Gossip or Tattletale - passing rumors around or informing to your superiors
        Pessimist - everything is doom and gloom
        Social Butterfly - social beyond "I really like to work here", often have very long stories
        Corporate Climber - the one that casts moral scruples aside for personal gain
        Not my Job - person who believes just the job description and nothing but the job description
         Bad Boss - Career Builder survey shows that 26% of managers are unsure of their own abilities as a leader.

Being a leader is a choice, not something selected for you. You know you are a leader if people are following your lead. The toxic employees can become leaders if allowed to live in your organization - not the leadership you want.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Shifting Focus and Budgeting WHYs

2011-09-26T18:58:00.000-04:00

Shifting Focus and Driving a New DirectionIf you ask anyone if they want to succeed in life, I bet every single person will say "Yes" but more than 75% of those people will focus on failing or why they aren't succeeding and in turn fail. Sounds strange, they all said they wanted to succeed, why didn't they?

Because of their focus.

Negativity is common place and usually has a more emotional impact on us and what we are doing versus succeeding. I've been reading "Stomp the Elephant in the Office" by Steven W. Vannoy and Craig W. Ross. It is one of the best books I've read to date about leadership and business culture.

Take this example about Negativity begets Negativity. Often we get caught up in what isn't working versus what is working.

It is Monday Morning, 8:40AM and you are late driving to the office. Traffic is heavy. You go to take a sip of coffee. Brake lights ahead of you. You slam on the brakes, coffee goes everywhere. Your day ruined before it even starts.

If that sounds like a morning you have had, we all would shout "I should have gotten up earlier". Right, but at every turn of this story, the driver could have changed one thing and had a different outcome. Shiffiting the focus at each action can result in a better outcome. We don't get "Do Overs" but we can always change the next action.

Jeff Mendelsohn

liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Budgeting for WHY

This is the last week of September, the last days of the third quarter, fall is officially here, and plans for 2012 are in the making!

During this month, we have talked about budgeting - mostly about how to budget and the feelings around budgeting. Now we will bookend these conversations between WHY and ACCOUNTABILITY.

The reasons WHY to budget for a business are:

1. Plan for the future (grow, sell, retire)

2. Provide a financial game plan to match your business plan

3. Know where the money is going and why

4. Stop reckless, random or duplicate spending

5. Reduce surprises that cause stress - you know that quarterly bill you always forget?

I could go on about WHY budget, but in the end, you either will or you won't and those that don't often wonder WHY there are more days at the end of the month than there is money.

Now, on the Accountability end of a budget, I have a coffee mug that says "How can I be out of money, I still have checks?" a saying I've heard at the end of many a joke and I think eventually it will be an antique as fewer and fewer paper checks are really written. The point is simple. . .

. . .Being accountable means comparing the actual to the expected.

Accountability can be accelerated by finding an accountability partner - someone in your firm, maybe your accountant, or your board of advisors that you regularly say "This is what we said we were going to do and this is what we did."

The discipline of budgeting often leads to the freedom from stress and more money in your bank account - not bad for something most people say they don't like to do. Here is hoping that your business will have a working budget next quarter.

Linda Fayeweather

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Changing Lanes LLC

PS. October will be all about employees Stay tuned!

Want VS Need

2011-09-19T07:44:00.000-04:00

Budgeting without Feeling Like you are on Restriction
Need vs. Want, basic economics or should I say toddler economics. When babies are still shiny and new, they only know needs. The need milk, dry diapers, affection, no pain and sleep. When they need one of these, they cry until we figure it out. Eventually, and I'm not sure when it happens, they know they "want" something. Somewhere in the evolutionary path, this wanting stays in our brain and often perks up and runs ruin in our budgets.

The obvious examples of want vs. need are simple:

Do you need a new cell phone or just want the latest technology?

Do you need another purse or will last season's work as well?

Do you need to buy brand name groceries or will the house brand give the same nutrition and flavor? It is really that simple.

I like to start here, because if your budget is all need and no want you will feel like you are on restriction all the time. Even the most restrictive budget will have some "want" in it for sanity sake.

Here are Budget Tips to get your started making next year better!

Identify income sources you know will happen and high probability likely sources. Keep it real.

List your current expenses. Everything. Make sure you have included spending that is auto pay on your business checking or credit card.

Now identify any quarterly, semi-annual and yearly payments.

Develop a method to track cash. Many small businesses use petty cash, but fail to really record it correctly. Go to Petty Cash for an explanation of how a petty cash system could work.

Create your accounts. You can find accounts in books and online at many places. If you are using accounting software like QuickBooks, the basic accounts will often get you going in the right directions.

Develop realistic written goals. Knowing why you are doing a budget just helps. If your business goal is to launch a new product, knowing when and how much will be needed may be important.

Include others in this process. If the art department is going to be expected to follow a budget, then they need to have input into the budget.

Hold yourself and staff accountable. Teamwork really works here. A regular staff meeting that identifies how the company is doing compared to the budget many help all departments work together and hold each other accountable. For the solo-entrepreneur, find an accountability partner.

Blame is not the game. Figuring out "why" an area of your budget is over is more important than "who messed up". Seldom does one person cause a budget to fail - it is usually the unspoken participation of many.

Celebrate your success with the team and your accountability partner. This may be one of those little extra wants that makes sense - just be sure you don't blow the budget on rewarding the budgeters.

Linda Fayeweather

Changing Lanes LLC

What do You Really Want?
Often we want something ABOUT what we want, rather than the object itself. For example, we can't all be ballet dancers, yet we could bring more beauty and grace into our life.

Try this exercise from Dr. Phil McGraw:

1. What do you want in life?
2. What must you do to get it?
3. How will you feel when you get what you want?
Use the answer to 3. to start over, putting it as the next number 1.

EXAMPLE:

--->1. I want a red sports car.
2. I must save a lot of money to get one.
3. I will feel special when I'm driving in it. So, this answer becomes your new #1

3 -->1. I want to feel special.
2. I must set myself apart to get it.
3. I will feel exceptional. - What you want is

3 -->1. I want to be exceptional.
2. I must be a master at what I do.
3. I will feel like I made a difference.

What you really want is not the car, but to make a difference. You can keep this up until real clarity unfolds, or stop here and seek "What you must do" to make a difference.

Budgeting and planning requires you to know what you really want!

2011-09-18T10:51:00.000-04:00

Budgeting and Goal Setting

Three times in the last week I've talked with people that have told me "I don't set goals" or "I don't believe in goals". When I talked with them further, they said things like:

"Goals don't work for me"

"I don't believe in running a business like the "unethical slugs" [edited for PG audience] on Wall Street"

"Goals are unrealistic, I find them deflating and provide me with negative energy"

"Goals, that is old school".

My personal guess is that even if you say "I don't believe in goals" you are doing some planning in the back of your head.

My personal challenge to anyone is: "if you have gotten to where you are today without a plan, or goals or a budget, what would the next 12 months look like with just one of those?"

This week: How to start thinking about a budget.

Decide to do it - important first step because you have to know why you are doing it. This is where a desired outcome (another phrase for 'goal') comes to play.

Maybe you just want to go on a vacation.
Maybe you want a new piece of equipment for the business.
Maybe you just want to sleep better at night.
Find a visual of your goal and create a quantity (how many $, sales or hours to achieve it).

Get someone else involved. If this is a business budget, maybe your accountant or controller can be of help. If you are working on a personal budget, your spouse or partner will be a likely choice.
Get some historical data. With online banking, it is relatively easy to get the details of past spending and where it went. Don't forget, credit card statements can help identify where the money went, too.
Watch your money like your life depends on it. Think like you are the godfather of your money - protect it from the vultures of waste and whining.
Budget for the unexpected. If you budget a surplus each month for "emergency spending", unless you have an emergency every month, this may need to land in a savings account. If you have an emergency every month, we might want to call that a "monthly expense".
Be reasonable. If gasoline goes up, you will still need to go to work. Budget expenses that vary with seasons and political shenanigans accordingly.

Next week: Tips to make a budget work without feeling like you are on restriction!

--Linda Fayeweather
Changing Lanes LLC
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Running a Small Business - The Seven Fatal Mistakes

There is no such thing as guaranteed success in any business. But there are things that you can do that will guarantee failure. Here are the seven of them.

1. Inexplicitness. Success in business and life has never been achieved through vagueness. Explicit objectives are the drivers of achievement. Setting out clear goals for your business allows you to develop strategies to achieve your goals and to create plans which will ultimately drive your business to success. Without goals, strategies and plans, you are just depending on luck- and how has that worked for you so far?

2. Apathy. Few human activities require a greater commitment than operating a business. Success without commitment just doesn't happen. And apathy for your business will mean commitment is impossible. Commitment requires passion.

3. Pride. Pride in your business is a good thing, but being so proud that you don't ask for advice or help will seriously limit your ability to grow. Successful business owners surround themselves with smart people.

4. Inactivity. Business is generated through taking action. And the best idea in the world just remains an idea until someone takes action on it. There is no return from inactivity.

5. Non-perseverance. Giving up at the first hurdle will never result in success. The chances of success without some disappointments are low. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 different filaments before he invented the light bulb. Perseverance is essential for success.

6. Guessing. If you do not measure the response of each action and tactic of your business, from marketing to service delivery, you are just guessing about what is working and what is not. This means that you will be making bad decisions on what you should stop doing, what you try, and what you should change to improve.

7. Disorganization. If there is no organization in your business, you will have no control over your expenses, you will lose efficiency, and your clients will go to someone who can provide reliable service. Systems ensure that your services are provided consistently following your best practice, no matter who is providing your service. They eliminate the cost of non-compliance, and ultimately create a saleable asset of your business. Without systems, your business will always depend on you being there and you will forever be reacting to events and fighting fires. Such a business has no long term future.

While running a successful business is not easy, there are rules that you can follow that will almost certainly increase your chances of success. And there are also sins that will guarantee your failure.

Visit http://www.gregchapman.biz

Labor Day - Poems and Haikus for Business & Laughs

2011-09-05T11:50:00.000-04:00

"A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of others." --Albert Einstein

"Thank you to all those people who labor and get very little recognition. This is your day! If you are working today, thank you again!" --David Bodner
_____

Labor Day is here and fall is in the air. Thoughts drift to education as yellow buses began showing up on corners everywhere. Looking to improve your business sometimes means improving you and your employees' outlook and education is often the key. Check out your local schools, community college and YES, the bottom of this e-zine for education ideas that will propel your business to new levels. Enjoy the poem and humor below as we remember that the fruits of all labors need to be recognized and praised today.
______

Purpose
by Edgar Guest (1881-1959) Michigan Poet Laureate and worked for the Detroit Free Press until his death. He was my Grandfather's and mother's favorite poet and many of his great poems were read to me.

Not for the sake of the gold,
Not for the sake of the fame,
Not for the prize would I hold
Any ambition or aim:
I would be brave and be true
Just for the good I can do.

I would be useful on earth,
Serving some purpose or cause,
Doing some labor of worth,
Giving no thought to applause.
Thinking less of the gold or the fame
Than the joy and the thrill of the game.

Medals their brightness may lose,
Fame be forgotten or fade,
Any reward we may choose
Leaves the account still unpaid.
But little real happiness lies
In fighting alone for a prize.

Give me the thrill of the task,
The joy of the battle and strife,
Of being of use, and I'll ask
No greater reward from this life.
Better than fame or applause
Is striving to further a cause.
_____

Computer Haikus
Everything is gone;
Your life's work has been destroyed.
Squeeze trigger (yes/no)? -- David Dixon

I'm sorry, there's -- um --
insufficient -- what's-it-called?
The term eludes me ... -- David Carlson

The code was willing,
It considered your request,
But the chips were weak. -- Chris Walsh

Printer not ready.
Could be a fatal error.
Have a pen handy? -- Barry L. Brumitt

Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent, and reboot.
Order shall return. -- Rik Jespersen

Login incorrect.
Only perfect spellers may
enter this system. -- Suzie Wagner

With searching comes loss
and the presence of absence:
"My Novel" not found. -- Simon Firth

Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that -- Rahul Sonnad

To have no errors
Would be life without meaning
No struggle, no joy -- Margaret Segall

No keyboard present
Hit F1 to continue
Zen engineering? -- Cass Whittington

Your file was so big.
It might be very useful. But now it is gone. -- David J. Liszewski
____

Upcoming Workshops
Linda Fayerweather MBA, EA, of Changing Lanes LLC will teach an IRS promoted workshop, Saturday, November 12; 9:30AM to Noon; Toledo Lucas County Public Library Main Branch. The topic will be Small Business and Taxes and include updates on some of the most recent tax changes. There is no charge for this workshop although registration is required. Call Barb Stein, Business Librarian, to register: 419/259/5244. Linda studied to be an Enrolled Agent, a federally-authorized tax practitioner, who has technical expertise in the field of taxation to further help the small business clients Changing Lanes coaches.

Details and Updates on classes and workshops available at: Changing Lanes Classes
______
Download a TIM WOODS Poster for Your Office
Available for you - an 8.5X11 poster about the 8 Wastes.

Click here for your own poster -- MUDA
this is a PDF
Have a profitable week.
Monday Morning Motivators is a short burst of business tips you can use through out the week. Our reporters, authors and correspondents strive to present insights to make your business shine.

Linda Lucas Fayerweather EA, MBA
Owner of Changing Lanes LLC, a productivity coaching firm since 1998
Like us at www.facebook.com/Changinglanesllc for updates and tips.
Copyright 2011

5S + 1 = 6S

2011-08-29T11:11:00.002-04:00

Last week we talked about TIM WOODS and the 8 Wastes inherent in most businesses. Now that you are thinking about waste, the 5S+1 of lean may help keep some of that waste from resurfacing. Over the last 3 years I've talked about the 5S many times so this is a review plus an important addition.

If you ask yourself "How can I improve efficiency, work organization, quality, safety and housekeeping and protect my investment at the same time?" then 6S may help you simply be better at keeping "it all together".

Based on Japanese words that begin with 'S', the 5S Philosophy focuses on effective work place organization and standardized work procedures. 6S adds Safety to the mix. 6S simplifies your work environment, reduces waste and non-value activity while improving quality, efficiency and safety. We know that goals never happen without plans and the first plan may be to implement the 6S's in your office which are:

Seiri = Sort or Tidiness. Examine everything on your desk and sort by use: daily or weekly. If it isn't used weekly, it needs a new location. Being able to find anything in 5 seconds will save time and satisfy customers. What's leftover. . . when in doubt - throw it out!
Seiton = Simplify. Keeping everything in its place and organized in a useful manner. Misplaced items waste time and drain energy.
Seiso = Sweep or Cleanliness. Cleaning includes getting things cleaned and keeping them clean, first and foremost, but also preventing messes. An uncovered coffee mug is often a disaster just waiting to happen.
Seiketsu = Standardization or Sustain. Developing standards and procedures to maintain the appearance is always good and often reduces stress. Standards can also help everyone recognize when "stuff" is out of place.
Shitsuke = Self-Discipline. Developing the habit and reviewing what works is part of self-discipline and sustaining change. When things change, sometimes habits have to change, too.
Safety = Always arrange work with safety in mind. Maintaining a safe work place and striving for zero accidents and injuries means eliminating hazards. This is respect for individuals and assets - it is that simple.

Download a TIM WOODS Poster for Your Office

Available for you - an 8.5X11 poster about the 8 Wastes.

Click here for your own poster --> MUDA

this is a PDF

Evict Waste and Invite TIM WOOD to Your Culture

2011-08-22T08:34:00.003-04:00

Join Monday Morning Motivators

With our economy still lagging in the Midwest and many small business owners asking "When will customers start buying again?", if a business owner wants to increase profit without raising prices while keeping existing customers, it is time to invite Tim Wood to the party.

Before we go any further, as a student and teacher of Lean for over 10 years, I know the Seven Muda - 7 Wastes. My son, Carl, who is a Research Scientist at Owens-Illinois told me about TIMWOOD, the mnemonic for remembering these 7 wastes - someone was clever.

Transportation - Any unnecessary movement of material, documents, or people.
Think multiple trips = wasted time = wasted transportation.

Inventory - Work in process, incomplete work and work no longer in demand by customers are all suspect. Years ago an HVAC business owner showed me a storage garage filled with furnaces purchased on discount volume. The inventory value of these 2 year old furnaces equaled a Rolls Royce! I'd rather have a Rolls in the my garage.

Motion - Are you switching between computers, moving people around the office for different tasks? What movements in your office aren't adding value that customers care about?

Waiting - Queues, bottlenecks and traffic jams are all signs of waiting. Knowing where and WHY a bottleneck occurs is the first step, changing habits and patterns to ease customers' waiting or eliminating wait is second. And what about those employees standing around talking amongst themselves. . .what are they waiting for?

Over-processing - Is adding more value than the customer requested or expects. Examples are:
1) Sending a paper copy of document emailed via PDF.
2) Music CD packaging.
3) Mail order blue jeans with packing peanuts.
Where is the value? Do they have cost?

Over-production - Production of product or service before demand. Auto manufacturers are famous for Labor Day Sales to move old inventory before new models arrive. In offices, printing forms before the customer needs often leads to waste when forms are revised.

Defects - Mistakes, errors, or products/services that don't conform to the customers' expectations. Yes, mistakes will happen and they should always be a learning opportunity. Too many mistakes will almost surely lead to too few customers.

If you believe you have NO waste, before you start the celebration do two things.
1. Call a dozen past customers.
2. Examine what is in your dumpster.

You may be surprised! Take a walk around your business and look for Timmy hiding in the corners.

Linda Lucas Fayerweather EA, MBA
Owner of Changing Lanes LLC a productivity coaching firm since 1998
Like us at www.facebook.com/Changinglanesllc for updates and tips.

Summer Reading - Switch - Part 4

2011-08-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." -- Les Brown

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Shaping the Path is the third and final step to SWITCH by Dan and Chip Heath.

Think about all the ways your path is shaped each day. Traffic is a great example of shaping the path especially during the summer construction months. Now, when shaping a path, remember we humans are like water - looking for the path of least resistance. Too often when shaping the path we use the carrot or stick response instead of asking "why" the process is not being followed. Sometimes the process is just too time consuming with no obvious rewards or savings while other times it lacks understanding. Next time you have resistance from staff or yourself for a new process, use the SWITCH three point shaping methods.

1. Tweak the Environment. Change the situation to change behavior. If you know you won't back up your QuickBooks daily, maybe it is time to check out Online QuickBooks and let Intuit be your backup. Find a way to get things done without you in the way!

2. Build Habits. Habitual behavior is "free". Habits can be instilled with simple checklists and putting new behavior on our schedules. Visual triggers are also helpful. A department manager at GM to get everyone to wear safety glasses in a manufacturing building had a blue line painted all around the building and blue silhouettes at the door sporting safety glasses. Injuries at the plant dropped 21 percent from this one change.

3. Rally the Herd. Behavior is contagious. Just look at what is happening in the UK and Middle East. Seeding the tip jar is an obvious example of rallying the herd. We are more likely to tip at a coffee shop or bar if the jar is there waiting AND already has money in it.

This book is worth the read to learn all the tips and tricks that Dan and Chip Heath included in Switch. Check it out their free podcasts for managers. http://www.heathbrothers.com/resources/download/#switch You will have to set up a login.

Enjoy your week!

Linda Fayerweather

www.ChangingLanes.biz

Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch

Quick review:

Direct the Rider

Motivate the Elephant

Shape the Path

Switch - Part 3

2011-08-08T11:41:00.001-04:00

"A mistake is simply another way of doing things." --Katharine Graham

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Quick Review - we know that change according to the Heath Brothers will require:
Directing the Rider
Motivating the Elephant
Shaping the Path

Motivation is like Motivating an Elephant. When we decide to workout, many of us go really strong at the gym for a time and then we just lose interest. Other times, we find we just can't get a clear focus and wander around in circles or are lost in the jungle.

In the work world that wandering is often heard with "I've been here all day and haven't completed anything." or "If only I had my desk cleared off, then I could get some work done." or "It just takes forever to get anything done here." These are clear signs the elephant is not motivated - the rider may be but not the elephant.

To get motivated, we need to find the emotion or feeling. Years ago, my sister did a science fair project where she timed a drip in the bathroom sink as it filled a gallon and then did the math to figure out how many gallons are wasted in a week and what that cost. By the way, an average leak is about 30 gallons a day. Just imagine what 30 gallons would look like on your lunchroom table? That is what causes emotion - visualization.

If you need to visualize losing 20 pounds, going to the grocery store and hefting a 20 pound turkey and walking around with it really will let your heart know what it feels like to carry an extra 20 pounds.

If wasted paper is a problem in your office, displaying a day's worth of waste on a table for everyone to see is important.

Now that you have an emotion, you need to shrink the change to something manageable. If elephants are spooked by a mouse just imagine what a huge goal could do.

Right now, if your desk needs cleaning before you can do the most important job on your task list today - just do 5 Minutes of cleaning! That five minutes will help you feel a sense of accomplishment and realize that each 5 minutes will lead to a clean desk faster than just desiring it clean. Remember when your mom would say, "Just eat two more green beans and you can be excused." It worked for you then, it can work now.

Most business goals or desired outcomes are too big, in fact, most projects are too big - breaking down a project into small bites will help get it done and often find opportunities to delegate. They are not bad goals, they just need to be in managable pieces.

Finally we want to grow the people by getting each person to identify and understand the need for this change and growth. If people believe this is important to their boss, their leader, and the health of the company, the right people will be ready to jump in and follow.

Next Week - Shaping the Path!

Enjoy your week!
Linda Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch

Check it Out!
If your business sometimes needs to swipe a credit card and you've priced the merchant accounts and still feel you will be paying for something you don't use very often, check out The Square at: https://squareup.com/

Square is an easy way to get paid. This app enables you to accept credit cards quickly and easily using your mobile device or iPad. When you sign up for a Square account and download this app, we'll ship a card reader to you for free.

The fees are simple. When you swipe cards with Square the fee is: 2.75%. If you enter credit card numbers manually, Square costs 3.5% + 15¢ per transaction.

There are no complicated contracts, monthly fees or merchant account. When you want to know how much money you've made, you no longer have to wade through a complex maze of hidden costs and fees as you will get an email describing how much will be deposited in your account in 24 hours or download a spreadsheet from their website.

Check it out!

Monday Morning Motivators is a short burst of business tips you can use through out the week. Our reporters, authors and correspondents strive to present insights to make your business shine.

Switch - Part 2 & Bank Account Protection

2011-08-01T08:32:00.002-04:00

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." --Benjamin Franklin

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Change can be hard because often we don't have a good idea of the direction to go to change. From the book we know that change will require:
Directing the Rider
Motivating the Elephant
Shaping the Path

This week, we will start with some tips on directing the rider.

Now, the rider can be you, your staff or even your family. The Heath brothers have found three steps are critical to help the rider get started.

Find the Bright Spots. When a problem is observed, identifying what is already working means just that - what is working well in the mess of the problem. Anyone who has ever grilled, knows that there are "hot spots" on many grills. If you are looking for a bright spot, you would be saying "why doesn't the chicken burn here and how can be get the entire meal to cook that way." Finding the bright spots in a problem will give you quick success.

Script the Critical Moves. The parent you overheard saying "would you like a carrot or an apple" to their child is scripting the moves. When we limit the choices a person can take, we help them make better decisions. Too many choices often means no decision will be made. That is because Status Quo feels comfortable. Scripting helps all of us crossover our comfort zone.

Point to the Destination. In business, I often call this the vision. It must be clear and well defined and for all practical purposes it will be credible and reachable. Jim Collins who wrote Good to Great and Built to Last calls these destinations BHAG or Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. What are your BHAGs for 2011?

Take some time this week to see how you can direct your riders or maybe just yourself and next week we will talk about motivating the elephant or the emotional side of the process.

Enjoy your week!
Linda Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch

Going the Extra Step to Protect Your Bank Information
Identity theft and fraud can happen to anyone. I've been a victim of it and most everyone I know has had a problem in the past. A few months back, one of my friend's had his bank account cleaned out. He had lost his wallet with a card that his bank account information on it. Luckily the bank was able to get his money back. It took a few weeks and way too much hassle.

It got me thinking, what can be done to protect your bank information? You need to have your accounts written out some place for use. And maybe have that information in unsafe places, like your wallet for easy access. Why not change your account number in some way so you know but no one else would. Such as reverse it. Put the last number first. Divide the number in half. Or add 1 to every number. Now your account number appears to be normal and only you know what your real account number is. It is an easy solution and adds one more layer of security

Jeff Mendelsohn
www.Liquidmechanix.com
Liquid@liquidmechanix.com

Changing Your Mind - Switch

2011-07-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, the lawn mower is broken." --James Dent

Summer Reading - Switch - Part 1
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard
Changing Lanes,
Changing Clothes,
Changing Direction,

Change has many meanings to each of us, but overall, change is usually not easy. It takes conscious effort to make a change become part of our lives. Most of us have heard about the "if you do it 21 days, it will become habit". That is a plan that works for some, others lose track of what they are trying to change after a day or two.

Even if you are a master at change, you may know friends, staff or family that live in our world where change is hard and requires work. Over the next few weeks, I'll be giving tips on change with the book "Switch " by brothers Chip and Dan Heath. This is one of those books that I first purchased for my Kindle, then got the mp3 and finally a hardcover - it really is that good.

Today, let's just take an overview. For anything to change, someone has to start doing something differently. The beauty of this book and Lean Office is that the leader doesn't have to start the change - anyone that sees a problem can cause change with no authority, power or resources.

Dan and Chip Heath describe change as having an emotional side and rational side or an emotional Elephant and a rational Driver of the elephant.

If you imagine yourself sitting atop an elephant and expect it to change directions you will need a "ton" of convincing. The key to permanent and lasting change is three pronged:

Direct the Rider - the rational mind needs the "why" of the change.
Motivate the Elephant - the emotional, feeling mind needs to feel something. Maybe very quick success, visual examples, small group trials.
Shape the Path - to create behavior change, the situation needs to change. Using checklists, rearranging the workstation, seeding the tip jar are just simple examples of how to remind others "change has happened"

Read the First Chapter or Buy the book Switch

Lazy Days of Summer

2011-07-18T08:01:00.001-04:00

With Harry Potter providing a cooling off time at the theaters, families on vacation and many people taking a causal and slower pace to business, business owners have the perfect opportunity to do some reassessing, planning and maybe just catching up on neglected paperwork.

The slower summer pace is a good time to re-evaluate clients, your plan, align budgets or maybe create budgets. If 2011 started without a written plan, July is not too late to finish this year with a bang. Doing a plan for the next six months will align your business and build a foundation for 2012. It is really quite simple:

1) Vision – Where will this business be by December 31, 2011

3) Mission – Why do customers think we exist?

3) Core Values – How do we get things done?

4) Desired Outcomes – 3 to 8 goals that will help 2011 be a fabulous year

5) Projects – What has to happen to drive to the Vision and meet the Desired?

Need help? Check out the Simple Plan for a quick start to your success or download the Planning PDF

Is Your Cash flow flowing?

2011-07-12T08:17:00.000-04:00

How Does Your Cash Flow?

If you haven't read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" take a minute right now and add it to your to summer reading list. The focus is on personal finance, but so much is applicable to businesses, too.

Last week I talked about "Working ON your business not IN your business" and it resonated with many. That statement was coined by Michael Gerber in his landmark "E-Myth" book series. Small businesses create the brightest futures by moving from managing their cash flow to creating wealth. Here is a short history of business styles and how they work their money or cash flow.

Money Path of a Job-Preneur. A job-preneur is a business owner that has created a job for herself. Typically when the owner expires or retires, the business does likewise. The most important information this business owner looks for is cash flow - what is coming in and what goes out. Do we have enough to pay all expenses and maybe put some aside for retirement? If this is your business, just being clear on what it is and planning for the future is important.

Money Path of the Business Owner. The business owner that has some employees and a plan for growth will likely be looking carefully at not only the cash flow of the business but also the Income Statement. The typical business owner will be aware of the liabilities associated with growth and asset acquisition. But few businesses in this category have "income producing assets", they are just large expenses. For example, the company car is an asset and maybe it has a loan, but does it really generate any cash flow? If these businesses are to be sold, the price is usually not much beyond a multiple of the business' profits. No Proft? Difficult to sell over the fair market value of the assets. Again, knowing what your exit plan is may mean that the business is what you want it to be. If you want more from your business, read on.

Money Path of an Entrepreneurial Business. Here the owner is striving to not only pay all the bills, pay down the liabilities and build assets but building a business where the owner works ON the business. A business that builds for the future is managing the cash flow, the income statement and most importantly the balance sheet. The key to getting assets to grow and generate income is having repeatable processes. These processes are for everything from answering the phone to providing outstanding service. If it can't be repeated, you don't have a salable process. These processes free the owner to be a leader and not just a worker-bee. The beauty of buying a franchise is that you are purchasing a tried and true way to have an income producing asset! Think about how you can create a business that is easy for someone else to come and replace you. When you know you can walk away and the cash will keep flowing, you have built a business based on wealth creation.

Being clear as to what type of business you are building means you will have a unmistakable understanding of what to expect. Businesses, like children, can only produce what we train them to do!

Copyright 2011 Linda Lucas Fayerweather
http://www.changinglanes.biz/
419-897-0528