ThriveAMERICA – A meditation on thriving in this economy and beyond.

Blank Stage Productions is proud to present ThriveAMERICA. ThriveAMERICA attracts top business leaders willing to share their experience, strength and hope so that others may learn.

We invited straight shooter, Jim Munson, owner of Munson International and one part host of the invite only RITZ GROUP to visit the studio.

Show Notes

1.WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS -Get down to the nitty gritty; tell investors what they really want to know -how is your investment going to make a return? We all love a great story, a great product, but retelling an investor how great your product is, or how much money and hours you have put into it, is not only a waste of time, but a waste of breath. Use that energy to discover ways in which the investor will make their money back.

2. BE LOGICAL -Know your customer, market and your competitor. Passion may drive you, but numbers and statistics drive the investor. How is your product better than your comptetitor’s? What are their numbers; their statistics? Have a killer plan of attack because when it comes to your product you need to know what moves it besides your passion.

3. coming soon -

.

LEAVE a COMMENT: Do you have any tips, strategies or resources you can share with us, particularly on the social media front? Please, let us know by leaving a comment! Do so by pressing the comment icon next to the video player above.

.

Top Views on ThriveAMERICA | Click on Thumbnail to View the Interview

.

.

Top Views on ThriveAMERICA | Click on Thumbnail to View the Interview

.

About the Host:

Brent Brooks | Brent owns and operates Blank Stage Productions, an independent film production company. Blank Stage is home to “The Blank Page” a screenwriting group and “Under Budget” a producer’s network. Brent has directed three indie films to date, THE GALLON CHALLENGE, ART OF SUICIDE and BETWEEN LOVE & A HARD PLACE.

Visit: http://www.blankstageproductions.com

Contact: brent(at)blankstageproductions.com

.

.

.

Top Views on ThriveAMERICA | Click on Thumbnail to View the Interview

These past guests, in order of standings, are getting the most views for their past appearances on ThriveAMERICA. Click on their picture and see why!

We asked Angel Investor Alan Urech of Stoney River Capital LLC to come as a guest on our show to share his experience, strength and hope so that other business owners might learn a new principal they can apply in their business today. Below represents a very basic summery of the interview so you might find what you need and move on. Be sure to comment on what you may have learned from this segment or list examples of how you might apply these principals in your business. Beside the video player is the comment icon.

.

10 Killer Secrets to Developing a Powerful Business

The following is a listing of 10 Killer Secrets that will help you develop a powerful business. They are not in order of importance because I see them as equally important to business growth.

.

· Develop a stellar Advisory Board across functional levels

This is not a Board of Directors (BOD), which is a legal entity with potential liability. Advisory Boards are a must to grow strong businesses. As business owners we get very wrapped up with what we ourselves think is important and forget that there are other ways for business growth. We are products of our own life’s business experiences but should understand that other people have diverse experiences that may be more relevant to the situation at hand and we should embrace those experiences to grow our businesses intelligently. Advisory Boards should be set up along functional business parameters and members chosen for their experiences within those functions. Operations, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, Human Resources, Product/Services are some of the different functional areas the slots you should have solid focused and seasoned professionals represented on your Advisory Board.

· Understand the Management’s strengths and weaknesses

As managers we all have our strengths…and our “challenges”. This is the way it is and we must understand what they are and make sure that our management team has representative diverse views. Some managers see no dangers and charge ahead with programs while others may be more hesitant and see the positives and the negatives of the movement. Whether you are optimistic, a risk-taker, can rally the troops and engage others, are traditional and hard-working with a strong focus on quality, detail and precision or can build trust and help others, you need to know your business personality “gifts”. Embrace them. Brownell Landrum at DrawSuccess (www.DrawSuccess.com) has some very interesting methodologies for you to access your strengths and weaknesses.

· Grow the Business methodically

In Six Disciplines for Excellence Gary Harpst states that most businesses do not succeed because they are not grown methodically. Something always gets in the way of a business’s methodical growth path. I believe that if you establish upfront some solid and non changing parameters like “Monday mornings 9:30am we are having a management meeting and reviewing operational issues that affect the business”, most of the time you will succeed. Don’t deviate from that plan. Keep it simple and formal on a Project Management type electronic or paper template and make sure that everyone one is accountable weekly for the action items that they said they would complete. Have firm dates and if the task is not completed by that date, make sure that the whole team knows why. This takes a couple of weeks to instill but the company’s president must be vigilant and hold his/her management team accountable for the actions they have agreed to accomplish.

· Be very focused on what your business is…and is not. Understand what is important to you…and your business

Strong businesses must understand what their market opportunity is and then focus their organizations on their core competency within that opportunity. Know your opportunity and then exploit it. This does not mean that you can’t have adjacent products and services that improve your core offering. You can. For example, if you are in video productions and your first product is traditional movies, it does not mean that you can’t go into some adjacent product lines like commercials or promotional pieces. Just treat this as an adjacent product line. The core product is still video productions. Do an “elevator” pitch of 15 words or less about what your business is. An example might be “North Atlanta Networks, Inc, develops, markets and services high technology turnkey satellite, terrestrial, wireless and VoIP network solutions to business and government customers.” Or “The Medical Group is a provider of all-inclusive turnkey management solutions to meet the increasingly complex technology needs of physician practices”. Also understand what your personal goals as a manager are. What you will do and what you will not do. Each organization should have a posted Vision Statement, a Mission Statement and a Values Statement.

· Focus on Sales and Marketing, not on the products or services

Once your product or service offering is “complete” or Version 1 is complete, shift your human and monetary resources to sales and marketing. Most companies have a very difficult time crossing over the chasm from a Research and Development organization into a Sales and Marketing business that can commercialize your product and make you money. Understand that your product/service will never be done because our world is in constant change mode. Put a “stake” in the ground to when your resources will be focused onsales and marketing. At this point, 90% should be spent on Sales and Marketing and 10% on R&D.

To market your product use “Groundswell” techniques. Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff wrote a great book on using new technology tools to market your products by getting a social network “buzz” about them and then when people come to your website, they will be “warm” prospects. Much easier than cold calling. Free social networking technology tools like LinkedIn (an online network of more than 25 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries, www.linkedin.com), Flickr (online photo management, www.flickr.com), Wordpress (blogging, http://wordpress.com), FaceBook (social network, www.facebook.com), Twitter (social networking and microblogging service utilizing instant messaging, SMS or a web interface, http://.twitter.com), Del.icio.us (social bookmarking, http://delicious.com), Digg.com (discover and share content by tagging, http://digg.com), Wikipedia (online free encyclopedia that anyone can add to and edit, www.wikipedia.com), Add This (Social Bookmarking that adds content everywhere, www.addthis.com), Ping (a website that makes updating your social networks a snap, www.ping.fm) and Second Life (virtual world, www.secondlife.com). To measure and monitor your blogs and online discussion groups use TNS Cymfony (http://www.cymfony.com), Nielsen BuzzMetrics (http://www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com), and Google analytics (improving your understanding about where your website visitors come from to better utilize your marketing dollars, http://www.google.com/analytics/). It is easy to do and will gain you great exposure.

.

Blog Directories:

If you are starting a blog or have a blog it might be a good idea to submit your URL to blog directories.  A blog directory is sorta like the yellow pages and can be a hub for all kinds of blogs.  Below is a vast list of such directories. I thought this would be a good edition to Alan’s installation sense he is focusing on sales and marketing and that creating a blog is a very powerful way to market yourself. Another site where you can find places online to list your blog is found here: Online Marketing Blog

List pulled from the Seach Engine Journal

Best of the Web Blog Search

EatonWeb Blog Directory

Blog Hub

Bloggeries

Blogarama

Blog Search Engine

Blog Catalog

Globe of Blogs

Ultimate directory of British blogs

Bigger Blogs

Bloggernity

Bloggapedia

Spillbean

Blogging Fusion

Blogflux

Bloglisting

Blogio

Blog Explosion

Super Blog Directory

· Work with people that are Compatible

Life is too short to work with people that you don’t like or are not compatible. Surround yourself with people that have similar values that you do so that in addition to just “working” in the business that you sometimes get together in social events to understand each other as fellow human beings with personalities, families, attitudes, biases and needs. I think this is critical for people to understand where their work companions are coming from and sometimes forgive them when you know they have had a rough day when something outside of the work place is weighing on them. Help them along and you will be stronger and happier in the business and as a person.

· Form Key Business Alliances/Partnerships/Affiliations

This is a critical component of growing a company into a strong business. Strong growing companies form alliances, partnerships and affiliations with companies and businesses that can support their growth. Once a company focuses on their business they should look for alliances and partnerships that make sense to them within their competency. Being a good partner means that when something falls outside of your core competency, you refer that business to the other organization to fulfill the customer’s needs. Customers love this and embrace this as being good corporate citizens by putting the customers’ needs above their own.

· Understand the Businesses Unique Value Propositions

When I consult with companies, I first develop with them a “Corporate Position Paper”. A CPP has three areas in it. The first section answers the question “What are the problems in the industry?” The second section answers the question “What is different and better about my products/services?” This should be about 3 bullets that include your unique value proposition that no other company can say. Remember that your unique value proposition does not include service, price or quality. No one will say that they deliver poor service, high prices or bad quality. They always have the best service, low prices and great quality. That is a given. Create your UVP on something that no one else can claim that they have like a product that does (xxx) or a service that provides this.

· Understand the Business’ Revenue and Profit model

A business must understand where they make their income. Detail by bullets the different components of where the businesses money comes from and the profit potential from each area. Once this “audit” is completed you may see that there are some areas that need to be focused on because they bring you more profit.

· Understand your Product/Service offerings

A company must understand their product lines thoroughly. It is vital to understand what the products are and what they are not. The “consultative sell” approach works wonders when the business development person first listens to the “challenges” the prospect has (what keeps them up at night) and then leverages their products and services to alleviate those challenges. They are showing an understanding of their business, a concern for the prospect’s business, and a solution to their concern. Many business development people do not understand this and subsequently do not form a relationship with the decision maker. Developing this relationship becomes capital that the strong business person can use to leverage their first product into the organization and positions them to sell additional products later on in the business cycle. I suggest a PowerPoint or something like that that outlines every product and service that you have and its value for the consumer.

I hope that these 10 Killer Secrets have helped you understand some business “Secrets” that can help you to significantly grow your business. Being methodical with great management focused toward your growth is the core, understanding your value proposition and then understanding where you make your money.

Alan W. Urech, Managing Partner

B: (770) 587-2166 | C: (678) 520-9989
E: AUrech@StoneyRiverCapital.com
www.StoneyRiverCapital.com

]]> http://thriveamerica.com/video/alanurech/feed 3 http://thriveamerica.com/video/thriveamericabest http://thriveamerica.com/video/thriveamericabest#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:54:32 +0000 Brent http://thriveamerica.com/?p=977

We have had amazing guests visit the set of ThriveAMERICA.  We have identified and put a collection of the best segments thus far.  To scroll through all the videos and get to the one you want to see, use the arrow icons you see in the video player.

.

FIVE Ways to use LinkedIn Effectively

Show Notes: Sean comes in right in time.  We know very little about the powers of the social outlet, LinkedIn.  No one has covered its potential, until now. In the show Sean outlines the five effective ways to use and succeed on LinkedIn.  Follow these basic steps and you will be well on your way to making things happen on this business professional social media networking hub.  If you like what you see here please leave a comment and if you want more info about LinkedIn, take a visit to Sean’s blog.  Sean’s blog reveals specific ways or instructions on how to upload video, use applications and many more strategies.
http://linkedintuition.com/blog/

.

From the Eyes of an Angel Investor, FIVE Secrets to Success

1. Know who you are and build your plans around this core strength.
2. Do not be diverted by attractive distractions from this core. Stay true to it.
3. Execute flawlessly. In this unforgiving economy there is very little margin for error.
4. Stay lean. You can not expect banks, VC’s or angel investors to provide you the funding you would have found just a few years ago.
5. That being said, if you can build share during a down economy you have a deadstart on competitors later on

.

How to Master Social Media

TODD SCHNICK

It’s OK to fail.  You might just find that right combination. To thrive in this economy you have to wrap your head around the idea that marketing is changing.  It is a two way street.  If you give you are going to get back.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/toddschnick

.

Why Become a Resource

CHAD MASSAKER

What a resource Chad has been over the years.  He gets the two spot for speaking with conviction about  digging deep in building relationships. Network Marketing.  It’s about relationships.  You have to dig down deep and figure out how to become a resource for other people.  Know people’s pains. You can do this in a lot of ways. Serve there needs, and take the time needed to get to know them.  Host networking events.  Let people get together.  There is more noise then ever before.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/chadmassaker

.

Understand Networking Myths

DAVID ALEXANDER

David is business leader for BNI, Business Networking International, and his tips are spot on. Get involved with community.  Check out your local chamber of commerce, and get involved on a deeper level.  Get involved with community events and civic groups.  You will be seen as a giver.  Start meeting people and figure out what makes you unique, different.  Have 30 seconds to talk about your business?  Avoid mentioning that you provide great customer service, rather describe what makes your customer service so great. What is key is inspiring people to refer you.  How can you do this? You have to take the time to educate people what it is you do.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/davidalexander

.

How to Empower Your Business

RICK CRAIN

My coach asked me to summarize what I learned from him, now it provides a powerful strategy list for any business owner. 1. Scout and develop your talent. 2. Plan, prepare and schedule.  How do you organize your business? 3. Position with a Mission. Why are you in business? Live your mission, your message. 4. Wake up, Get up and Show up.  Treat the day, the next client meeting like its game time, like Michael Jordan would approach a fame. 5. Do Your Best and Forget the Rest.  Determine what you are best at. 6. Do the Right Things. Be honest. 7. Go the Extra Mile. Who can our clients feel like they got more then they paid for.  How can we surprise them. 8. Practice Wild Empathy.  What are your customer’s pain points. 9. Never Deny Help.  See what comes your way. 10. Give to Others. Give referrals and watch what happens and be coach able.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/rickcrain

.

Powerful Secrets to Internet Marketing

LISA BLACKSTONE

Lisa is a personal client and I have seen her grow leaps and bounds in this journey, we list her high because of some powerful tips she reveals. You have to build both the look and feel of your website with strategies to drive traffic to your website.  I went and learned from people who are experts in the art of driving traffic.  I learned how to use market samurai, a great product that helps you focus in on great keywords for your business.  I came up with 30 keywords, then I bought those URL’s. Then I used wordpress direct, a powerful that scowers the internet and brings in content to fill your micro sites. Surround yourself with people who know more then you.  A lot of things change, technology for example reinvents itself every six months, relationships don’t.  Don’t fall in love with your product.  If people aren’t buying it, you need to change. Where is your balance. We all are great at something.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/lisablackstone

.

How to Find Working Capital

BOB FARRIS

Soft spoken, but listen carefully. Raising big money is often times easier then raising smaller sums of money. There are over 2,000 equity groups looking to get behind a certain business, could that be you?  Can you identify a competitor and acquire them?  This can help you get placed in a whole new league.  A business owner must be able to change on a dime. You can hang onto elements of your business way to long. Put your finger in the air and determine where the money is, go there.  Business can be a matter of luck, but you have to get into luck’s way. Get a mentor.  It’s funny how a mentor comes into your life. These people can sponsor you, help you grow your business and share their expertise with you.  Learn to recognize them.  A lot of businesses were started in the worst of times.  Do not be afraid.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/bobfarris

.

Learn the Art of Reciprocity

JOHN HOLLNER

John was spot on, don’t let the placement fool you. Relationships.  This is the third R.  Learn the principal of reciprocity.  This is like Giver’s Gain. What can you do earn this principal. People are finding that you must connect 33 times with your clients to get your message across.  We are busy creatures, the gas we need to get, the groceries we need to buy… so you have to build your relationships. There is no silver bullet.  Try and out source your day to day tasks. Read the book the “4-hour work week”.  You have to meet your client in the way they want to be communicated with.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/johnhollner

.

How to Help Google Bots Find Your Site

CHRIS SPEARS

I might have found a better segment of Chris, if I were to vote on best overall segment Chris would be top two. What is SEO and SEM? What is Google looking for?  Relevant information.  SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing.  SEO is your content in your website while SEM is what you will pay for to be associated with key search words. Use Google Trends. Use keyword spy. You have to satisfy the Google Bots and these tools will help you.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/chrisspears

.

Why Now is the Best Time

CHRIS HEUSER

Here is another powerful recap. Chris speaks the everyman way, easy and simple. Quick recap of Chris’s previous segments: 1. Now is the best time to start a business. 2. Doesn’t take a lot of money to start your own business. 3. Choosing the right business and making sure people what what you do.  4. Get an informative website.  5. Get skilled up.  6. Write your roadmap, pick 3-5 achievable goals.  7. Find alliances and build your team.  8. Get testimonials, people love to read them.  9. Ask for referrals. 10. Networking. One of the most important things you will do for your business.   Find out how you can help them.  Our meeting that meets monthly allows you to get in front of 70-80 people.

http://thriveamerica.com/video/chrisheuser

.

Look For Opportunity

MARK WYSSBROD

Build liquidity and be more productive in our business. Now we need to look for opportunity.

Top Views on ThriveAMERICA | Click on Thumbnail to View the Interview

These past guests, in order of standings, are getting the most views for their past appearances on ThriveAMERICA. Click on their picture and see why!

Interested in advertising or being a guest on ThriveAMERICA , please email interest to: info(at)blankstageproductions.com

.

find or follow or both

Top Views on ThriveAMERICA | Click on Thumbnail to View the Interview

These past guests, in order of standings, are getting the most views for their past appearances on ThriveAMERICA. Click on their picture and see why!

We asked thriving business owner Prince Niyyar of Commdex to come as a guest on our show to share his experience, strength and hope so that other business owners or new business owners might learn a new principal they can apply in their business today. Below represents a basic summery of the interview so you might find what you need and move on. Be sure to comment on what you may have learned from this segment or list examples of how you might apply these principals in your business. Beside the video player is the comment icon.

SET STRETCH GOALS FOR YOUR COMPANY

Once we have outlined the business strategy – we then raise the bar.  In order for us to grow we have to set high goals for our business, even if we don’t make them. If you set small goals you will achieve small goals. Stretch forward.  Always raise the bar. Shoot high. We have set ambitious goals. We find balance in different areas, financial, customer service, and the learning perspective. This leads to a culture of evolution. We get together and see how we are doing as a company and set the these goals, and assign responsibility to each team member.  We have deep planning sessions with our team, lots of charts lots of ideas rolling around.  I ask my team, if you were CEO what goals would you have. This evolves every year. Last year we forecast high and we made the goal.  We all know it was lofty but we made it.

Sounds like you have a tracking system for your goals.  I see white boards, goals everywhere…

The way these go there is a lot of brainstorming, chart all over the place. Everyone brings there ideas. We ask our team, “What would you do if you were the CEO?” We are always setting the goal higher.
.
WATCH THE PRO@CTIVE CPA IN DEATH-ATION!

Pro@ctive CPA
.
STAY POSITIVE

Very important to stay positive. If you don’t have the positive energy the confidence you are not going achieve your goals.  The more you have this, this trust, the more you can be a conduit for business miracles.  It is very important as a CEO you are the cheerleader, you set the tone.

Sounds like this will spill to your client base.

This positive energy, the employees feel it, the customers feel it.  It sets the tone and establishes the culture. People want to be around this.

INVEST IN YOUR PEOPLE

You have laid down your strategy, who is going to execute this?  It is very important you surround yourself with achievers.  As a CEO you have to set up this culture where your staff is always learning and fostering growth and experiencing continuous improvement.  This comes in training.  This is critical that my staff is always learning, being coached and mentored.  People are your foundation.