How to surround yourself with people better than yourself

Have you ever noticed, successful people surround themselves with people who know more, do more, have more than they do. Not that they are trying to take these people for what they got, but in my opinion it's to help them to become better people as well. Think about it. If you surrounded yourself with mediocre people all day who slacked, who were lazy, who only did just enough to get by even if you are a very disciplined person you too will start to take on their behaviors.


It's like what I was saying about the Circle of Success, you have to surround yourself not just with like-minded people but people who are better than yourself. But how do you know which friends, associates, and contacts you should surround yourself to make you a better person? Of course you have your family who is there to support you and your decisions even if they don't understand them fully. And you have your friends to hold up that mirror when you forget to look at it by yourself. Absolutely you have your closest associates to bounce ideas off of. But there are still more people and better ways to finding those people with whom will make you better.


Check out this article about How to Surround Yourself with People Better Than You.

Business Etiquette: Not Everyone Has It.

Lately, I've been having some conversations with friends and associates about what is good business etiquette. I've noticed that there are so many people who are in business for themselves or want to be in business for themselves but have absolutely no idea what type of etiquette they should have. They go around doing what they do, but can't figure out why people don't want to come back. It even goes down to how you speak with people, for example:

I recently started a temporary/ part-time job. When I arrived on my first day, the district manager was there. She did her usual thing of making sure the corporate identity of the place was in good order and blah blah blah. I spoke with my manager the day after about how things were going and she said it was good but that she was very surprised at the type of language the lady used. Let's just say she uses a lot of "sentence enhancers" when she speaks.

Although, I thought it was funny, it led me to think about business etiquette and how everyone doesn't have it.

Luckily, business etiquette isn't one of those rare traits that only certain people possess. If you value yourself AND your business, then understanding a few things about doing business is very important.

Business Etiquette: Do You Have It?

1. When communicating to a new or potential client, don't be a narcissist. Just like a first date, no one wants to hear you go on and on about yourself. Sure your client needs to know about you, but you need to allow them to guide the conversation. If you spend the first 10 minutes of your client's time talking about "this accolade" "that notable client" "those accomplishments" without first inquiring about what they need, want, or are looking for (as interesting as you may sound) you've already lost them. You need to know your 30 second pitch but also be able to expand upon it for conversation. As is said in marketing, clients will only spend money with you if they are comfortable with you. The ultimate goal is for them to hire your services or purchase your product, but in order to get there you can't be a narcissist. Put your clients first.


2. Nothing is more friendly than a courtesy call, email, or letter. They've signed the contract, purchased the product and you're happy. But don't allow this to be the only time that they do business with you! A large percent of what business owners make (in the service and product industry) comes from repeat customers. Sending some form of courtesy communication not only keeps your brand at the top of mind awareness of the customer, but it continues and maintains that relationship you've built with them. It can literally be the difference between them spending a contracting you for one event or five! It's as simple as providing them with a simple "Thank You" note or "How are you" email.


3. Word of Mouth travels fast, so don't piss off your old clients because you want to target new ones. Word of mouth is the oldest form of advertising that we continue to utilize today. Do a good job with a talkative or well known client and see your business skyrocket. Conversely, fail to maintain good business etiquette, don't do a good job, or let your product fail and you might as well pack it up and call it over. Outside of financial reasons, many businesses fail because they don't have ANY word of mouth buzz...let alone negative. The best way to get your clients, new clients, and potential clients talking about you to leave them with something good to say about it...THEN ask them to provide you with a recommendation!


4. Act like you want to be in business. Why are you in business? Is it the money? The fame? The success? or the satisfaction of watching your hard work turn into something great? Regardless of WHY you are in business, one of the most important thing to do is ACT like you want to be in business. As a consumer, think about the times where you've gone to an establishment and the clerk, waitress, or manager turned you off because they acted like your money and time wasn't good enough. Don't be that person. Act like your client is the most important asset you have because well THEY ARE! Simply acting like you want to be in business is the difference between treating your business like a hobby with fans and treating your business like a business with clients.


5. Don't make promises, keep guarantees. Nothing is worse than someone breaking a promise! Period. IF you say you are going to do something...DO IT! If someone has paid you or you have an agreement with some, do everything you can to fulfill that agreement. If you've gotten them to spend money with you, then you need to treat the client, their money, and their timeline like a precious jewel. When you fail to keep your promises to people that's when you start to get bad word of mouth about being unaccountable, unprofessional, and untimely. Even worse, when your supporters starts feeling that way about you. Don't just make promises to people, keep guarantees. Do what you told them you would do and do it to the best of your abilities. Otherwise, prepare to give them a refund and never see them again.

Business Etiquette. It's the difference between being an entrepreneur and being a hobbyist with a following. Knowing how to conduct yourself at all times and how to treat your clients are very important in the business world. Remember not to be a narcissist but knowing when to talk about yourself (ie business), building a relationship with your customers can start or end with a courtesy call or lack there of. Word of mouth travels faster than the speed of light, so acting like you want to be in business and keeping your guarantees are A MUST in this ever expanding world of business!

Have you ever conducted business with someone that you could pretty much guess they wouldn't be in business the next year? Let me know!

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

7 Tips Your Business Can Learn from Oprah (via Inc.)

If you're anything like me, you're feeling the absence of Oprah on your television by now. Even if you weren't an avid watcher like myself, you took comfort in knowing you could easily turn to your local channel and watch her inspiring, uplifting, and advising people everyday. Even though she is gone from our 4pm slots, trust that she is not absent from our lives. Even as a business there is so much that can be learned from our dear Oprah. Inc.com did a great job of compiling a list on tips we businesses can learn from Oprah. Check out the list overview below and definitely go to their site to see the full list and descriptions!

7 Tips Your Business Can Learn from Oprah (via Inc.):

1. Give back to your fans. How could we all forget Oprah's Favorite Things? "You get a car! You get a car! You get a car!"


2. Take risks and get attention. Taking risks is essentially what entrepreneurs do. Oprah said the only gamble she ever took was when she bet on herself...and guess what? She won. BIG!


3. Explore new verticals. Did you know Oprah started off as a news anchor before she became a television host? Her brand is now a multimedia platform with a television network, production, magazine, and apps.


4. Reveal your personal story. Personally I think the thing that makes us love Oprah and admire her is her ability to connect with people through her personal stories. She's relateable and seems like a great friend and associate to know. It's hard to find and trust people like that in business nowadays.


5. Get celebrities on your side. It's all about WHO you know, but also about WHO KNOWS YOU.


6. Become an influencer. The best leaders are the ones who can influence others to action. You can't tell me that Oprah doesn't encourage you to want to be the best version of yourself in life and in business.


7. Know when to quit. Always have a good exit strategy. You will be better remembered and sorely missed when you leave at your peak.

Check out the entire list and descriptions at Inc.com

Oprah is a lot of things to a lot of people, but the one thing that you cannot deny that she is is great.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

Dressing appropriately for the summer months at work

It's hot! The summer months are in. The sun is shining bright and the temperature is way up, but your job's dress code doesn't care about the temperature outside. As you sit at your desk or cubicle all you can think about is how soon can you take your clothes off once you get home. You secretly wish you were a lifeguard just so you can wear a bathing suit to work every day. How can you dress comfortably for work and the season?

• Wear lighter colors
  
  
  
  When you see images of Middle Easterners and folks who live in the desert, did you notice how they don't wear anything darker than light brown? When you wear darker colors, they tend to absorb the heat from the sun which is why you catch yourself sweating in that black t-shirt you wore last Friday. Try switching things up by wearing various shades of white and brown. Try khacki pants with a white polo. Not only will you be more comfortable but you will still be within the rules of your job's dress code.


• Layer properly
  Most corporate jobs are housed inside of a tall skyscraper. Luckily for you, you are privy to the wonderfulness that is AIR CONDITIONING. Although it may be 95 degrees outside, it's about 68 inside the building. Layer properly. Bring a sweater, cardigan or sport coat that can easily be taken off or put on. Make sure it's something that isn't too bulky, nothing is worse than having to carry a huge bubble coat when there is a heatwave outside.


• Remember the finger tip rule
  
  
  Remember when you were in high school and you wore shorts because it was warm outside and your teacher sent you to the principle's office because they thought your shorts were too short? How did the principal normally measure the length of your shorts? THE FINGER TIP TEST!! If your shorts where shorter than the length of your fingertips on the sides...they were too short. Use the same rule when wearing business shorts or skirts to work.


• Mix business with casual
  Your office does business casual right? Wear your favorite dark denim jeans with a button down and sport coat. Or pair a cute pair of flats with your favorite shirt and a skirt. Just because it has a business in front of it doesn't mean you can stretch the casual.


• Try a different fabric
  
  
  Ever heard of the expression "fabric that breathes?" There are some fabrics where air passes through them comfortably essentially cooling you off...but not in the sitting in front of the fan kinda way. Linen and 100% cotton are some of the most breathable fabrics and of course you can style them in all kinds of ways! Try switching your fabrics and watch yourself sweat less during the summer months.


• Take a note from the boss
  Every time I'm at work and see my boss wearing jeans and a t-shirt on a Tuesday, that's my cue to come in on Wednesday wearing jeans and a t-shirt. My belief is the boss sets the trend, the mood, and the dress code. So I take my lead from their example.

IT'S HOT!!! And I mean that in every sense of the word. Some of us love our jobs and most of us need it, but man can that dress code get in the way of our daily comfort. You don't have to sacrifice your comfort during the summer months by being hot and stuffy in a business suit. Most companies are more lenient during the summer months when it comes to the dress code, so definitely take advantage...but don't push the envelope. Bikinis and Speedos only work on the job if your office is the pool.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

Two things you shouldn't be in business...

When it comes to making a name for yourself and building up your business you have to work twice as hard to become reputable than any other well-established business out here. You have to not only prove that you the person can do what you promise you can do, but you have to prove that your business is worthy enough to conduct business with.

Many businesses will go out of business for a number of reasons this year, but one major reason some of them went out of business is because they exhibited two things you shouldn't be when trying to build your business...

Two things you shouldn't be in business:

1. The first thing you shouldn't be when making a name for yourself and/ or your business is inconsistent. Being consistent means "constantly adhering to the same principles." It means you have formed a pattern that will either push you to excellence or drop you to infamy. Although being inconsistent is a form of consistency, you never want to be known for being inconsistent. "Yeah, I can't really trust Johnny to finish his article on time, he's consistently inconsistent." Being inconsistent will make people stop working with you because they simply choose not to deal with your lack of timeliness, accuracy, or responsibility.
   
   How do you change your inconsistent ways? It's not as easy as waking up one day and saying "hey, I'm going to be consistent today!" You've formed a habit, it is now ingrained in you. The only way to break a habit is to form a better one. For example, you are inconsistent when it comes to being on time. Sometimes you get to work early, others on time, but mostly you're late. Notice this. Notice what you do differently on the days you get to work early or on time. Do you go to sleep earlier? Do you eat better? Do you prepare the night before? Take note of your good habits and from there work on doing those same good habits for at least one month. Studies have shown it takes about 21-30 days for a new habit to be formed.


2. The second thing you shouldn't be is unreliable. Nothing is worse than conducting business with someone to learn at the last minute that they are unreliable. So now not only do you have to deal with that person not getting the work done but now you have to reschedule your time to either find someone you can depend on or do it yourself. Even worse if you are that unreliable person. No one wants to feel like they got cheated when they deal with someone, because trust me when I say word of mouth travels faster than the speed of light. Being unreliable makes you untrustworthy.
   
   So how do you overcome that obstacle? If you have been labeled as unreliable or noticed that you have become unreliable the best way to rebuild your reputation is to start over and do better. Figure out why you've become unreliable. Do you take on more than you can handle? Do you lack focus? Is your attention span worse than a fruit fly? Once you figure out why people can't rely on you, it's time for you to take steps and make yourself reliable. Create to do lists, set schedules, devote quality time to a task. Learn what you can handle and how much. If life gets too hard and your are still unreliable, take on smaller tasks and build from there. Apologize to your clients and do your best to make them comfortable.

No one wants to conduct business with people they can't trust. Look at how Scarface, the Godfather, and Enron turned out. When you are inconsistent people can't trust that you will deliver in the time you promised. When you are unreliable, people can't trust you at all. You have the power to get your reputation back, but it all starts off with forming a better habit and realizing your faults.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur

Money Monthly: Planning Your Business is Like Planning Your Money

The following is a guest post from LaTisha D. Styles at Financial Success for Young Adults, where she writes about investing and money management.

How Planning Your Business is Like Planning Your Money

Every entrepreneur that wants to run a successful business starts with a plan. You may not have had a professionally written business plan but you at least had a plan in mind for what you wanted to do with your business when you started, right?
Planning your business is a lot like planning your finances. It can be easy even if you hate finance. There are some important components to creating a business plan.

Executive Summary

You have to explain what your business is, what you do, and what goals you plan to accomplish; that's your executive summary. That lays the groundwork for everything else you plan.

Marketing Plan

Then you have your marketing plan. And that is what explains how you're going to go about completing the goals in your executive summary.

Financial Statements

Then there are your financial statements, those are the backbone of your business. They outline how you will fund your endeavor and when you will start making money.

Planning your personal finances is no different. The names of the components may be different but the idea is the same.

Life Plan

Your executive summary states what you want to accomplish in your finances. Do you want to be a millionaire? Do you want to retire by the age of 30? You first have to think about your goals and what you want your money to look like.

Career/Business Plan

This is like your marketing plan. Are you going to work for someone else and save what you can? Are you going to create a business to earn income for you? This is when you think about how you will accomplish the goals that are in your life plan.

Budget

So many people hate this word. Budget sounds restrictive. It reminds people of when they were kids and they were in the grocery store with their mom. Remember that? You would say, "Mom can I have this candy bar/toy/shiny object?" And she would say "Put that back! It's not in our budget." I think that's the main reason we have such a negative association with this word. A budget can be as free as you make it. YOU are in charge of what you save and spend. The main point is that you have to have a plan in order to reach your goals.

What's your plan? Do you have a method of attack to reach your financial goals?

From Business Insider: 15 disturbing facts about your job

How you like them apples?

The Unemployed [not really, but happy with my job] Entrepreneur

TLC's Top 10 Mom Businesses

I'm not a mom...yet and not for some time, but I love seeing moms who still found a way to follow their dream. I remember having a conversation with my mom about what her dreams were growing up, she told me she wanted to be a fashion designer but did fulfill her dream because life and kids came and took over her focus. I was a little bit sad that she never got the opportunity to make that dream a realization, but sometimes it happens.


Between a 9 to 5 job, 24 hour mothering, and wifely duties I just don't know how women are able to do all the things they do on a daily basis. Call them superheroes, but these women have done it. They have successfully taken care of their families, while at the same time realizing their dreams.

Check them out on TLC!

The Unemployed [but Empowered] Entrepreneur