I read an interesting blog post last week by Chris Brogan. Now, honestly, I’m not one of Brogan’s biggest fans, and I’m sure his ego will be okay with me saying this as I know he has plenty of them – fans, not egos, but I do read his blogs now and then, and this one caught my eye – it was called “We’re No Experts.”

It so reminded me of what I see happen so much in this world of entrepreneurship – especially starting out. Too many times, we get in front of a prospect and listen to what they are wanting, and we say “we can do that.” Chris put it perfectly…

“We are quite often given the opportunity to do something we’re not qualified to do. We often take on projects we’re not qualified to take on. I do it all the time. I will sign up for something, learn that I have no idea how to do it the way I imagine it, and then I rush to learn how to accomplish something that will make my client feel I’ve delivered value.”

Now during this time, you might actually find you love what you learned and want to incorporate it into your business, but in many cases, this probably is not true. What Chris continues to say in his blog, and what I have preached for the past three years of owning my business – do what you are passionate about!

Make a vow that 2012 will be the year you focus on what you love, what you are passionate about, and I bet you will be happier, healthier and much more successful!

Serina Kelly
Relevate
www.getrelevate.com
serina@getrelevate.com
317-203-7740

Businesses today are learning to cope, survive and then hopefully thrive in this “new” economy. Change for most people is painful, but for entrepeneurs it can be the best of times. Most of the long-term business owners I have worked with are linear thinkers. They aren’t afraid of processes. They actually lean on processes to function at the highest of levels. The volatility in the market today is calling for entrepreneurial thinking. An economy with $4.00 a gallon gas, housing starts in half and manufacturing as well as low-level labor being outsourced across borders.

The key to evolving your business model in this new economy is to define the “box” in which you reside, specifically define the sides of the box that make up your business.

1. Exceeding client expectations
a. How do we blow our prospects or customers minds with results and or “the” experience? Many times we will face some initial push back on changing the way we deliver our service in the new model so the results really do need to speak for themselves.

2. Budget, Profit and Stakeholders

Are we holding to a budget? Is the company making money and are employees happy and evolving? If these things cannot be met then our model is not sustainable, which means capital and people will eventually wear out.

3. DNA

Do we have the people to really get it done or how can we even leverage our people on a greater level to create more abundance? What are we doing that is against the organization’s DNA? I find in working with companies that when you simply ask the question, “What could you be doing if you didn’t do that anymore?” Or, if you fired that one high-maintenance client, how many more could you serve? The overwhelming theme is relief, power and the ability to once again accept challenges. Let’s face it businesses are just groups of people working towards common goals. If they feel good about their life, about their job – they will make the impossible, possible.

4. Time

Do we have the time to accomplish this change to survive the valley during the implementation of our new plan , the energy to weather any negative lash backs from making the change?

If all these sides are considered and seen in terms of worst case scenarios, then the players involved with this new business model can adequately understand the context of their actions and foresee the positive results.

Anybody can think out of the box of time, money and revenue in the terms of – What if we had all the time in world? What if we had all the money in the world, people in the world, customers in the world, talent in the world? This way of thinking is powerful to visualize the possibilities, but businesses that change their business model must understand how to think within their specifically defined box.

This takes a different level of creativity and powerful insight but the same amount of energy. In fact most of the time I find it is easier to brainstorm and think within the box because it pushes our minds to focus on the solutions that actually fit our organization.

Once they are on the whiteboard, liberated from the depths of the subconscious and moved into the light, these ideas are born, nurtured by your team and molded into a positive deviation of what used to be and brought from a “what could be” to a breakthrough model, a game changing idea.

It is always amazing to me the power of the design of the human mind. (The big guy truly knew what he was doing).

Now go put yours to work!

Tony Scelzo
Rainmakers Marketing Group
317-216-6345
Tony@gorainmakers.com

Why did you become a small business owner?
I was an outside sales representative for an Indianapolis chemical company and joined Rainmakers to start networking. I realized I did not care for the outside sales job, but loved Rainmakers and all the entrepreneurs I met. They were so full of energy and ideas, and I knew they would support me in my venture to own my own business.

What did you do before?
Before the outside sales position, I had spent the last twelve years as a social worker and advocate in the world of public health.

What prepared you for owning and running a small business earlier in life?
I grew up having to be pretty intuitive, and I realized pretty fast that if I were to succeed, it would be all up to me.

What do you like about owning your own business?
The freedom and flexibility – making my own decisions and setting my own destiny.

What is difficult about owning your own business?
Two things – the lack of a steady paycheck and not having week-ends like I used to.

How did you get the specific idea for your business?
As a social worker, I worked with many pharmaceutical companies through their community liaison programs. I saw their need to have someone behind the scenes making everything come together, so they could concentrate on their programs. I did not know there was such a thing and began to do research – and figured out it was virtual assistance. I did not have the courage to venture out on my own, though, until my involvement with Rainmakers.

Why do you believe you will succeed?
I am a very competitive person with lots of compassion to help others succeed. I also have a tremendous support system – starting with my incredible husband and family and then some key business people who not only support me, but promote me often when they meet people.

What is the next step in your business?
I just relaunched my business. We are now a relationship management company helping businesses grow their business by leveraging and elevating their customer relationships. I am working on making this business a true business, which means playing more of an executive role and having my sub-contractors work on the projects.

What is your ultimate goal for your business?
When it all boils down, my business is a means to an end for me in the sense of helping me concentrate on what really matters in my life, which is my family. My goal is to have a successful business that one day I can walk away set for life and know that I helped make a difference in the world – be it helping other businesses succeed, so they can achieve their goals or starting a charitable foundation to help children become who they are destined to be.

Serina Kelly
Relevate
www.getrelevate.com
317-203-7740