stevebuelow.com
"I've got a guy I'd like you to meet... " a friend told me. "The two of you have got to get together... you think so much alike... you have so much in common. You know, he's a self-made millionaire!" "Self-made...! Well, that certainly DOESN'T describe me," I said. "Oh c'mon, Steve. I know what you've done in your business career... don't be so modest!" Well, the truth is that honesty IS NOT modesty... and I was just being honest.… 
I've made a lot of mistakes in business over the years. Most were pretty minor... but several were... let's just say, significant learning experiences. One of the biggest was that as we grew... and we added staff... there was a period of time where I allowed certain details to get away. After all, I had people who could handle those things now... so I moved down the hall. Previously, I had my office right up front... in the mix.
Okay, quick... what was the first thought that came into your mind when you read that title? A) Peace B) Joy C) Happiness D) Excitement What... you say? You don't like the choices? Well, then... how about an incredibly professional and friendly staff... or a relaxed, caring, customer-centric environment? How about a dental office that is so on-time at 2 o'clock in the afternoon that the patient (me) never felt the fabric of a chair in the waiting area.… 
Okay, so yesterday I introduced you to an expert (consultant) who makes his living going from live presentation to live presentation, lecturing business groups on his theory that live presentations don't work. I know... it didn't make sense to me either. His entire teaching hangs on the thread that your customers, regardless of your industry, no longer want to have any… 
So, if the purpose of networking is to build a network, then what is the purpose of building a network? The majority of the time that I ask this question of small business owners and service professionals, I get the same answer... sales. While this should be an indirect outcome, I have a different answer. The purpose of building a network is to develop relationships... the best of which will ultimately make up your team. As a small… 
After wrapping up a conference call on the subject of business leadership and values, I received two questions which I'd like to answer here. To paraphrase: 1) Why do I spend so much time on small business, as opposed to big business? 2) Are these principles transferrable to the large corporate environment? I'd like to answer the second question today, and the first one tomorrow. The principles that I teach, and spend seventeen… 
Okay... so if great relationships are the secret to a satisfying and meaningful life... and if successful long term relationships are fueled by common values... where do we begin? We begin... by taking inventory. A Values Inventory. And like any inventory, it is a list of what you possess at a moment in time... it's not a wish-list of things you'd like in the future. Our values are the true picture of who we are today... a snapshot of… 
In the spirit of yesterday's article, I thought I would do a little unscientific test today. So I spoke with three random people (I said it was unscientific), and asked them to identify the attributes of an ideal client. Two listed some basic demographics like the annual revenue of the company, industry sector, number of employees, etc. The other… 
Earlier today, I heard yet another radio commercial espousing a local company's unwavering commitment to providing 'value' for their customers. Of course, this carries as much weight as the myriad of advertisements touting such things as 'we believe in quality', 'great customer service', or 'fast delivery'. Worse, the spot threw a wide net... making the appeal that, "Whether you operate a home-based business, or a Fortune 500 company... you face… 
A few thousand years ago, a powerful and wealthy young man made the observation to the effect that... as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. He knew that to really succeed... we need competition. To create strong habits, and strive to become our best... we need to be challenged. To remain accountable, and focused on what's truly important... we need the company of others. And as leaders and small business owners, we need the advice… 
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