It was a very good week. In addition to several client meetings and great interviews with candidates for my COO search; I talked with a few of our consultants and a prospective new member. One of those meetings included a fine cigar and a Guinness. My favorite way to work! I ended the week sharing a bottle of Cabernet with my friend and muse, Faith. More on that later.
My meeting with the prospective new consultant was most instructive. She has an interesting background that includes Fortune 500 experience and tenure as the CEO of her family’s business. Her experience and insight into a family-owned, small-business are valuable to clients operating in a similar environment. I enjoy these meetings as they are fun and enlightening. I enjoy hearing about one’s career and challenges in building a new business. I find it interesting learning how they market their services. Each has a story worth sharing, which could enhance their personal brands. I believe that business development requires a combination of strategic networking, public speaking, and writing articles or blog posts. The point is, we must find ways to leverage our time and resources by talking to a broader audience. By reaching a broader audience, I mean mass communication.
Most people I know are competent at networking and public speaking. A few are even positive toward writing articles. They understand the value of a program that helps promote their written work over an array of platforms. Even so, I’ve been surprised to find that most are reticent about writing articles for publication. Their reluctance is of interest to me as these are solid professionals who know how to write for business. They know how to draft a proposal. They know how to structure a cover letter to support their job search. Their writing skills are not an issue. So, why are so many people reluctant to publish their thoughts?
Back to Faith and that bottle of Cabernet. We get together every few weeks at a favorite watering hole to catch up and decompress. Talking with Faith is always interesting and stimulating. Our conversations are wide-ranging but always begin with a recap of the current week. Often, she helps me determine the theme for my weekly blog post. This week, Faith shared a few interesting stories I thought a broader audience would appreciate. I am convinced her stories will resonate with many as they’re about working for an NFL legend. I told her she should write a book. She demurred. I said she should do it for her family. If for no other reason, it would help her daughter and grandchildren appreciate her life. Faith agreed to think about it. After sleeping on our conversation, I woke up with the topic for this week’s post. Thank you, Faith!
We are busy people. I get it! Writing an article, even seven hundred and fifty words can be daunting. Some cannot justify the effort. However, I know that writing an interesting article in a reasonable amount of time is a process. Experience with this process generates confidence which changes one’s perspective, creating a new habit.
For Members who are reticent about contributing to our blog page, we provide alternatives like conducting an interview with the consultant or working on an article together including final edits. Most people are comfortable with these alternatives as they’re a lighter load. This makes me think that helping people become comfortable as a writer, could be as easy as following a two or three-step process to gain confidence. The benefits of one’s business development activities are too great to forego the power of writing.
After sleeping on it, I arrived at an alternative which Faith might appreciate. I could make video recordings of her telling her life stories. Recording her while enjoying a glass of wine, or two might add an interesting touch. I know it would be more fun for her. We could create a digital book. In time, I’ll wager that she will migrate toward writing that book. Even if she didn’t publish her work, it would be a very valuable gift for her children.
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Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
North Fulton Business RadioX Interview, September 26, 2019
Author of: Fighting Alligators, Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
As you would expect, I spend a lot of my time promoting ITB Partners to prospective clients who may need our consulting services. Additionally, I talk with many people who want to affiliate with our company to leverage their resources and create a sustainable independent consulting practice. This week was typical in that respect.
I landed a new client this week, referred to me by another of our coaches. The client, John, had recently purchased a franchise for an online business. He reached out to us because he’s having trouble generating revenue. John’s an occupational therapist. This is his first experience as an entrepreneur; however, he has the presence of mind to know that he needs help. As we were getting to know one another over the phone I asked about the training he had received from the franchisor. He provided a brief overview but admitted that he wasn’t comfortable with some aspects of the Brand’s training, especially regarding customer acquisition. That revelation gave me a clear direction for our first meeting. There is obviously a disconnect between John’s desire to have a business and his willingness to follow the franchiser’s model for success. To be helpful, I must understand his rationale for acquiring the franchise compared to his personal strengths and interests.
We recently spent 2 hours explaining to two business partners what their business was worth and why. They were disappointed but excited to understand the value and how they would manage the business going forward.
