Tag: ITB Partners

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FENG Panel Discussion: Alternatives to Traditional Employment

THE FINANCIAL EXECUTIVES NETWORKING GROUP

Wednesday, February 13, 2019 Leslie Kuban facilitated a Panel Discussion for the Atlanta Chapter of The FENG. The topic of the discussion was ‘Alternatives to Traditional Employment.” Ms. Kuban, Owner of Frannet Atlanta, and Member of ITB Partners assembled a panel to discuss their motivation and experience leaving traditional employment to own a business.

The panelists talked about the need to follow your passion when picking a business. They reinforced the need for confidence to strike out on your own. Perseverance through difficult times was recognized as a fundamental requirement.  All agreed that the major reason for starting a business is to gain control over one’s life and career, especially in a highly volatile environment where tenures are short. 

FENG Panelists 2-13-2019, Left to Right: Ed Bauer , Leslie Kuban CFE, Jim Weber, Mercedes Conception-Gray, Chris Ruttle.

The Panelists assembled by Ms. Kuban included Ed Bauer, Franchisee of Fitness Machine Technicians; Jim Weber, President New Century Dynamics Executive Search, and Managing Partner, ITB Partners; Mercedes Conception-Gray, Regional Director, Patrice & Associates; and Chris Ruttle, Franchisee Owner/Manager at Best in Class Education.


The Financial Executives Networking Group is a 501(c)(3), founded in 1991 as a forum for senior financial executives to share job opportunities and experiences. Members have held titles such as Chief Financial Officer, Controller, Treasurer, Managing Director, as well as Vice President of Tax, Mergers & Acquisitions, or Internal Audit.

For more information about franchising contact Leslie Kuban at lkuban@frannet.com

Jim Weber, Managing Partner, ITB Partners
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Mark Grace awarded patent on “how to design experiences

ITB practice leaders make a difference. Here is a case in point.

 

 

 

Mark Grace is an ITB practice leader on Customer Experience for businesses and consumers.   

He sees society at a new inflection point, building to a new level of achievement. Just as Thomas Kuhn coined the word “paradigm” to explain the scientific revolution and its impact, Mark coined the word “experidigm™” to describe the all-at-once consumer experience revolution and its future direction.

The experidigm inflection point means that the economy and associated consumer actions are moving beyond a product centered world to buying a complete experience universe. BtoC and BtoB now buy whole experiences potentially made up of hundreds of products and services (i.e. Utilities buy all the products of the Smart grid all-at-once). To support the buying of an entire experience, businesses are organizing in new, non-silo product ways to manage the logistics, marshalling, and delivery to these experience buying consumers (ie Uber, Airbnb, etc.). Consumers are intentionally integrating the new experiences in to their lives in new ways.

Recently, Mark was awarded a patent on “how to design experiences” (https://www.linkedin.com/in/markgracebeyondvia). He has created “Applied Experidigm Zones” where you can go to learn how to experidigm. To learn how to offer experidigms to consumers, Click Here.

Mark Grace holds six additional patents on how to visually communicate and steward the creation of experiences. Mark has published six books (amazon.com/author/markgracepath) describing “how to experidigm,” teaching consumers and groups how to integrate products and services into joyful experiences. Mark regularly offers seminars for corporations and consumers.

For further information about Mark Grace, review his ITB profile at (www.itbpartners.com). Get a free assessment to design your all-at-once customer experience.

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Holiday Networking Tips

It is Prime Time! The end of 2022 is upon us, and the celebration is beginning. You may be attending a lot of parties and networking events. In keeping with the season, it makes sense to offer some advice and guidance to ensure you have a productive month.

The Holiday Season is all about bringing people together. It is a time of celebration, reflection, and anticipation for the New Year. It’s a time for networking groups to schedule events to close the year. This month, you can meet people you want to add to your business network or social circle. These events are target-rich environments to identify and connect with influencers. Although each event will have a specific focus, you can exercise some leverage. In other words, social events can generate proper job-search connections, while professional networking events may result in social opportunities.

As you contemplate your calendar for December, begin with a plan. Determine what you want to accomplish this month. If you are between situations or looking to move, you may be looking for people to help you locate your next job. In this case, you should try to attend as many events as possible. Of course, you will necessarily want to prioritize your time for friends and family. Religious activities are an essential consideration. If there is a conflict, all things being equal, opt for the event that best supports your objectives for the month. In some cases, you may be able to attend multiple events, dividing your time between them on the same day.

Set a goal for each party! Begin with the guest list. Who do you want to meet? Plan to meet specific people who may be helpful. Learn who will attend each event and determine who you want to meet. Researching guests is a lot easier today, as more and more event planners are using online applications to manage attendance. Those applications will notify you as others accept the invitation, so you will know who plans to attend. Then, you can cross-reference individuals to their LinkedIn profiles.

Time is short. Be strategic! The objective is to meet influential people, gain their interest, and schedule a follow-on meeting. Make a good impression, so they will want to help you. Leverage your friends, family, and acquaintances to help identify these influencers. Ensure your elevator pitch and appropriate variations are well-honed and committed to memory. Bring business cards to distribute. Make notes on the back of each card you receive to send a personalized message. Remember, ask to schedule a meeting. Additionally, become connected to these folks on LinkedIn. Everyone is a potential lead to a job, so introduce yourself to someone new.

Stay focused on your objective. Your approach will differ depending on whether the event is business-related networking or more of a social event. If the event is for business networking, stay focused on business. If the event is a social gathering, be sociable. As you get to know the other party, there is nothing wrong with learning about their occupation, whether in a social setting or their interests, if at a networking event. Begin with casual conversation. Ask questions, including advice. Listen with interest. Stay away from religion, politics, or other potentially sensitive issues, unless you are talking with like-minded friends or associates

Here are some parting thoughts. Maintain a friendly, positive attitude and smile. You will attract more interesting people. Dress appropriately. You don’t want to stand out negatively. Eventually, most people will migrate in your direction. Don’t overindulge in food or alcohol. Remember to thank the host before leaving, and later, send a thank you note. Enjoy yourself; the Holiday Season can be a lot of fun!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

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Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com