Radish Sprouts

FIVE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LUCK

Over lunch last month, I asked a successful business man what attributed to his great success.  After all, as CEO he had sold his previous company for over $25B and then went on to found, grow, and recently sell another successful $Billion revenue-producing firm.  He said, “I’m lucky and I take risks.” 

 

What’s your definition of luck?

 

Oprah Winfrey says, “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.”  The Oxford American Dictionary states luck is ‘chance thought of as a force that brings good or bad fortune. ‘  

 

In his recent New York Times article, “What’s Luck Got to Do With It?” Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great and co-author of the new book Great by Choice, states “Luck, good and bad, happens to everyone, whether we like it or not.  When we look at 10xers [companies that are 10 times more successful than expected] we see people who recognize luck and seize it, leaders who grab lucky events and make much more of them.”

 

A new and better definition of luck would be ‘good or bad fortune based on chance or destiny and the individual’s response to the situation.’

 

What can you do to improve your luck?

 

1. Be Open.  See situations and recognize them as lucky opportunities.
2. Take Action.  Grab the event, make a decision on how to respond, and then act.  Take advantage of luck.
3. Surround Yourself with Proper People.  Find people who believe they are lucky and who take action in response to opportunities.
4. Have a Lucky Attitude.  Just like the successful CEO mentioned above believe you are lucky.  Look to the bright side of things.
5. Think Like a Billionaire.  Learn and live by the wisdom Rick Sapio discerned from his interviews of 23 extremely wealthy people as shared in this article  http://www.cobizmag.com/articles/how-to-think-like-a-billionaire/

 

You have a choice.  Success is self-determined.  In the end, business and life are exactly what you choose to make of them. Choose to be lucky!

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose, www.RadishSystems.com)

Harry Potter’s Business Success Secrets

Have you ever seen such a thing?  People pay a large amount of money to get the opportunity to stand in the hot sun for over an hour in a long line to be able to shop in a certain store.  Then when they finally get into the store, they spend lots of money buying theme products. Unbelievable?  That’s what hundreds of Muggles (non-magical types) did at “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter,” as part of the newest attraction in Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.  Wouldn’t every business love becoming an international craze with huge demand?

 

Over Spring Break 2011 besides attending the CTIA Wireless show, I experienced with my daughter one of the biggest business successes.  People of all ages traveled in from all over the world and spent lots of money for parking, entrance fees, food, and products.  As a Harry Potter fan, I must admit it was brilliant and the Hogwart’s Castle ride whereby you experienced being on a broom in a Quiddtich Match with Harry was the best ride ever.

 

7 Practical Pointers.  What are the Harry Potter business success strategies?  What can we learn and apply to our businesses?  Radish systems is using these.

 

1. Start with an exceptional product or service.  The Harry Potter book series by pauper turned billionaire J. K. Rowling was one of the biggest and most profitable publishing phenomena.  My daughter has read all seven books hundreds of times – no lie.  The product is different, is filled with characters readers can related to, is action-filled with magic and suspense addressing a universal good versus evil topic, and hit at the right time.  By dividing the book into many parts, there was anticipation for the next part of the story. One of the most important P’s of marketing, have the right product.
2. Be responsive to the market, your customers.  Here is another important P of marketing, know and respond to the people. Wouldn’t it be great if your customers can’t stop thinking, dreaming, and talking about your firm and your service? Your customers are your most important asset – without them you would have no revenue, you would be out of business.  If you make sure your customers are happy, they will keep coming back and make sure you are happy.  How often do you ask your customers and prospects what their pain is and how you can best resolve it?
3. Leverage success to breed more success.  The bestselling book, led to sell-out movies, which led to in-demand products, overflowing amusement parks, and much more.  It is the same concept that Starbuck’s and other well-known brands have used for concentric diversification and additional revenue streams.
4. Go viral.    Harry Potter came out just as social media channels began to take hold.  Readers spread the word to other readers.  When the park was about to be announced, the top 10 Harry Potter bloggers were invited to a private meeting.  They then spread the word virally.  Within 24 hours, millions knew about it. How can you use this most important promotional tool (another P of marketing)?
5. Think BIG.  Believe everything is possible.  Be open to the possibilities.  Use the Attraction Strategy to power the pull (as explained in Chapter 8 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com). 
6. Surround yourself with great people.  Harry had Hermione and Ron, and Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix who were united in a common set of values.  Rowling found a great publisher and other support team members.
7. Be lucky.  It is said that luck comes when preparation meets opportunity.  Believe, prepare, and then act.  It is useful to be lucky.

Theresa Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

Five Marketing Essentials Companies Need to Know: Radish, diary of a tech start-up

Start-ups do not need a marketing budget!  That is what Brad Feld suggests in his article “Why a New Start-up Shouldn’t Have a Marketing Budget.” This shocking statement does get your attention, especially since Brad then says, “Of course marketing is a key part of the success of these companies. However, it’s wired into the DNA of the business, not an extra thing that is attached on,” Okay, so Marketing is very important and here are ‘Five Essentials about Marketing’ you need to live and breathe so as to make your company succeed.

 

Realize that Marketing is more than promotions.  Marketing is the system of activities involved in bringing the right product, at the right price, through the right channel (or placement), to the people whose pain the product solves, via the right promotions.  Marketing results in exchange – something of value (money) being exchanged for something of value (your product or service).  Here are the key 5 “Ps” of Marketing.along with examples of how Radish Systems is using them.

 

1.  It’s all about the PEOPLE.    Make sure your business is market and customer driven. Make sure your innovation solves real market pain.  Know your market.

 

Case Study:  Radish solves the problem that it is difficult to quickly get good business information. People hate reaching an interactive voice response (IVR) system with long phone trees.  A bad call center experience, which may start with a frustrating IVR, is why 63% of customers, says Purdue University, stop doing business with a firm. Radish also solves the challenges of quickly finding the right information through a website in order to complete a business transaction.

 

Radish targets firms with a contact center and/or IVR  with mobile device users in a closed user group. Scosche Industries, an auto accessory/electronics distributor, uses ChoiceView for tech support with 1000's of installers.  Prospects are in field tech support, healthcare, hospitality, mobile retail, and financial areas.

 

2. Introduce the right PRODUCT.   Make sure your product and service is solving the customer’s needs. Don’t have technology for technology sake.

 

Case Study:  Radish ChoiceView just 2/28/2011 won the prestigious Innovation Showcase award at the Enterprise Connect show.  Read more at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/02/prweb5110004.htm

 

ChoiceView solves the above stated problem and changes the way people access business information. ChoiceView transforms traditional IVRs into Interactive Visual Response systems, saving users time and frustration. ChoiceView also allows live agents to seamlessly share visual information while talking with a mobile device user.  The result is faster, more rewarding communications by delivering "WOW, NOW IT SEE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT" moments.

 

Radish 2.0 develops, sells, and supports ChoiceView™ – a disruptive, patent-pending platform with endpoint software and Software Developer's Kits (SDK). Sold primarily through resellers or OEMs, enterprises license ChoiceView software for live and automated agents in their call centers and equip their mobile stakeholders with a ChoiceView-enabled App. Radish’s ChoiceView increases comprehension, problem solving, and recall by as much as 50 percent over just hearing the information and improves the way businesses interact with its customers, field force, and other mobile stakeholders.

 

3.  Establish the right PRICE.  What is your market’s willingness to pay?  Is your price higher than your costs (so you can make money) and within the willingness to pay and within the competitive range? 

 

Case Study:  Radish ChoiceView App for iPhones and iPod touch is available now at the Apple App Store for FREE.  Try it at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/choiceview/id404719513?mt=8    Radish has priced ChoiceView for enterprises with early adopter pricing to ensure easy adoption and diffusion. For qualified businesses, Radish offers a FREE pilot.  Ask for an invitation by contacting Radish via www.RadishSystems.com

 

4.  Develop the right channel (or PLACEMENT).  How do you bring your product / service to the market?  Do you go direct or indirect through some channel partners?

 

Case Study:  Radish is building an Alliance of supporters and resellers including: mobile web / app developers, contact center/IVR resellers, and Business Process Outsourcing Centers (BPO) that outsource ChoiceView services.  Additional partners include: mobile device, call center, and other device manufacturers (or OEMs) and wireless telecom service providers.  Radish also works with referral sources.    Who do you know that needs to know about Radish? We would love to reward you for opening the right door.

 

5.  Actively PROMOTE.  .

 

Promotions covers 1-1 and 1-many communications including Selling.  This is what many think of when they think of the term Marketing, but Marketing is so much broader.  The purpose is to:  build awareness, generate leads, and move leads to want to take action to buy your product.

 

Case Study:  Here are just a few examples of Radish’s promotional activities.

 

MOBILE WEBSITE. The Radish mobile website has gone live.  When you go to www.radishsystems.com from a mobile device, it will automatically direct you to our mobile website.  Tap on the “Download ChoiceView” link from an iPhone and get ChoiceView now from the Apple App Store.  Of course, go there from your desktop/laptop and you will experience our main website.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS.  Check out the media releases/coverage at www.RadishSystems.com/media-center/  including our newest announcement of the Innovation award (see above). SPEAKING.I will be speaking 3/2/2011 on the keynote stage at Enterprise Connect about Radish ChoiceView.  RADIO INTERVIEW. Listen to this radio interview on w3w3.com about Radish.  www.w3w3.com/2011/Channel/software/index.html  SOCIAL MEDIA:  Follow Radish Systems on Twitter @ChoiceView or LinkedIn or Facebook

 

HEALTHCARE VIDEO.  Also, have you seen Radish newest video, ChoiceView in the Healthcare Industry.  Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGv5T5MhIds

While you are there, why not like the video, post a comment, and become a fan of Radish Systems on YouTube?  See the other two videos posted on youtube and at our website.

 

HEALTHCARE BROCHURE. Since Healthcare is one of our industry focus areas, our VP of Sales, just attended the HIMSS conference in Florida (Healthcare and Information Management Systems Society) show holding meetings and building our sales funnel.  We are getting a lot of interest in ChoiceView in this segment.  There are many collateral pieces at www.RadishSystems.com

 

NEW DEMOS. Along with this, our Radish 24/7/365 call center is equipped to do additional ChoiceView demonstrations. Call the Radish corporate number (720-440-7560) from your iPhone equipped with ChoiceView.  After the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) demonstration, tap “talk to Sales.”   You can ask for seven live ChoiceView demos:  Radish introduction, Oracure (pharmaceutical professional to physician), Physician coaching (healthcare professional to patient), m-commerce with an upsell (TicketMaster), Cable company, hotel booking, Scosche (tech installer calling back to tech support center.

 

SELLING.  Radish is seeking to hire additional qualified outside sales representatives.  Check out the careers section of our website.

 

Practical Pointers.  

 

Say yes to Marketing and take your firm to the next level of success. Ensure that you have the right product, priced correctly, that meets the needs of your market (people), in a way that is placed through proper channels, and actively promoted.

Theresa Szczurek (www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose, www.TMSworld.com, www.RadishSystems.com)

 

GET THE MOST FROM MEETINGS: Diary of Radish, a tech startup

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CONFERENCE?

Just this last month Radish Systems attended five conferences or trade shows around the country as our company moves beyond stealth mode, gears up for a public announcement, and begins to talk about our product, ChoiceView, on the street. Throughout the year, we attend dozens more. Here are a few highlights from our experience.

 

So, what does make a good conference? It depends on your goals. Do you want to:

	Make helpful connections and build relationships
	Learn something new
	Be seen in at the proper places
	Help others by sharing your experiences
	Get inspired and recharged, or what?

 

Clarify your objectives and hold that purpose in your mind as you work the event. Determine apriori if a certain forum will help you achieve these objectives or not. With smaller budgets in tight economic times, you must say NO to many and YES to the best forums.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THREE OF THE BEST

Defrag conference. Don't miss the 2010 conference which is coming soon, Nov 17-18 in Denver. The 2009 conference was amazing. Read my review of it in the Boulder County Business Report.

The biggest ah-ha revelation was 'Tuning into the Back Channel.' Here's what others say about the conference. "Defrag attracts an amazing group of people. The discussion is thoughtful and deep." "Defrag is two very intense days of some of the smartest and thought provoking thinking about the use and impact of social information processing today."

The result for Radish? We ignited and prioritized our social media marketing strategy, met a possible investor, and decided — after talking to another CEO who was doing this successfully — to launch our advisory council which now has 10 helpful executives.

Glue conference. It introduced Radish to cloud computing, the key players in this space, and important considerations when moving into the cloud. Wikipedia.com says, "Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid. The major cloud service providers include Salesforce, Amazon and Google."

The best Glue educational session was by Troy Davis of CloudVox on "Pricing an API Sucks: Here's What We Did." His message was not to overanalyze how to price your service, but to keep it simple. He suggested that you quickly put something out there and let the market give you feedback.

The result for Radish Systems? We simplified ChoiceView pricing and met / built a relationship with the right telecom-based cloud service provider. Super valuable!

Fortune Gazelles Growth Summit. This conference brought together 400+ executives for the best learning event of the year on stimulating corporate growth. Liz Wiseman, Former VP Oracle University, talked about her new book, "Multipliers: How The Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter." Leaders who are multipliers empower people by asking questions rather than barking orders. In contrast, diminishers micro-manage and leave people feeling disempowered. What is your leadership style?

The result for Radish Systems? We introduced ChoiceView on the floor and found some hot prospects, revisited our rhythm of internal meetings and have moved to daily short huddles, and are leading by asking more questions.

 

I could go on and on. Many of the conferences we participated in exceeded our expectations. What about yours?

 

PRACTICAL POINTERS ON BEST PRACTICES FOR CONFERENCES

	Be clear on your objectives. Say NO to some meetings and shows.
	Prepare and be open to the possibilities. Your greatest learnings/contacts may be different than you preconceived ideas.
	Make good connections. Look for quality not quantity.
	Do your follow-up. The connections made at a conference are worthless unless you reconnect afterwards and stay in touch. Use LinkedIn or Facebook. Track results -- what this meeting have a payback?
	Be kind to yourself afterwards. To work a conference effectively, it takes tremendous energy. Don't overbook your schedule on the day you return.

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com, www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com, www.RadishSystems.com)

TWO MORE ROCKEFELLER HABITS FOR PASSIONATELY PURSUING BUSINESS GROWTH

Fast growing companies follow certain principles that the less successful firm do not embrace.  Last article, we covered three habits, and this article covers two more of these success principles for business growth.

Gazelles, or companies that grow more than 20% per year for 3 consecutive years, have overcome the barriers to growth.  Verne Harnish in his book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits shares, “As organizations move up the growth path they go through a predictable series of evolutions and revolutions.  The three barriers that prevent firms from moving along this path include:  lack of leadership, lack of systems and structures, and market dynamics.”  The Rockefeller Habits help firms overcome these barriers.  From my experience as a business coach, I know the habits work. 

Award-winning entrepreneur Henry McGovern, founder of American Restaurants, the largest restaurant chain in all of Europe with revenues over $3 billion, shared at a Fortune Small Business Growth Summit one of their secrets to growth and success, "We believe our motto that ‘Everything is Possible’ and use the Rockefeller Habits" Thus, we are using them in my new company Radish Systems (www.RadishSystems.com) along with the ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ success model. 

Practical Pointers on Two More Best Habits of Fast Growing Companies:

Last month I shared 3 of the 10 habits; here are two more.

4.  Clear understanding of the firm’s market position drives strategic planning and sales and marketing

· Brand promise and market (Sandbox) are clearly defined.

· The organization is aligned around 5 key strategies for growth.

5.  Reporting and analysis of Customer Feedback data is as frequent and accurate as financial data.

· All employees are involved in collecting customer data.

· There is a person assigned responsibility for customer feedback.

· All senior leaders communicate with at least one customer weekly.

Radish Case Study.  In our strategic discussions at Radish Systems (also known as Radish 2.0), we questioned who is our target market and who do we want to play with in our Sandbox.  Our purpose is to help businesses communicate more effectively with smart mobile device users.  Mobile device users are important and are definitely invited into our Sandbox; however our top priority customers (or playmates) are enterprises seeking to improve efficiencies in their contact centers and build loyalty with the stakeholders with whom they communicate.  In addition to working with our Alliance of partners, we use Willie Suttons’s Law, “Go where the money is!”

So what do we promise to deliver to our customers?  What is our brand promise?  A fast-growing firm does not come up with a brand promise lightly, so the ‘radishes’ gave it considerable discernment.  Radish promises:  happy, fast, rewarding experiences.

Radish has annual and quarterly strategic planning meetings where we establish and review our 5 key strategies for growth.  Additionally, we share customer feedback in our daily huddle and weekly meetings.  Because our customers are so important, we just hired the best Director of Customer Care we know. And so the Radish story continues…

What habits are you using to grow your business?

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

ROCKEFELLER HABITS FOR PASSIONATELY PURSUING BUSINESS GROWTH

Recently at the Colorado Capital Conference, award-winning entrepreneur Ryan Martens, co-founder of Rally Software, shared one of their secrets to growth and success, "We use the Rockefeller Habits." From my experience as a business coach, I know the habits are helpful.  That is why we are using them in my new company Radish Systems (www.RadishSystems.com) along with the ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ success model. 

Practical Pointers on 3 of 10 Best Habits of Fast Growing Companies:

1.  Core idealogies are ‘alive’ in the organization.

· Discern your values. This is the foundation upon which to build and run the company.  When people are doing work that is inline with their values, they find more meaning.  Meaning is one of four essential elements for intrinsic motivation and passion.

· Know your core purpose. Why do you exist?  Establish a vision of what you would like to see happen and quantify it with a 10-25 year goal(or Big Hairy Audacious Goal or BHAG^®). A vision is a dream with a plan.

· Regularly check in to ensure your team lives these idealogies.  Share stories of employees who represent the values, passion, and purpose.

2.  Communication rhythm is established.  Information moves through organizations accurately and quickly.

· All employees are in some kind of a daily and weekly huddle.  The faster you want to grow the more you need to communicate.  Really!

· Huddles cascade from senior management to frontline or visa versa.

3.  Everyone aligned with #1 thing that needs to be accomplished this quarter to move company forward.  [This is the plan you are working to achieve].

· Top priorities or rocks (no more than 3 to 5) are identified and ranked for the quarter

· A Critical number is identified and aligned with the #1 priority

· A Quarterly Theme is established that brings the key priority / Critical number alive

· A scoreboard for the critical number is posted and theme announced

· All employees know what the Celebration / Reward will be.

Case Study.  As we formed Radish Systems, we established and documented our core ideologies including our values, core competencies, passion, purpose, vision, and BHAG.  They are posted on our 1-page Strategic Plan which we refer to regularly.  We have experimented with different meeting rhythms – while this is still a work in progress, we know that more, regular meetings are helpful.  During our annual and quarterly planning sessions we established our priorities, critical numbers, and theme.  The biggest challenge has been clarifying the critical number that is relevant and easy for all.  While implementing the Rockefeller Habits is a journey or process, it is helping us align, learn, and grow.  It is true what has been said before that routine sets you free.

Theresa Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

Join Theresa Szczurek's 5/26 workshop: Reach New Heights in Profit with Rockefeller Habits

Recently at the Colorado Capital Conference, award-winning entrepreneur Ryan Martens, co-founder of Rally Software, shared one of their secrets to growth and success, "We use the Rockefeller Habits." Here is your chance to find out some of what the fastest growing companies have already mastered. The price is a real deal with valuable take-aways.

Event: 'Mastering The Rockefeller Habits To Reach New Heights Of Profit, Productivity, And Passion'

Seminar held at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 At 09:00 AM

Duration: 3 Hours

Contact Info:

Sara Reimnitz, 303-620-8076 Email: sara.reimnitz@denversbdc.org

URL:

http://www.denversbdc.org

DESCRIPTION:

Mastering the Rockefeller Habits to Reach New Heights of Profit, Productivity, and Passion

During this seminar, you will learn how to produce extraordinary results in your business by igniting your passion, aligning it with a meaningful purpose, and executing it on a step-by-step plan to effectively pursue intentions. Learn the Rockefeller Habits and discover three ways to apply these insights to help your business prosper. Identify success strategies which help you grow and improve your business. You will also understand your passion

– where it comes from, why it is important, and how to lead it in a way that builds a passionate, more productive workforce.

Presented by Theresa Szczurek, Technology and Management Solutions. Theresa is an award-winning speaker, author, consultant, Gazelles business coach, and entrepreneur who Colorado-based technology firm, Radish Communications Systems, sold for over $40 million. She started her career as a Member of Technical Staff for Bell Laboratories and held management positions of increasing responsibility at AT&T. Now she is founder and CEO of Technology and Management Solutions, LLC (TMS), a management consulting firm that helps organizations, teams, and individuals grow to new heights in profit, productivity, sustainability, and passion. Szczurek works with firms in strategic planning/execution, market, customer, and sales development, and people/process alignment to produce extraordinary results. She is also author of the business performance blog,

www.radishsprouts.typepad.com, and the Amazon-bestseller, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, which provides her proven, step-by-step formula for success.

Cost:

Gold/Silver Level DMCC Members: Free

Bronze Level DMCC Members: $25

SBDC Clients (non-members): $35

Location:

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

1445 Market St.

Denver, CO 80202

REGISTER AT:

http://tinyurl.com/2vzu6b6

http://www.denversbdc.org/training/calendar.php?mode=view&id=292

Please spread the word, bring a friend, and see you there.

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com and www.TMSworld.com)

 

KICK-START YOUR CAREER WITH BPW YOUNG CAREERIST PROGRAM

Wendy Reynolds, Senior Vice President of Flatirons Bank, benefited from winning the Business and Professional Women (BPW) Young Careerist program.  It was a spring board that moved her corporate career forward.  Megan Shellman, founder of Simple Synergy Consulting, will tell you how winning the Young Careerist program in 2008 helped her develop the vision and confidence to start her firm, Simple Synergy Consulting. As the 1986 BPW/Colorado Young Careerist, I personally found support through BPW to successfully pursue my entrepreneurial dream and take the company I had co-founded, Radish Communications Systems, from $0 to where we sold it for over $40M in less than six years. 

 

The Business and Professional Women’s Young Careerist Program highlights and celebrates the achievements of Colorado women between the ages of 21 and 35 who are or have been employed in business or the professions with at least one (1) year of full-time work experience and who support the mission, vision, and legislative platform of BPW.  BPW, founded in 1919, merged with BPW Foundation last year, and carries on the mission to promote full participation, equity, and economic self-sufficiency for working women. BPW has been a leader in passing much of the landmark civil and women's rights legislation of the 20th century. Act now and get involved, here’s how:

 

Spread the word and encourage a young professional to apply.  YC applications are due no later than 5pm on April 2, 2010.  More information at www.BoulderBPW.org

 

Attend.  The Young Careerist Program will take place on April 15, 2010 between 5:00-8:30pm at A Spice of Life Event Center at 5706 Arapahoe Road in Boulder. The public is invited.  Hear five Young Careerists’ inspiring speeches. Participate in a networking exercise and meet others who can help your business (bring lots of business cards)! Connect with exhibitors and sponsors. Raise funds to support women’s economic self-sufficiency. Enjoy good food and fellowship! Participate in the Boulder BPW meeting and learn how you can help yourself and working women.  Register at www.BoulderBPW.org

 

Support Women’s Self-Sufficiency.  The funds raised at the April 15^th Young Careerist events will support local non-profit organizations which enrich women's lives through education including the YWCA, Colorado BPW Education Foundation, and other advancement of women programs that fulfill this mission.

 

Participate and Receive Benefits.  Bonni Doherty, 2009 Boulder BPW Young Careerist and Executive Fitness Coach and CEO of BonniWellness, shares, “There are many benefits from participating:  Participants receive opportunities for:

• personal and professional development through public speaking, resume writing, interviewing, and group interaction
• networking including meeting BPW members, judges, other candidates, and learning about BPW
• learning about the issues facing working women.
• visibility through the media and community for herself and her employer.
• making a difference.  Participants will be part of a nation-wide network of Young Careerists dedicated to achieving equity for working women.
• participation in BPW.  Every candidate gets a discount on BPW membership and the winner receives a full one-year membership in Boulder BPW.” 

 

Meet the Judges.  Wendy Reynolds, senior vice president, Flatirons Bank, Jerry Lewis formerly publisher/editor of the Boulder County Business Report, and Sue Deans, retired editor and vice president of the Daily Camera, will serve on a panel to judge the Young Careerist competition. Judging is based on the Young Careerist representative’s career achievements and ability to project an image that reflects the role of today’s young work force in society. Young Careerist representatives are judged on four phases of competition: written biographical information, personal interview, group interaction, and prepared speeches. The delivery of a four-minute speech will be held during the Boulder BPW meeting before members, guests, and the judges. 

 

Become an Exhibitor or Sponsor.  Flatirons Bank is a corporate sponsor of Boulder BPW.  The Boulder County Business Report and www.w3w3.com are media sponsors of Boulder BPW.  The growing number of table sponsors include:  Colorado BPW Education Foundation, Technology and Management Solutions, and many others.   Additional exhibitors include: Arbonne International, Wristicles, Purse Power, and others. Exhibits and sponsorships are going fast, contact yc@boulderbpw.org

 

Support the young professionals in your life.  I hope to see you at the 4/15 Young Careerist program and networking night.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

 

copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.

JOHN MAXWELL ON HOW SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE THINK

Many remember and use Napoleon Hill’s classic book Think and Grow Rich.  Now Dr. John Maxwell, internationally recognized leadership expert, author, and speaker who has sold over 16 million books, reaffirms the importance of thinking in his new book How Successful People Think.  Here are some Practical Pointers.

 

Why You Should Change Your Thinking? Changed thinking is not automatic, is difficult, and is worth investment.

 

How Do You Become a Better Thinker?  Maxwell recommends that you expose yourself to good input and good thinkers, choose to think good thoughts, act on your good thoughts, allow your emotions to create another good thought, and repeat the process.

 

Here is what works for Maxwell.  Find a place to think your thoughts, shape your thoughts, stretch your thoughts, land your thoughts, and fly your thoughts.  Regardless of your circumstances, you can learn to be a good thinker. 

 

There are many types of important thinking skills including: 

• Seeing the wisdom in big-picture thinking
• Unleashing the potential in focused thinking
• Discovering the joy of creative thinking
• Recognizing the importance of realistic thinking
• Releasing the power of strategic thinking
• Feeling the energy of possibility thinking
• Embracing the lesson of reflective thinking
• Questioning the acceptance of popular thinking
• Encouraging the participation of shared thinking
• Experiencing the satisfaction of unselfish thinking
• Enjoying the return of bottom-line thinking

 

Think about it and take action.  You can improve your thinking and reap better business and life performance.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

 

© Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.

MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS AT AN OLYMPIC LEVEL: What Lindsay Vonn, Shaun White, and Gold Medalists Know

The 2010 Winter Olympics provide great examples of how the most successful organizations and leaders can achieve greatness by the Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.  Here are five Practical Pointers for your life and work as demonstrated by the best athletes:

1.    Find and Foster Passion.  Lance Armstrong declared, when asked after he won his 6^th Tour de France bike race why he had accomplished what no other person had ever achieved, “Passion made the difference.  Passion.”  This fervor releases tremendous energy that propels people forward toward their purpose.  Intense desire, zeal, and enthusiasm—passion—is the fuel that keeps you and your people going. What are you doing to foster passion and keep it burning?  What are you doing that hinders that enthusiasm?  How can you unpack those hindrances from your pack and take them off your back?

2.    Align Passion with Clear Purpose.  Ask the gold medalists, American snowboarder Shaun White or skier Lindsay Vonn, what was their purpose.  The definitive answer would likely be, “Do my absolute best and bring home the gold.”  Top athletes have visualized achieving their purpose thousands of times—in their dreams, meditations, and visualizations. They have a clear purpose and a vision of living it.  Do you and your organization have a clear purpose?  What is your vision?  Can each employee describe that vision in detail?

3.    Pursue Through Participation, Focus, Preparation, and Persistence.  For seventeen magical days, people across the globe are united as Olympic spectators watching great athletic feats.  Yet, you can not live life to the fullest and take your business to new heights on the sidelines. Do NOT be a spectator in your own life and business.

· It takes participation.  Pursue your dreams by actively performing with your whole focused self – head, heart, and hands. It requires courage to fully commit.

· It takes focus.  You must say NO to many things in order to say YES to your passionate purpose.  Many of the winners avoided media coverage in order to concentrate on their true purpose.

· It takes preparation.  Consider the decades of training and sacrifice of so many of the athletes.  Recognize the homework you and your team have done.

· It takes persistence.  Recall how Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal, the skier who was seriously injured at the World Cup in 2007 in Beaver Creek, CO, picked himself up, slowly healed, and continued with determination to come back to win a gold medal in the Men’s Super G in 2010.  You need to continue even when the going gets tough.

Are you and your people fully engaged or are they leaving part of themselves on the sideline? 

4.    Assess Progress.  In Olympic competition, it is well defined what it takes to win.  You must receive the highest score, however it is measured, while following the rules.  This is also the case in work and in life.  However, as organizational leaders you have more influence in determining, based on your own values, how success is measured.  How do YOU define success—is it financial performance alone, or does success also include living true to your highest convictions, having fun along the way, maintaining integrity of effort, and balancing work with the rest of life?  Do you have clearly defined metrics? Do you have regular assessments built into your calendar—monthly, quarterly, and annually? 

5.    Connect with People. The winners do not do it alone.  The best athletes, and business leaders, have many people who support their pursuits—a coach, financial supporters, friends and family, and teammates.  Who is on your support team?  Thank and appreciate them, and give back! 

Not surprisingly, these winning pointers are consistent with the proven “Pursuit of Passionate Purpose” formula for success in business and life. Use them and we'll see you win Gold. 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)