Business Tips From Bikers

I’ll let you in on a little secret about myself. I am a 47 year old man who has been riding motorcycles since he was eight. Well, that’s if you can classify something powered by a 5 horse power lawn mower engine as a motorcycle. But there has always been something with only two wheels propelling me down some road somewhere in America for almost 40 years. And it is amazing the lessons one can learn from motorcycle riding that we should apply to business to keep our companies strong, powerful, and moving at a rapid pace towards our desired destinations. One of the most challenging, dangerous, and exhilarating experiences a rider can have is taking curves on his motorcycle. So here are three lessons every biker knows about taking curves that every small business owner should know about growing a profitable business.

1. Look at where you want to go and not at where you are heading.

For a rider, that seems like an unnatural thing to do. We want to see what our bike is doing and what kind of road we are approaching. But a good rider knows to keep his eyes fixed on the road he wants to be on around the curve and not on the immediate pavement of the curve itself. That may mean having our heads looking at a 45 to 90 degree angle away from the direction the bike is heading. All good riders know that the bike will follow our vision. Our eyes will tell the bike where to go and almost immediately we will be heading in a new direction. The best thing a business owner can do is the same thing: keep your eyes on where you want your business to go and not where it is at the present moment. If your business is heading into an unprofitable curve, look at where it can be; where it should be going and start heading in that direction. There are many stories of small home based businesses that look like nothing. But the businessperson had a dream of what a large, successful, thriving business looked like and they kept moving in that direction. Before they knew it, their business followed their eyes.

2. Don’t apply the brakes.

One of the worst things a rider can do when the curve gets “hairy” is to apply the brakes. It actually causes the rider to lose more control of the bike. The best riders actually lean harder and accelerate. Applying the gas will really cause the bike to master the curve more carefully and be safer. I know it sounds strange, but the same thing happens in business. Many business owners panic and apply the brakes to their business when a curve in the road appears. Instead of thinking of new and creative ways to increase sales when cash flow gets scrawny, they start thinking of all the ways to “throttle back” by laying off people, selling their assets, and going into survival mode. Instead of leaning harder into the adversity, they let up and lose all the momentum they had accumulated. Bob Proctor in his brilliant series “Power Principles for Creating More Wealth” says to attack when times of lack seem to be approaching. There were actually people who made money during the great depression. Why? They saw the scary curve, conquered the fear, leaned harder and hit the gas. And lastly,

3. Enjoy the trip.

I have ridden through the Rockies. I have traveled the twisty roads of the Appalachians. And I can tell you the trip is amazing. There is nothing like fresh air hitting you in the face, the warm sun on your back, and the adventure of picking a road at random and seeing where it goes. It's the freedom that is incredible. Like business, there are people who say that motorcycles are dangerous and I should never be on one. They are also the same people who say “most businesses fail” and you should just stay in the safety of a corporate job. They are wrong on both accounts. Although mortality rates are indeed higher, one is actually safer on a bike than in a car. There are a higher percentage of wrecks in cars than in motorcycles. And there are actually more businesses that make it than fail. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself with the Small Business Administration. That 85% statistic that gets thrown around with the negative “nay-sayers” is for the businesses that do fail. If they fail, it usually happens in the first three years. But most of the businesses that have been started are still around. And that should be the testimony of yours.

So do me a favor. Enjoy the trip. You have made the awesome decision to start a business. Know that there will be many twists and dangerous curves ahead on your journey. Don’t hit the brakes and fall back. Accelerate ahead and lean hard. Keep your eyes on where you want your business to go and not on the immediate circumstances around you. But look around you during the trip. The scenery is gorgeous, and you are in the company of the brightest, best, strongest, and most adventurous people in America.

Have fun. And don’t forget to send us a postcard when you arrive!

What's YOUR Excuse?

I absolutely love Vic Johnson! He has many different businesses that are excellent sources of inspiration and motivation. But one of my favorites is a weekly e-meditation he sends out called "As A Man Thinketh" which is taken from the amazing James Allen book by the same title. Vic selects a line from the book and then uses real life illustrations to exemplify the concept. I received one that really made me take a long, hard look at myself, so I thought I would print it here in its entirety. Enjoy!

"He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it." As A Man Thinketh

There was an incredible story in the June 18, 2001 issue of Time magazine about Erik Weihenmayer who had recently climbed Mt. Everest. Now there are quite a few people that have climbed the world's highest summit since Sir Edmund Hillary first did it in 1953. But no one had ever climbed Mt. Everest that was blind, until Erik Weihenmayer did. What's even more amazing is that in 2002 he reached the top of Mt. Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia. That made Erik the first blind climber to reach the top of the traditional Seven Summits, the most challenging peaks in the world.

Erik can't see like most of us can, but he knows, like James Allen knew, that if we settle for what we can see today, we'll never live the life of our dreams. We have to have a vision for our life, for what we want to become. Most importantly, we have to cherish it and hold on tightly to it when circumstances are telling us that we'll never see our vision.

If you read Erik's story you'll discover that Erik stumbled into the Camp on the first floor of Mt. Everest bloodied, sick and dehydrated. And he was still 9,000 feet (almost two miles) from the summit. But Erik had cherished and lived with his vision for years and would not be denied. Like the title of the story says, Erik was "blind to failure." The ancient writer tells us in Proverbs that "Without a vision, the people perish." So we must take the time to determine the vision for our life. But once we've settled on our vision, then it's important that we take James Allen's advice to cherish it in our heart.

And, as Erik says, "Success is not just the crowning moment, the spiking of the ball in the end zone or the raising of the flag on the summit. It is the whole process of reaching for a goal and, sometimes, it begins with failure." And that's worth thinking about.

You know what they say: if one man can do it, so can another. So what's keeping you from reaching your peak?

Are your struggles and obstacles any worse than a blind mountain climber on the most challenging summit in the world?

Do you have a clear vision in mind of where you want to go and what you want your life to be?

Know that there is strength and determination planted within you that will allow you to achieve that which seems impossible to most people. But you and I are destined for something greater than mediocrity. And it's time to start climbing. Let nothing keep you from your success. The view is amazing at the top.


Vic Johnson's inspiration can be found at the following web sites:
AsAManThinketh.net
Goals-2-Go.com
VicJohnson.com
No Dream Too Big LLC
PO Box 2087 St Augustine FL USA 32085

"Would Everyone Just Leave Me Alone?"

We talk a lot around here about something we call “sharpening the saw”. It is actually a term we borrowed from author Steven Covey in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People”. Habit 7 in the awesome book is taking the time to sharpen the saw. Here is the story in a nutshell: two lumberjacks challenge each other to a tree cutting contest. The strapping, buff young buck chops wood all day with vigor and fervor. The older and more experiences lumberjack chops for a while, and then stops to sharpen the saw occasionally. Guess who cut down the most trees? That’s right, the experienced one. How can that be you might be asking? I was taught to work as hard as possible every single moment of the day. After all, idle hands are the devil’s workshop, right? Well, sort of. Steven Covey knew that the most successful people in the world didn’t let themselves become burned out and overwhelmed with exhaustion. By renewing the four dimensions of your nature - physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional, you can work more quickly and effortlessly. To do this, we must be proactive. It takes work to rest. Here’s what some of the brightest and best have to say about rest:

“Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest” Ashleigh Brilliant, English author and cartoonist

“Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” Ralph Marston

“The best of all medicines is resting and fasting” Ben Franklin

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” Ovid

“Rest is a fine medicine. Let your stomachs rest, ye dyspeptics; let your brain rest, you wearied and worried men of business; let your limbs rest, ye children of toil!” Thomas Carlyle

Even Jesus advocated rest for his disciples after they had done some great work in Mark 6:31-32 “Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat. So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves.”


If Rest Is So Good For Us, Why Don’t We Do It?

1. We Can’t Say “NO”. We have learned to be “people pleasing” individuals. The bad news is that there will always be plenty of people vying for your time and energy. I’m not saying to neglect the kids and never return phone calls. But there comes a time when we have to say “no” to some of the people who want our time. We can’t be all things to all people. So we need to learn how to prioritize our time and efforts. The Startup Essentials Goal Setting Manual has great tools for learning to prioritize our day, discerning between urgent and non-urgent things to do, and getting our roles in order. If you haven’t downloaded a copy, do it now.


2. We think we don’t deserve it. Many people think they don’t “deserve” a vacation or even a day at the Spa. We’ll lie to ourselves and say things like “the company can’t afford to have me gone even for a day”, or “I really can’t afford to take a vacation now”. Both of those are utter nonsense. Are we really so valuable to a company that if we left, they would come to a grinding halt? And aren’t there plenty of free things to do that will sharpen the saw? It doesn’t cost much to take an hour and soak in a bubble bath with a good book, or send the kids to a sitter and have a date night with our spouse. We say we are too busy to exercise or eat right. You and I both know that is not true. Both of those are elements of self sabotage, but let’s not go there in this article.

3. We Don’t Realize It Takes Work. Believe it or not, rest takes some planning. There is the kind of rest where we sit down for a minute, or put our hands on our knees. And then there is the kind of rest that recharges the soul. That takes some planning. I love to travel internationally, and when I return to America I am fired up to get going again. There is something about the Grand Canyon that will cleanse my soul also. What is your rest situation that tops off your tank? Maybe it is the beach. Maybe it is a weekend retreat, time with relatives, locking your self in a room with a good book, or singing karaoke in a dumpy restaurant. Whatever your fuel pump is, use it. Do it, go there, be it, have it, whatever it takes to get your strength back and feel strong, alert, vibrant, and supercharged again.

And lastly, do you want to know the best advice bodybuilding coaches give to people wanting to build massive muscle size? You would think that it is to stay in the gym and pump iron nonstop. Wrong! It is to work with serious intensity, and then rest your muscles. The way to build strength is to give your body adequate time to recover and rebuild. And that is also the way to build a strong, successful, profitable business. Focus and rest aren’t yin and yang. They are actually partners in achievement.

Work with fierce intensity, and then take some time to rest. Sharpen your saw, and then get back to the forest. Rub your feet, and then get back to the race. Fuel your body quality fuel, exercise your mind, strengthen your will to succeed, nourish your heart to love those around you, and never forget that sometimes you need to say “Give Me a Break”. And then take it. You deserve it.

Are You Dealing Winning Cards?

The ABCs of Business Cards

5 tips for creating a professional business card that leaves a lasting impression

By John Williams

Many people overlook the value of having a professional business card that accurately reflects your brand image, yet this small piece of paper can be an important part of your collateral package. It's often the first item prospects receive from you, so it's your first opportunity to make a strong, positive impression on them.

The preponderance of do-it-yourself online business-card printing companies is an interesting and somewhat troubling phenomenon. With limited exceptions, it's fairly easy to spot an inexpensively produced card. When you choose to "go cheap" on your business cards, what message does that send to those with whom you wish to do business? Are you really doing yourself any favors by missing out on the opportunity to start building a positive brand image right from the start?

Cheaper isn't always better when it comes to first impressions. Give clients a great first impression with these tips and tactics:

Design Tips

Tip #1: Enlist the help of a professional designer unless you have the requisite skills to design your business card yourself. Ideally, this person's also tasked with designing your other collateral (letterhead, brochures, website, etc.), so it'll be intuitive to carry your brand image through from those pieces to your card.

Tip #2: Keep it simple. Business cards are typically just 3.5" x 2" (except when they're not--see below), so you don't have too much space with which to work. Don't make your logo too large, don't make the type too small to be comfortably read, and don't be afraid to use white space.

Tip #3: Keep to the standard business card size--unless you're the adventurous type. There are things you can do to a 3.5" x 2" card to differentiate yourself (e.g., rounded corners), but going with an unusual shape can be tricky. A round card, for instance, is quite memorable, but it certainly won't fit in standard business-card holder devices. You must be willing to trade convenience for memorability if you choose an unconventional shape or size.

Content Tips

Tip #4: Be deliberate in choosing the information to appear on your card. What's most important? Your name certainly needs to be there, along with the name of your company (via your logo), your phone number and your e-mail address. Space permitting, you can add your physical address, fax number, cell-phone number and company website address, if desired. Don't clutter things up too much--as with the design, simpler and cleaner is always better.

Tip #5: Keep the back blank, or use it for non-critical information. How often will people see the back of your business card? Traditional card storage modes assume that side is blank. If you do wish to put copy on it, be sure the information is of a supplemental nature: e.g., your company's mission or tagline. While business cards should promote your brand identity, they shouldn't be confused with advertising.

The Bottom Line:
Think about how you use other people's business cards when you make decisions regarding your own. Do you get frustrated when you can't quickly find the information you need? Or the type is too small to read? Or printed in a font that's hard to decipher? Do cheaply produced cards make you think less of the person or company represented? Does it take you a while to realize whose card it is, or what company that person works for?

Don't make those same mistakes when designing your business card. Make sure it's a positive reflection of both you and your company, and it mirrors your well-defined brand identity.



John Williams is Entrepreneur.com's "Image & Branding" columnist and the founder and president of LogoYes.com, the world's first do-it-yourself logo design website. During John's 25 years in advertising, he's created brand standards for Fortune 100 companies like Mitsubishi and won numerous awards for his design work.