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Amy left my “retail” world for a job in a bank 6 months ago. When she texted me, last week about getting together, she hinted that she might like to come back to work for me, and nothing would make me happier than having her on my team again. I wanted to make this deal happen. BUT, I knew what she was earning in her new job, and in retail, there just isn’t that kind of money. So I started thinking about how to make this happen. I created a position for her. If she managed my 2 franchise stores, I could concentrate on my coaching business and spend my time doing what I am passionate about, and it would definitely be a win/win for both of us.

We met for breakfast to discuss her returning, and as she was taking off her coat Amy said to me, “Jean, you have spoiled me from working for anyone else.” Wow, what a compliment that is for any employer. I offered her a little less than she was making, but with a bonus plan. I put together a nice little package for her. She told me she had already written her letter of resignation, and she liked what she heard, but she would like 24 hours to think about it.

Forty-eight hours later, I still had not heard from her. My heart was beginning to sink. I sent her a text that said, “You’re killing me :-) dying to hear from you.” To which she replied, “Hiiii! I’m just worried. I’m taking over a $4000 cut in pay. Is there a chance that at some point you’d be able to at least meet me in the middle? Like….as we go along…see what happens?”

I didn’t know it at the time, but she had already turned in her letter of resignation, but now the fear of that $4000 was starting to get to her. Was she starting to second guess her decision? This got me thinking, how so many people let fear keep them from getting everything they want in life. I was offering Amy almost the same amount of money, she would have complete flexibility in her hours as long as she worked the amount of hours agreed upon, a bonus program, complete control over the staff, paid time off, and a trip with me to Vegas in March to attend a conference I hold for my fellow franchisees. Oh.… and to work for the person who spoiled her from working for anyone else.

I could only see the positives, and Amy could only see $4000. What is your fear right now that is keeping you from realizing your goals? What fear keeps you from having the job that you would want, or the partner that you really want? What scares you into staying right where you are? Someone once told me, “You can’t grow if you are comfortable.” Are you comfortable? Have you stopped growing? Are you content to be, or have, or do what you already are, or have, or done? If not, it might be time for a change. Give me a call we can chat about your fears, and help you move forward.

Amy and I talked on the phone, and I reminded her that she could make the $4000 if she hits the bonus plan goals. I think she felt a little relieved, but she still sounded a little fearful. I am happy to say, Amy accepted my offer. I am glad she is a little “uncomfortable” right now. It means she is growing, and I can’t wait to see what this beautiful butterfly transforms into next.

Businesses do not appear to be slowing down for the holidays this year?  I am not talking about just retail businesses, I am talking about all businesses.  In years past, it seemed like from Thanksgiving to the New Year there really just wasn’t much going on in the way of business. 

When my kids were little I was in sales, and I was done for the year around December 3^rd.  I loved it.  We made cookies, or gingerbread houses, watched Christmas movies, decorated the house, and I would leisurely shop the first 3 weeks.  We would have the gifts beautifully wrapped and under the tree long before Christmas.  My husband would save his vacation for the end of the year.  He and I would go to numerous holiday parties, and my memories are all of wonderful, stress free holidays.

You see I now own 2 retail businesses and a business coaching practice.  In 2002, we bought our first retail business, and my holidays have never been the same since.  But this blog isn’t about that.  Later when I have the time, I will spend years in therapy figuring out why I did this to myself, but for now this is my reality.

A funny thing happened this year.  There was some training I wanted to take.  It was the first time she was offering it so the price was super low.  If I waited till the next session the price will be 3-4 times higher.  It was going to be right in the middle of the day for 90 minutes, but only for the first two Mondays in December, two huge days for me at the stores for corporate orders.  Both Mondays, I had big corporate orders due.  Arrrrggghhhh, what am I going to do, because I need to be at the stores?  Who plans a training in December?  Didn’t this business person  know she was suppose to be slowing down for the holidays? 

I really thought twice about not taking the training.  And it wasn’t just the class time that was the issue, there would be a couple hours of homework every week to go along with it.  There were several other meetings, and numerous phone planning sessions these same two weeks that I should be attending, because we are working on some January-March events. I thought about all of the people I knew that would not pile on the added work load this time of year, and then I remembered.  I’m not like other people.  BRING IT ON!

So as we head into the next 11 days before Christmas I am begging all of you, WAIT! STOP! I Can’t Keep Up! I feel like I am missing out on things because I am working as fast and as hard as I can, and you my business buddies are not waiting for me.  What I really mean is:  Keep Going! Finish Strong! Don’t wait for anyone! Not even me.

Please take a moment out of your busy day to share here what you or your business have planned for 2012.  You never know what will happen when you put it out into the universe.  Well, I know what happens when you put it out there, but you probably don’t, but that is a blog for the New Year.  And don’t call me on December 27^th from noon till 2 p.m. I will be taking some time off.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

When my son was about 12 or 13 years old, he is 26 now, we sent him to a 10-day summer camp called Supercamp.  This blog is NOT about Supercamp, but I did include a link if you wanted to check it out for your children.  Supercamp is a motivational academic camp, where kids learn note-taking, memorization, writing, organizational, and other skills that will serve them well in life.  Where else would a “Type A” mother send her children to camp?  Swimming, hiking, horseback riding, not for my kids, where is the fun in that?  Just a side note, 2 of my 3 children loved it.

When we came to pick up our son, there were big page after big page of notes posted all over the room of different things the kids had learned while there.  One thing that has stuck with me all these years later is the set of “keys” they had on the wall.  Each key said something different:  They are called The Keys of Excellence.

•             Integrity
•             Failure Leads to Success
•             Speak with Good Purpose
•             This is It
•              Commitment
•              Ownership
•              Flexibility
•              Balance

What great life lessons for our children to learn.  Think about how many children you know that are lacking in some of these qualities.  Today I want to touch on “Failure Leads to Success”. 

As a highly motivated adult, I had never heard that phrase or anything like it before.  Failure Leads to Success.  I spent a great deal of time thinking about it, trying to wrap my head around it.  How can failure at anything lead to my success?

Here is what I figured out.  I have had many many failures, but I didn’t recognize them as failures.  I had only found another way something didn’t work.  From the age of 26 I have been feeding my mind with positive messages in personal development.  For me that was like having blinders on, I couldn’t see the failures so I just kept on going.   But once I turned around, I could see all of the “failures” laying there on each side of the path I had been on.  And, wow, there were lots of them.  Glad I didn’t see them before, they would have scared me.  Oh wait, there is one that says “FEAR”.  That one is not quite dead yet, but at least I can’t see it with my designer blinders on.

I knew what failure looked like.  I have seen it many times on other people.  The person who self-talk says, “I never win anything”, “I’m never going to find a job”, “Why does this always happen to me”, or my favorite, “I tried that before it didn’t work.” This is a person who can’t pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and go at it again, but with more determination.

This is what I would like you to take away today.  Failure = Feedback.  We all know the definition of insanity, right?  You do the same thing over and over expecting different results.  You now know what doesn’t work, so rework your plan and try again, rework and try again, rework and try again.  Maybe you have the type of blinders on that don’t allow you to see a different way.  If that is true, then you are going to need a new pair, and I would like to recommend you rent mine.  Mine come with personal instruction on how to use the failure as feedback, and move through it.

OK don’t tell anyone I told you this, but my husband has a saying that cracks me up every time he says it. “If at first you don’t “suc”ceed, keep on sucking till to you “suc”ceed.”  While he and I are not on the same level of personal development, we both have a 12 year olds sense of humor. 

Failure does lead to success, but it is up to you which path you take on your journey.  Do you turn around when you hit a dead end, and try another way, or do you quit, or go back to the beginning and stay there?  Everyone has to take the journey, it’s up to you on whether or not you finish.

When I “have the time”

I was honored and privileged to give a 10 minute presentation on my coaching business to my networking group this week. I made a video presentation of why we become self-employed. As entrepreneurs we want more: More freedom, more money and more free time. It seemed to hit home with many of the business owners there.

I also talked about a client I was working with who was not getting ahead in her business, because she would not do her “homework.” One of my networking buddies said to me later that day, “I will hire you when I “have time” to do the homework.” I have been thinking about his statement all week long, not about hiring me, but about “having the time”.

If you have seen the video on the home page of my website, you know that I own 2 retail franchises. I also have been working with other franchise owners for several years, and wanted to really develop a franchise coaching and speaking business. For over 2 years I had been “working” on it.

However, it seemed that my franchises were taking 75% of my time, and when I honestly looked at what was taking the other 25% I saw I was wasting it. Too many 2-3 hour lunches out with friends, surfing the net, social media, and of course, I took all of the sunny Summer days off to relax next my pool. And while all of this is important to me, I was spending too much time doing it, and it was keeping me from achieving my goals.

2010 was My Year of Change. I decided I did not want to waste any more time in getting my Coaching and Speaking Business going. So when I finally got serious about what I wanted I hired a coach to help me get to where I wanted to be faster. I had already wasted 2 years. I didn’t want to waste anymore time. I was ready to “spend the time, and do the homework”

Do you, as a business professional, give a Holiday Bonus to your employees? In tough economic times do you cut back on your holiday bonuses to your employees? What kind of bonuses do you give, if any? I’d like to tell you what I do that has been pretty successful.

I don’t like to pay a bonus for doing your job. I don’t like to pay a bonus that is expected, as if I owe them more than their hourly wage, for doing their job, but I do LOVE giving my employees, who do an incredible job, more than what they earn. Happy employees, make a happy leader. Happy employees, make a happy customer. Happy employees, make more money for you and for them.

Like most retail stores, we run at either a break-even or a slight gain for the first nine months of the year, and then in the 4th quarter, finally, make some money. In the summer of 2008, I decided I was no longer going to give a Holiday Bonus to my employees for just showing up and doing their job. BUT, I was willing to give my employee a percentage of the profits if they could increase sales in the 4th quarter over the previous year. We looked at our 4th quarter sales from 2007, and decided that we would like to increase our sales by 20% in 2008….wait, what? 20%? Weren’t we headed into a recession then…Oh, yes we were, but I was choosing not to participate.

I thought back to my days in direct sales, some 27 years ago, and thought about what really got me charged up. The direct sales company I was working for was straight commission, and they had a full color 16 page catalog filled with items like: a gas grill, Lane® cedar chest, Lane© Rocker Recliner, telephone, clock radio, jewelry, etc. Each item was assigned a point value, and depending on my sales, I could pick prizes from this catalog. I was more excited about the prizes than I was about the commission. I could “see” the prize, I couldn’t see the cash. I knew if I earned the prize the cash would be there. Today we would call that visualization.

I put together a small 8 page prize catalog, geared toward my employees likes. You can see the prize catalog here. Just a note, the catalog is formatted to print out like a booklet so the pages will look unorganized to you in the pdf.

We have had great success with this catalog. While we haven’t hit the 20% increase (mostly because the rest of the country thinks we are in a recession.) we usually have over a 10% increase, and we do have an increase in everything the employees have to do to earn points. That means we have an increase in customer average, and we have an increase in daily sales, all that adds up to increased quarterly sales. Last year we gave out over $2000 in bonuses at each of our franchises. That might not sound like a lot until you realize I have a staff of 7 at one store and a staff of 8 at the other, and most of them are under 21 years of age. They were thrilled when I use to give out $25 and $50 cash bonuses. Last year we gave away over $3000 in Visa gift cards, a 32” HDTV, a Garmin GPS, a $100 AMC gift certificate, and a couple of iHomes and a few miscellaneous items.

This year, I added to the back of the catalog a place where they could list what prize they wanted to earn, and a “thermometer” so they can keep track of how they are doing. I took them through a goal setting exercise, and told them how they can each reach their desired prize. If all goes according to their plans, I will be giving out several iPads , and a laptop.

My employees don’t realize it yet, but they all got a dose of “personal development”, and it didn’t hurt them a bit. I am training my employees to be goal setters, which will make them into great employees for their next journey as well as future leaders

When our employees realized that we were going to be sharing the increased profits with them they got excited. When they are excited they are motivated, and when someone is motivated with a goal, look out, you can’t stop them from succeeding.

If you are interested in starting your own incentive program for your employees, and would like a FREE 30 minute consultation I would love to help you. Please feel free to email me at: Jean@bounce-solutions.com I would love to help you increase your sales too, because rumor has it there is a recession going on.

I was in the middle of a training session with 6 employees last night ages 17-30+.  I had just given them 10 minutes to write down their goals.  The directions were easy:  List everything that you would everwant to have, or to do.  Be creative, be specific.  Dream big.

Some couldn’t dream bigger than their job working in one of my franchises.  Some couldn’t dream bigger than “to be comfortable and happy.”  What does that mean?  You’re 24 years old living in your parent’s house, going to school, and dating a fantastic young woman. That seems pretty comfortable and happy to me.  One dreamed of starting an orphanage in a third world country, and becoming a teacher.  The 30+’s goal was for her and her husband to have a combined income of $40,000.  The exercise just started when I decided to check my email while they were writing for the next 10 minutes.

Steve Jobs Dead at 56.  That headline struck so hard I felt like someone hit me from the back.  I was seriously glad I had a few minutes to compose myself.  A flood of emotions came rushing over me.  It was just a year ago at the end of September that I lost my mom to cancer.  The Dr. told her when he took her off all of her treatments that she had only 8 weeks to live.  My mom and dad then informed my sisters and me that time was drawing to a close for her.  I assume that is what the Jobs family has just gone through.  Steve Jobs knew the end was near, and he stepped down from his post and passed the torch onto someone he knew could lead the company to further greatness.

On my drive home from the meeting it occurred to me, that people like Steve Jobs are far and few between, and that is probably why so many people who are mourning his passing are posting about him as if he was a close friend.  I feel safe in saying that he was a role model to many, a hero to some, and a visionary to all.  In actuality he was a regular guy who loved his family, loved his work, and he set goals for Apple.

What is the difference between a 30+ year old and her husband making less than $30,000 a year and Steve Jobs?  Goals, written goals.  That’s it.  It really is that simple.  What is the difference between a 24 yr. old college student, who thinks his goal is to be comfortable and happy and Steve Jobs?  Goals, written goals.  I am pretty sure as a young man building computers in his garage, Steve Jobs, didn’t think “My goal is to start a company called Apple”, at least not for the first 3 weeks, maybe not the first 3 years, but he had to come up with the idea, and form a plan to get to where he wanted and that is a GOAL.

Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, said of Steve Jobs last night, “People sometimes have goals in life. Steve Jobs exceeded every goal he ever set for himself.”

So I ask you, what do you want people to say about you when you are gone?  Will they call you a Visionary?  I don’t consider myself a visionary.  I am never going to create or even think of a new technology.  But what I am good at, and what I would like people to say about me is: “Jean was funny, smart, and fun.  She was a fantastic business coach, writer, and speaker.  Jean helped me set and achieve my goals, and that’s why people now call me a visionary.”

I consider myself pretty “lucky”.  Things just work out for me most of the time, I usually always get a good parking space, I win a fair amount of door prizes, and I usually always make all the stop lights when I am traveling.  Seneca, a first-century Roman philosopher, allegedly said, “Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet.”

One day recently I spent a good deal of time driving, and I was in a hurry.  I was on a two lane divided highway, and I was following someone in the left lane who obviously had no place to be….ever.  I couldn’t pass on the right, because there was another car there, and then it hit me.  This guy was keeping me from achieving my goal of getting to where I wanted to be on time.  As a matter of fact, I was going to be late because I was getting stopped by every single stop light.

Doesn’t that sound a lot like business?  You’re moving along at a good pace, and then BAM up pops an obstacle in your way that is keeping you from reaching your goal.  What do you do?  Some people will just keep going.  They keep the steady pace they were at knowing that eventually they will get to their goal, but there is no hurry.  There is no urgency, they are doing what they have always done.  It’s all they know how to do.  There is no preparation for an opportunity here.

Others will move to the right, move to the left, but darn it, there is no way to get around, so they spend a lot of time moving, but not gaining any ground.  Maybe they even re-route themselves going far out of the way to reach their goals.  The only thing I can see being accomplished here is the same as the first scenario, they spend a lot of time moving, but not really getting any closer to their goals.

This is how I handle it.  I am going straight through my obstacle.  It can either move or be part of my “grill”.  I am going to be behind it flashing my lights, honking my horn, and yelling, “Get Out of My Way I’m Going Somewhere!”   I have prepared for the opportunity, and the very moment I can get that obstacle out of my way I am off again like lightning. 

By the way, the guy in front of me did move pretty quickly to the right lane, probably because there was one determined woman behind him, flashing her lights, honking her horn, and yelling, “Get Out of My Way, I’m Going Somewhere.”  Of course, I did it in a very polite way.

If you find yourself doing a lot of “moving” but not really ever getting ahead, I would like to recommend a great book for you, The Go-Giver by Bob Burg, and John David Mann.  It’s about Joe, and no matter how hard Joe works, he is not getting to where he wants to be.  It is a great quick read, and it teaches The 5 Laws of Stratospheric Success.  If you have read it I would love to hear your comments.

The request was to help him win a contest, for a Million Bucks.  Are You Kidding Me? Heck yeah I’m on board.  One of things I needed to do to help him was to organize a team of 25 people. People that may not know him, but they do know me, and people that would say YES to me before they even knew what I wanted.  While it may sound “easy peasy lemon squeasy”, really think about that.  Who do you know that would say YES to you no matter why you were calling?  I came up with a list of 25 people I was confident I could ask them for their help, and I knew they would be on board.

You may have 2000 friends on Facebook, and 5000 Twitter followers, but how many would say YES?  You may work in an office of 40, but how many would say YES? You may volunteer for an organization of 1500, but how many would say YES?  You have relatives, but how many would say YES?  My guess is regardless of how big your network is, the percentage that would give you a resounding, “YES, it doesn’t matter what you need, I will help you”, would still be quite small. 

I have been thinking about this list all day as I have been working on calling the team I thought would help me help my friend.

I was thinking about how really lucky I am to know that I have people in my life who are kind, generous, and go out of their way to help someone they don’t know win a Million Dollars.  Every one of those that said YES to me today, for no other reason than because I asked them too, put someone’s interest first.  They made a commitment that for 15 straight days, they will go out of their way for someone else because I asked them to.

So who do you know who would say YES to you without hesitation?  When you can put together a list of 25 names that will, you my friend have become a success.  Success is not measured by how much money you have or what kind of car you drive. Success is measured one soul at a time by those who will help you when you ask.

I had no intention of watching Oprah’s last show, May 25th, because I heard it was her speaking about what the show had meant to her, and figured I already knew that, and I thought it would make me cry. 

While I was waiting for something to record on my friend, TIVO, so I wouldn’t have to watch the commercials I decided to just “check-in” on Oprah’s last show, but at the first sign of a tear, I’m outta there.

Somewhere around the third tissue, I hear Oprah say, “We often block our own Blessings because we don’t feel inherently good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough, or worthy enough.”

Thank you TIVO, inventor…..rewind , “We often block our own Blessings because we don’t feel inherently good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough, or worthy enough.”

That is a very powerful statement.  I got out of bed, found a pen and some paper, and rewound TVO until he was dizzy, until I got the quote down exactly. 

As a business coach, I see business owners doing this time and time again.  In the spirit of Oprah, I will admit, I have blocked my own blessings (successes) because I felt I’m not worthy to receive them, or I’m not as smart as the other person.  Hmmmmm, how do you get past that?  Personal development, my friends.

You may not even recognize you are doing it, but if that little voice in your head says to you, “Money isn’t that important to me, It’s not the right time, if only I had more time, there will be another opportunity, my kids are too little, when school starts back up,” or any number of things we say to ourselves to keep us from achieving what we really want out of our business and our life, then you are, “Blocking your own Blessings because you don’t feel inherently good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough, or worthy enough.”

What is personal development?  Personal Development is a series of actions that you take to make yourself a better person.  It may be reading books by experts, listening to motivational material, and my personal favorite, attending live events given by experts who have something to teach me about business.  What I have always found is, I will go to events for my business, but I always leave learning something about myself that makes me a better person, a better coach, a better business person, a better mother, and a better wife.  What I still do not understand is how so many business owners fail to see the value in personal development.  Oh….wait…..I know, the little voice in their head is talking to them, and it’s telling them, “Money isn’t that important to me, It’s not the right time, if only I had more time, there will be another opportunity, my kids are too little, when school starts back up……..”

I would love to hear your comments if this resonated with you, or if you have ever experience “blocked blessings” and how you turned that around or maybe you haven’t yet. Please share that too.  Just maybe someone reading this can help you.