How to Rebound After a Screw-up

Failure come easy for small business owners. In fact, it comes easy to all of us. So, what should we do when it happens? Here's some thoughts.

1. Avoid excuses.

It is a natural tendency for most to try and sugar coat the failure, even to one's self. However, the best way to rise above the failure is to come to terms with what happened.

2. Remember that you are in good company.

Everyone who has ever accomplished anything in life has failed at something. So, chin up..it has happened to everyone.

3. Focus on what you can learn.

The great thing about failure is that you can learn some pretty great lessons about yourself and how you can improve for the future.


Hope these tips help when we all start tackling this ambitious new years goals.

I'd love to get your tips! Email them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

4 Ways to Make Sure You Have An All-Star team

1. Since your employees are your most valuable asset, make sure that you provide them with opportunites to grow through classes and training programs. Recognizing their improved performance will go even further in progressing their All-Star mentality.

2. Be clear with your expectations. Sometimes, just making sure that everyone is on the same page will go far in making sure that you receive the best your employee can give.

3. In the same vein, clear, concise job descriptions cn go far in making sure that your employee is focusigng on what is mosy important and not getting distracted with more frivilous tasks.

4. Promote within. More than anything else, this will encourage employees to always be on their tip top behavior--just in case you are looking.

How do you get the best out of your employees? I'd love to hear! You can contact me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to take care of your Caregivers

A recent report published by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving stated that 29% of the U.S. population "provides care for a chronically ill, disabled, or aged family member or friend during any given year and spends an average of 20 hours per week providing care for their loved one while continuing to work."

All of us remember Steven Slater, the JetBlue flight attendant that famously ended his two-decade career with an intercom burst and a slide down the airplane's emergency exit while enjoying a beer from the beverage compartment. What some might not know is that the incident was primarily caused by Slater becoming increasingly stressed while caring for his cancer-stricken mother.

For years, doctors and psychologists have recognized the effects of caregiver stress. Now, some employers are too. General Electric, IBM, PepsiCo and Tyco are among several employers that are offering support, flexible work hours, access to financial and legal advice, grief counseling, and offering caregiver support groups. Small Businesses have an inherent disadvantage due to their size in this area..so what can you do to help your employee that is also a caregiver?

1. Acknowledge the difficulty of what your employee is going through.

2. If possible, try to help them work out their schedule, either through weekend work or working from home.

3. Offer to assist them in finding a financial planner & family counselor.

4. Encourage them to take care of themselves-especially making sure that they receive enough sleep.

I would love to get your thoughts..email them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

Top Ten Payroll Mistakes

Here's the list of the most common mistakes that are made during payroll.

1. Making improper overtime payments
2. Misidentifying employees and independent contractors
3. Making mistakes on an employee's W-2 form
4. Missing tax deposit or filing deadlines
5. Determining exempt vs non-exempt status
6. Mistakes on 1099-MISC forms for independent contractors
7. Messing up or mishandling garnishments, child support payments, or levies
8. Ignoring other taxable items, such as gifts, bonuses, and awards
9. Incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date I-9 forms
10. Poor record keeping or data gathering

Payroll mistakes can cost your company about 1.2% of total payroll costs. Call People Lease and we make sure that everything about your payroll gets done correctly the first time.

For more information, call 800.723.3025 or email me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

What to include in a moonlighting policy

In the state of our still shaky economy, holding a second job is necessary for many-especially those that are looking for a little extra holiday cash.. In 2009, 5.2% of the general population held multiple jobs.With the increase in moonlighting, it has become increasingly important for small businesses to instill moonlighting policies. Here are some ideas of what to include:

1. Confidentiality.

While this may seem abundantly obvious to you, it is important to make sure that your employees understand that taking a job where any company information is used (such as client lists, etc) is strictly forbidden.

2. Conflict of interest.

Obviously, you do not want your employee moonlighting for your competitor. To ensure that this is the case, you should make sure that you include a statement requiring your employees to reveal any possible conflicts of interest. Remember is is completely appropriate for you to ensure that a second job does not create a conflict of interest.

3. Performance

When an employee has a second job, it means that they have less personal time, less sleep, and more stress. Hence, it is important to include a performance policy to mitigate your employee from catching up on personal items during company time.

What do you think about moonlighting policies. Give them to me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to Keep Your Employees Focused During the Holidays

Shopping. Holiday cards. Parties. Family Obligations. The holidays equal distraction in most offices. A recent survey revealed that 46% of Americans plan to complete their holiday shopping during work hours-either through online shopping, taking sick days, or cutting out a little early. This begs the question: how can employers best keep their employees focused?

1. Identify last years pitfalls.
Did your employees take long lunches last year? If so, review the lunch policy with everyone. Whatever the problems in your office are, identify them is your first step!

2. Focus on the positive.
Make sure that your employees know that you appreciate their contributions and achievements. Being appreciated lifts the spirits and goes a long way to stay motivated during stressful and harried times.

3. Don't be a Scrooge.
Perk up morale by giving your workers a celebratory holiday treat to look forward to!

4. Maintain leadership.
Set an example of what you expect during the holiday season. If your attitude and goals are lax during this time, chances are employees are going to follow your lead and slack off as well. Keep focused on your year-end goals and chances are your employees will do the same.

You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

How to get your employees interested in 401(k)s

Getting your employees to a closer state of financial well being is something that is important to almost every small business owner. However, getting your employees to understand that importance can be a little more difficult. Here are some ways to help you help your employees:

1. Offer one-on-one consultations.
The proof is in the pudding: 51% of 401(k) investors prefer to have a one-on-one meeting to discuss their financial planning versus online research (23%) or brochures (4%). At People Lease, we would love to set up one-on-one meetings with one of our 401k specialists to ensure that your employee gets all of their questions answered before proceeding.

2. Express your opinion.
If your employees knows that you have invested in the 401(k) program, they are much more likely to invest in it too. Let them know that planning their financial future is well worth their time and money.

3. Strike when the iron is hot.
Statistics show that people are most open to engaging in a new 401(k) plan when changing a job, times of economic recession, and/or the loss of a spouse or partner.

4. KISS.
Keep It Simple Stupid. 53% of Americans say that they find 401(k) planning even more complicated than health care. Keeping it simple will not only encourage participation, but will also make your employees feel more at ease.

5. Let us take care of it for you!
Our plan is specifically made for small businesses, so that it can be tailored to your needs. Plus, we have over 25 years of experience and a system in place to help your employees understand the complexities of financial planning with ease.

For more information, you can contact me at jdanner@peoplelease.com or at 800.723.3025

How to Keep Your Office Healthy

Stomach bugs. Sneezing. Coughing. If your office is anything like ours, the season of sickness is in full swing. According to the Centers of Disease Control, the flu alone costs companies $10.4 billion. With a still-struggling economy, it is more important than ever to keep your employees well. Here are some tips:

1. Get Vaccinated.
Only 37% of Americans have received the flu vaccination. Investing in flu shots for your employees is well worth the money.

2. Wash your hands.
This is cited by many as being the most effective way to prevent the spread of the flu. When hot water and soap are unavailable, use wet ones or antibacterial gel. Additionally, providing materials for your employees to disinfect their keyboards will go far in eliminating contamination.

3.Stay home.
If an employees is sick, send them home. Spreading germs around the office will be more of a disservice than having your sick employee there.

4. Promote personal space.
Avoid excessive touching and/or handshaking. According to the Mayo clinic, a good rule is to stand at least 3 feet apart when possible.

Tired of paperwork?

Freeing up Cash: Last Minute Tax Deductions for 2010.

If you are anything like most of us, you are already focused on your first-quarter cash flow. One great way to free up some cash is by maximizing your 2010 deductions. Here are some ways to do that:

1.Deduct charged expenses.
Both cash & accrual basis taxpayers can charge expenses on a credit card and deduct them in the year charged, regardless of when paid.

2. Buy those big ticket items.
It would be advantageous from a tax standpoint to buy any large fixed asset purchases by December 31, 2010 because of the special bonus depreciation rules enacted for2010 that allow an expense for 50% of the purchase.

3. Buy that car!
Maximize auto depreciation for 2010 purchases. IF you buy a new car before the end of 2010, your first year depreciation deduction will be $11,060. If you wait until 2011, your first year depreciation will be knocked down to $3,060.

4. First year business credit.
The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 temporarily increased the amount of start-up expenditures entrepreneurs can deduct from their taxes for this year from 5000 to 10,000.

5. Sell that property!
If you have some business property that you have been considering liquidating, now is the time. As of January 1, 2011, Capital Gains rate will increase from 15% to 25%.

For information you can contact me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

The Gators & Excellence

Anyone that has known me for over 5 minutes knows that I am a die-hard Gator fan. Anyone that follows college football knows that I am not happy. The Gators have had a train wreck of a season…to put it mildly. After over 15 seasons of glorious football, our reign of dominance is over in a very big way.  So how do the Gators get back to excellence? How do any of us achieve it?

1. Love what you do.

I really don’t think that anyone can be excellent at anything with a bad attitude. Everyone has seen someone with massive potential fail due to a bad attitude. Likewise, when someone is in love with what they are doing and has passion for their job, it fuels resilience, perseverance, and focus.

2. Practice makes perfect.

Bringing you’re A- game is completely necessary if you want to excel. Not some of the time, but ALL of the time. If you choose to divide your day up into 60-90 minute segments, you will not only find that your efficiency greatly increases, your quality of work similarly increases.

3. Listen to the critics.

Pretty much everyone says that you should never listen to your critics and follow your instincts. I completely disagree. I think that if you are going to achieve true excellence you have to address the issues that other see with your performance. You can never improve if you can nor first accept your own flaws.

4. Delay your gratification.

Put your goals fist. Play second. Categorize your tasks based on importance, not desire.

Love getting your comments..keep them coming at jdanner@peoplelease.com

Health Care Reform Changes

Obamacare. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Whatever you choose to call there is one thing we can all agree on. It is confusing. Here are some of the highlights of what will change for you and your business.

1. No limits.
 Currently, policies have lifetime or year limits such as 1,000,000. Under the new regime, these will not be allowed. Similarly, limits for prescription drugs will also be void.

2.Get a prescription
Over-the-Counter drugs such as aspirin will no longer be covered without a medical prescription.

3. Same health coverage for all.
Many companies have levered higher levels of health care for high ranking execs.Under the new law, all employees must be given equal coverage.

4. Covered until 26.
Have you just hired a college grad? Well, guess what? They are covered on their parent's health insurance until they are 26! He can move out, get married, and graduate college..all while still being covered!

5. Preventative Care has no co-pay
I guess there is no way to get out of the yearly physical now, huh?

6. Grandfathering
As long as your health plan has not changed (no change to deductibles, etc) since March, you are considered to be "grandfathered" in and thus, these changes are not relevant to you.

Manny Pacquiao and Small Business

I recently got sucked into the HBO series that detailed the training of Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito for their November 13th fight. Not surprisingly, Pacquiao won the fight. Yeah, he is smaller that Margarito, but he is also a lot faster. I was immediately struck by the parallel to this fight and the battle that small businesses go into everyday. Sure, we are smaller..but we are also faster. Here's what that gives us:

1. We can make an innovative mover faster.
When big corporations have an innovative idea, it takes a long time to everyone in the company to get on the same page. With small businesses, it takes a lot less planning..which means small businesses have the ability to lead in innovation and technological progress.

2. We have the ability to adjust faster.
When you are the leader of technological progress, there are occasions where you try something out, and it just doesn't work well. Unlike corporate mistakes, small businesses can adjust a lot quicker and cheaper.

Small businesses have some disadvantages over big business...However, some times those weaknesses can actually be turned into strengths if used correctly.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts..you can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

The effect of stress

On Wednesday I was going about my week and BAM..I got an extremely severe kidney infection. The cause? Stress. Over the past few days, I have had a great opportunity to look at how I can relieve that stress and do a better job of managing it. Here's what I've decided.

1. Know when to say no

I think one of the most important things that I have learned from this whole debacle is that I have to know when to say no. I just had way too much on my plate. Besides normal work stresses, my husband and I are also in the process of selling our house and moving to our new home. Since last week, I have reevaluated some of the less important holiday task and have reassigned them to others that are just as capable and not as stressed.

2. Knock some stuff out

Everyone has stuff that only they can do. So instead of continuing to try and get a little bit of everything done everyday, I've switched my approach. Now, I am spending a little more time on some specific task to get some more things knocked off of my list.

3. Take time off.

One of the things that everyone knows about me is that I really hate taking time off when I feel like there are things that need to get done. I knew that I wasn't feeling so hot last week, but I pushed through because felt under the gun. Sometimes, a much needed day of rest is exactly what is needed. From now on, I am going to make sure that I am get home early ( okay 7ish)


4. It's not personal, I just don't agree.

Some people are not going to like your work. Especially work that involves creativity and art. My mother thinks Picasso is ridiculous, most of the world would not not agree. I put a lot of mental and creative energy into everything I do, so when someone doesn't like what I'm doing, it's hard to not take it personally. I had a professor tell me once that I spent 30% of my improving my grade from a 97 to a 100. Everyone is not going to like everything I do. So, from now on, I'm going to do my best and leave the rest.

Hope you all have a stress free week!


I love getting your thoughts, you can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com




3.

The Cost of Federal Regulation for Your Business

                 How much are Tax Regulations costing your company?

Call us instead! 800.723.3025

Power Words

A friend of mine sent these to me and I thought it was too good not to pass on....


Management Power Words
Built
Demonstrated
Developed
Enhanced
Facilitated
Generated
Impacted
Implemented
Negotiated
Revitalized

Sales & Marketing Power Words
Closed
Collaborated
Delivered
Drove
Established
Generated
Increased
Presented
Prospected
Retained

Technical Power Words
Analyzed
Built
Consulted
Created
Escalated
Formatted
Integrated
Maintained
Programmed
Supported
Troubleshot

Academic Power Words
Applied
Authored
Counseled
Developed
Educated
Evaluated
Mentored
Nourished
Researched
Taught
Tutored

Healthcare Power Words
Assigned
Assessed
Assisted
Cared
Charged
Provided
Monitored
Nursed
Secured

Accounting Power Words
Analyzed
Audited
Justified
Verified
Prepared
Processed
Reported
Researched
Reviewed

The Perfectionist's Guide to Structured Procrastination

A thousand years ago, when I was in college, a friend asked me if I had started an extra-credit calculus project. I replied that I hadn’t. In frustration, she said, “Of course you haven’t..you are such a procrastinator.” Frankly, I was pretty incredulous. In my mind, procrastinators were the slackers…not the president’s list/double major people like me. So, I pretty much disregarded it. Then graduate school hit and I realized that I was a procrastinator…big time. I will never overcome my procrastinating tendencies…but I have figured out ways to manage it.

1.      1.  Understanding Myself

This is probably the most important of all of the steps. Before I could actively work on improving my procrastination, I first needed to understand WHY I was procrastinating. As it turns out, I’m a perfectionist. When a task presents itself, I envision being successful at it. I sell myself on how perfect it CAN be. The problem with perfectionists is that we have incredibly high self-standards. I do not believe that I have ever created something perfect, because I fundamentally believe that it is a physical impossibility. However, I am always aiming for it. It is a sort of dream-the-impossible-dream kind of thing. That amount of self-pressure would make even the best among us crack-and I am certainly not the best. So, my non-conscious solution to this self-induced stress is to procrastinate. After all, no one can create a perfect product when given a limited amount of time…right? Understanding this self-manipulated pattern was my first step to success.

2.      2.  Self-Manipulation

I am always going to have a problem with procrastination. My perfectionism will never go away. So, I have figured out ways to managing it. The first is self-manipulation. When I am presented with a task, I given myself two due dates-an early one and then the actual date that it is due. I mark my calendar and actively work towards the early due date. If I convince myself that the early due date IS the due date, I build in plenty of time for editing.

3.    3.  The list

Every week, I give myself a list of what needs to be accomplished for the week and I rank them based on importance. Similarly, I also do this for the day. So, when I know that I have a due date coming up and I want to do a less important task (because there are always more menial tasks to be completed) I get those out of the way.

 

As always, I love getting your thoughts! You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

9 Ways to Jump Start Your Business

1. Write(or revisit) your business plan.
You may already have a business plan in place, but with the uncertain economy it is a good idea to revisit your goals and objectives for the next 6 months, the next year, and the next five years. Making your business plan a living document and updating it monthly will help you stay on track and more easily adapt to changes with you customers.

2. Hire a marketing expert.
Building or revamping your internal and external marketing campaigns can breathe fresh life into your organization.

3. Follow up with new contacts & maintain connections with current ones.
You've likely collected numerous business cards, but if you are like me, nothing has been done with them! Following up is critical to business success. Consider sending emails to these contacts, adding them to your prospect newsletter list, invite them to check out your blog, or let them know about special offers that you are offering.

4. Provide clear information.
Provide clear, succinct information about your products and services to your customers. Place a special importance on the benefits they receive and your expertise in meeting their needs.

5. Illustrate your expertise.
You know that you are an expert in your field, but others will know it too if you  write, speak, and network about your niche. You can further build your expertise by writing articles for your blog and newsletter.

6. Define your niche.
Some feel that being more general about what makes you special makes oyu more marketable. Actually, the opposite is true. Most people want to work with a specialist, so the best way to stand out in a crowded market is define your self as one.

7. Keep prices competitive.
In our economically depressed time, everyone is looking for a deal. Whether it is offering something free on your website or providing additional services to your customers, doing something above the norm can give you an edge on your competitors.

8. Promote results and benefits.
People do not want to know the nitty gritty of your business. They just want you to help them reach their goals with efficiency, integrity, and within their budget. Instead of explaining what you do, provide them with the changes that their business will experience if they retain your expertise.

9. Hire People Lease.
One of the best ways to jump start your business is by saving you time & money. Our 25 years of payroll, tax, & benefits expertise can provide you with the ability to spend your time more effectively..After all, who can jump start your business better than you?


As always, I'd love to get your thoughts. You can reach me at jdanner@peoplelease.com

8 Life Changes That Affect Your Life Insurance

 
1. You take on a new expense.
Maybe you have a baby, buy a house, or take on a small business loan. Whatever the case may be, adjusting your life insurance for the change is critical in maintaining your spouse/child/business's financial well being.

2. You divorce or are widowed.
While canceling your policy all together is an option, a better option is to speak with your financial planner. Life insurance can still play a critical role in estate planning and providing for your children. Plus, many divorces require former spouses to continue life insurance coverage.

3. You get rid of debt or expenses.
Maybe those kids are out of college and (finally!) financially independent. Maybe you have finally paid off your home or just gotten out of debt. Whatever the case may be, it might be a great time to reduce those insurance premiums & lower your coverage.

4. You age.
While none of us want to admit, the life insurance we had at 20 just isn't cutting it anymore. Taking a good look at your estate & wealth can help you and your financial planner make the most educated decision about what is the right amount of life insurance for you.

5. You are unemployed or underemployed for an extended period of time.
A long stretch of lower income typically means more debts and less saved. less savings mean that your spouse would be even more dependent on your life insurance if you passed away. unfortunately, those who use the 10-times-income often mistakenly conclude that their lower income means less life insurance is required. The loss of a job also might have ended any group insurance from an employer's benefits package.

6.You stop smoking.
Yea! You have added 10 years to your life AND you have reduced your life insurance premiums dramatically.

Calculating Your Life Insurance Needs

1. Total up your debts.
Include your mortgage, car loans, credit card balances, & college loans.

2. Calculate your children's remaining or future expenses.
Include everything from their weddings to their collegiate educations. Be sure to subtract any money that you have saved for these events.

3. Add 15,000 to cover your own funeral expenses.
Believe it or not, this is actually on the low end of funerals, these days.

4. Divide your current annual income in half,
then multiply that figure by the number of years remaining until you retire, up to 20.

The result of adding together figures from the four steps above should provide enough income replacement for your spouse or family to live comfortably if you die prematurely.If you are a nonworking spouse, you do not need to use the 4-step formula. Instead, a safe estimate is 500,000 in the family's children are preschoolers, 250,000 if in elementary school, and 100,000 if the children are still at home but no longer need a nanny. These amounts should reflect enough wiggle room for reduced wages while your family is adjusting to their new life.


If you are interested in getting life insurance set up for you & your employees, give me a shout at jdanner@peoplelease.com

What is Your Payroll IQ??

Take the following quiz to test your Payroll-Law I.Q on these very common situations:

1. None of your well-paid employees is a minimum wage earner and you don't even have a position that will ever pay that little. Do you have to display that federal minimum wage poster?

2. Not displaying your minimum wage poster is a violation of .....

a. FLSA
b. OSHA
c. EEOC
d. Nothing

3. Is business use of a company vehicle taxable?

4. Willful violations of FLSA laws may be prosecuted criminally and each breach can cost you up to.....

a. $5k
b. $10k
c. $50k

5. A second willful violation of FLSA laws can land you in

a. Legal hot water
b.Court
c. Jail
d. All of the above

6. The statute of limitations for recovering back pay in normal circumstances is......

a. 18 months
b. 2 years
c. 5 years

7. Which situation takes priority in wage garnishments?

a. Federal Guaranteed Student Loans
b. Chap 13 Bankruptcy Order
c. Family Support Payments

8. A family Support order is taking 25% of an employee's disposable earnings. Can any other garnishments be added to the employee's paycheck?

9. Is the personal use of a company car taxable?

10. A terminated employee never picks up his last paycheck. All efforts to contact the employee have failed. How long do you have to wait to "reclaim" that employee's pay?

a. 2 years
b. 5 years
c. 10 years
d. Forever
e. Depends on the State












Answers:

1. Yes, 2. A, 3. No, 4. B, 5. D, 6.B, 7.B, 8. Maybe-Additional Family Support Orders, Tax Levy, or a Bankruptcy Order can be added, 9. Yes, 10. E

Top Ten Ways to Help Your Business Save Money-Part 2

This is the continuation of my blog post from yesterday!

6. Stay at home.

 One of the most cost effective ways to save money for your business is by making the transition to web conferencing. While there are some disadvantages, technology has made it so that

7. Create a prospect-driven culture.

If you create a prospect-driven culture in your organization, you can effectively eliminate the need for costly prospect lists.You may not have as many names, but you will have more potential customers at a much reduced price.

8. Source the Crowd.

I know I have repeatedly mentioned this, but I strongly believe that crowd sourcing is one of the most fundamental technological advances of our time. For those of you who don't know what that is yet, check out my Mad Men blog post from September here!

9. Use the Rule of 3

Always get three quotes for everything before proceeding. You would not do that with your home, so don't do it with your business.

10. Use People Lease

We can not only save you money, but we can also save you time..and what is more valuable than your time? Give us a call today to find out the difference that People Lease can make in your business.

You can reach me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

Top Ten Ways To Help Your Business Save Money-part 1

As November rolls in, most of us are getting focused on our budget for 2011. I don't know about you guys, but there is nothing like budget planning to get me focused on saving money! Here are a few quick tips to help save your business money.

1. Go Green

While there are a lot of negative feelings out there associated with climate change and even more negative feelings associated with governmental-led environmental change, saving money is always a good thing. Going green saves a bundle. A great way to look at how much energy is being wasted, is to go to energy star for small businesses(energystar.gov). However, even the simplest things like making sure that your computers and other electronics are turned off at night can save your company thousands.

2. Advertising

Advertising of the Mad Men days is quickly going out of vogue, while cheaper options such as social media, blogs, and e-newsletters are becoming more popular, more effective, and tremendously cheaper.

3. Interns

One of People Lease's newest endeavors is the beginning of a partnership with Mississippi
Universities to bring some of Mississippi's brightest to our office. They get some great, real life experience and we get great energy, bright ideas, and hard workers for almost nothing.

4. Pick it up!

Delivery charges can add a shocking surcharge to your order. So run that errand on your way to work and save a bundle.

5. Hang up your phone plan.

Phone plans can make or break your business. Reevaluating the number of lines you need and the company you are with save your business a ton. Actually, sometimes just calling your phone company and asking them for a better rate can be highly effective.

The Office

On Monday, I moved across the building to my new office. To be polite, I'm fairly certain that the furniture was picked out by a straight man. To be honest, it looks more like a blind, straight man designed the layout....While i was investigating news desks..I ran across these! Enjoy!

This desk looks like a techies dream

 Airplane wing desk

Gym + work...think that might get tiring..

Now this might add a little pep to those Friday meetings!!

My office. (Try to not be jealous!! )

Send me your ideas of what I can do spice it up at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

Why I am going to miss my 4 hour commute

For those of you that don’t know me, for the past 6 months, I have been driving about 1.5-2 hrs every day to work. So I usually spend about 4 hours in the car. At first, it was brutally painful. I couldn’t stand it. It made me a little crazy. And now I can’t live without it.

1.       It gives me down time. 

 Some days after work, I am just spent. I am emotionally, physically, & creatively tapped. I don’t want to talk. I do not want to be around people. So, I listen to some Stern or Oprah or NPR..and by the time I get home I am ready to start again. I am no longer tapped. I can make some business calls, do a little research, knock out some work. Without the built in down time, I probably would never get around to it at night.

2.       It gives me family time.

I have always talked to my mother a lot on the phone. In fact, sometimes it seems like it would be more convenient if we just had a constant stream of contact. However, since I hardly ever spoke to my dad. Now we talk at least once a week. While this doesn’t have direct affect on my business, having me being more centered, more focused on work at work is never a bad thing.

3.       It gives me reflective time.

A lot has happened in the past five years. I graduated college. Started graduate school.  Got diagnosed with a major illness. Got an MBA. Bought a house. Started a business. Got married. Got a Ph.D. Started another Business. Changed Careers.  Got well. Needless to say, there is a lot to think about.  A lot to process. The quietness of my drive has forced me to reflect in an unprecedented way. While occasionally painful, this has been very therapeutic. It has helped me realize some personal & some business mistakes that I have made along the way. Without this reflection period, I might have very well have made the same mistakes again.

4.       It gives me dream time.

This may sound a little teenage-girl-ish…but in order to accomplish anything in life, you first have to dream it. The reflective time has provided me the ability to see the past 5 years in a new way so that I can envision where I want my life & business to go and how I want to get there.

5.       It gives me planning time.

This is perhaps the biggest benefit. I have the time to make a game plan. Not just for the day, but for the week, month, year, next 5 years, etc. It is an invaluable gift. I plan everything from phone calls, to presentations, to charting the flow of business. Without a plan, you can almost never succeed.

When we finally move, it will be difficult to make the transition. The one thing I know is how important it is to make time for me & my thoughts.  I would love to get your thoughts. You can contact me at Jdanner@peoplelease.com

The Value of Evaluating Your Product

 

This weekend, I stopped by a new clothing store and (big shocker!) started talking to the employee about the owner's philosophy of business.She told me that he gets great clothing deals off of ebay. If something isn’t selling in the store, he just sells it back to ebay and adjusts what he buys based on his clientele.

While this approach to merchandise might be unpractical for a lot of business owners, the overall approach this guy has taken is something I think we all can learn from. He has separated himself from his product. Instead of being too emotionally invested (and thus, unrealistic), this guy has developed a model so that he is constantly re-evaluating what he is offering his customers.

1.       You become your own competition.

When your focus is on selling your product, it is easy to ignore its weaknesses. If you make a conscious effort to investigate the weaknesses, you will be able to improve your product. If you don't, you are leaving the door wide open for a competitor to swoop in and improve your original product. Recognizing your weaknesses can actually become your strength.

2.       Customers appreciate honesty more than hype.

The last time I bought a TV at best buy, I sought out the advice of two salesmen. The first salesman told me about this fantastic TV that never had any problems and was being sold at an unheard of low-price. I looked around the store some more and ran into the second salesman. He told me about a TV that was on sale, it got pretty great reviews, but he told me that some issues with one of its features. I bought the second salesman’s TV because his ability to tell me something negative about his product demonstrated his honesty to me. As it turns out, it was the exact same TV.  As it turns out, the product only seemed better to me because of the salesman. Honesty sells more than hype.

3.       You gain a deeper understanding of how your product is useful to your customers.

Even the most seasoned salesman can gain more understanding of the usefulness of his product to specific markets. Having the ability to step back and evaluate that usefulness will give you a deeper understanding of the product and might give you some insight on how it can be useful to a completely different sector of people.

Hope this provides some insight! Send me your thoughts at jdanner@peoplelease.com

The Play-Doh Debate

I recently read an article about Manhattan Free School, where high-school students can take classes in everything from comic-book-making to Play-Doh sculpting (whether they are 7 or 17). The idea behind the school is that when students are given a choice of what to learn, rather than being forced to attend certain classes, they will find what they are passionate about and they will eagerly learn. In essence, with freedom comes responsibility.  For most in the educational world, this model seems a little impractical and a lot far-fetched.  The business world, however, is a different story.

Google has famously subscribed to this model with their immensely employee-friendly work environment. Employees are hired based on their overall skill set and talents and are then able to choose which position they fit into the best.  Likewise, Apple also subscribes to this freedom bears responsibility idea by giving their employees similar degrees of freedom.

According to an article in the Washington Post, “Empowering leadership means that you have the foresight to share power with the people you manage—you give your employees opportunities to work on significant projects and participate in decision-making, and you remove bureaucratic constraints and show confidence that their performance will be high. When you hand over a project and give employees greater freedom, you’re giving them space to explore many creative solutions.”

In the world of business articles and blogging, I have found very few who have written articles encouraging more control. So what’s the deal? If managers believe that freedom is key to creative power, why are there an unprecedented number of unhappy employees? And why is that unhappiness connected to feelings of being stifled under managerial control.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine who works as an HR exec about this very issue. She suggested that while many of us say that we fundamentally believe that freedom is key to creativity, few of us are actually willing to implement it in our company because it just seems so risky. After all, Google and Apple employ those that are already super-creative and are the best of the best. Could this model work on hourly employees too?

What do you think? Is creativity and drive produced through freedom? Would you give your employees freedom?

Give me your thoughts…As always, you can catch me at JDanner@peoplelease.com.