I just found out that The Eagle Chamber of Commerce luncheon, which is at noon Wednesday at the Eagle Nazarene Church, 1001 W. State St., is sold out. Apparently there are a limited number of additional seats without lunch which are still available at no charge. If you want to attend, call the chamber at 939-4222.
Joe Estrella of the Post Register wrote a good article about the presentation I'll be doing. You can read that article here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/566914.html
It's wonderful when you have friends in business you can rely on in a pinch. Nate Wheeler, a great Boise Realtor with Coldwell Banker, is such a friend. In preparing a presentation for tomorrow with my local Chamber of Commerce, Nate was kind enough to provide me statistics for the Boise area which suggest that the market around here is actually in really good shape compared to the U.S. as a whole. His stats, which really are impressive, support my claim that Boise is a great place to be during an economic downturn...
Want to know more...come to the Eagle Chamber of Commerce luncheon tomorrow. Or just wait until I post a follow up to my presentation there!
Thanks Nate for your help!
Ahhh...the power of the RedBox. What a killer concept, right? Oh, if only I'd though of it first! When I was in Japan a couple years ago everything was available through a vending machine. Looks like we're catching up with our overseas friends. Great stuff right? Well...what if you're the local video store...you know, the old fashioned "brick and mortar" kind? Aren't you going to be a little upset that you're losing to a $1 rental outfit that doesn't have a fraction of the overhead you do...and doesn't have high school kids with attitudes running the place!
I was at the RedBox just today and was having many of these thoughts (for the umpteenth time). Then I realized the RedBox is just a sign-from-on-high that we need to be more AWARE of what we're doing, how we're doing it and who we're doing it to! Yes, the RedBox is a killer idea, but it will only drive video stores out of business IF those stores are not smart enough to look around and see what they do (or can do) exceptionally well that the RedBox can't or won't do well or at all.
Ideas that I would share with my local video store:
I could go on...but I'm sure you can see how this applies to your business. If you're a "victim" of a competitor with a cutting edge idea or new process, are you really milking that victim mentality, or are you sitting down (preferably with your business coach) and looking at ways you can exploit and profit from your competition's limitations and weaknesses. There are lots of things the corner video store could do to make the RedBox look like the WalMart of high-end department stores...but you have to be able to step back and see what's happening...then find effective ways to push those challenges in your favor.
So if you're a realtor up against a "rebates" agent...or a full service no compromise 6% commission earning agent going up against a flat fee agent...consider what you can (and should) do to set yourself apart, add greater value, provide services that can't come with the low-end providers, etc. Let your incredibly powerful mind do some work! Use the RedBox as a source of inspiration...it's a great idea but it's also a wonderful catalyst for the local video store to do some incredible things!
There's a wonderful new opportunity coming to Boise, thanks to the brave and exciting vision of Michael & Allison Gillis. It's called the Capital Club, a members-only club where business professionals can relax, socialize, conduct business, grab a hot lunch or a no-reservations evening dinner in a comfortable, inviting and high-class environment. What a great concept (nothing new in bigger cities...but to this Idaho boy it'll be my first "private club").
What's the appeal? It's not a prestige thing (at least not to me). In fact, I think in this area the "snob" approach will backfire. No...for me, the appeal is two fold. First, I can see myself conducting business at the club...taking prospects for a comfortable lunch meeting in a semi-private environment where I have all the resources I need at my fingertips. I can discuss contracts, make small group presentations and answer questions, all with a full bar, restaurant service and technology at my disposal. Second, I can see myself making business contacts and friendships with other memebers and guest...connections that will help myself and others do better business with better clients. It seems like a win-win to me.
If you've had experience with the private social clubs, I'd love your feedback. Good value? Good for business? Worthwhile socially?
If you're interested in learning more, check out this info (look for the PDF files as you follow the link):(www.capitalclubboise.com)
Consider you're on an airplane flying to some remote island far away. You're comfortably seated in a large leather seat in first class, stretched out with your shoes off, a good drink and a friendly passenger next to you. You can't wait to get to the island and have a couple days of much needed relaxation. But then, minutes after you pass the "point of no return" the pilot comes on the PA and announces in a somber and scared voice that there is a significant fuel leak. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we might have a problem reaching our final destination. It may be necessary to make a water landing. Please prepare yourselves..."
You pull out your cell phone and realize you have service, thanks to the plane's satelitte communications systems. Your first call goes to...
Who?
What if you knew your time was almost up? Would you call your stock broker (ugh...that's bad news anyway). Would you call your personal banker or your favorite car dealer? Would you call your clients and apologize for not being able to finish their loan or close on the home of their dreams? Who would you spend your last few minutes with?
Hopefully the answers to these questions will yield some perspective. It's interesting to see how we treat others in our day to day lives...and how we treat our family and friends. I know I've been guilty of giving 110% to my clients and saving only a few leftovers for my family. At the end of a long day, who gets the short end of the stick? Usually the people we love the most. It is meaningful to me, then, to realize and reinforce in my mind regularly that BALANCE is critical. Here's what balance means to me and my business coaching firm:
I have a balanced approach to life, remembering that my spiritual, social, physical and family aspects are just as important as my financial and intellectual. I complete my work and my most important tasks first, so I can have quality time to myself, with my family and also to renew.
Imagine the time and attention we could share with our loved ones if we perfected the skill of completing the most important work tasks FIRST instead of allowing ourselves to get sidetracked with the less important but easy-to-complete tasks. As Brian Tracy recommends..."eat that frog for breakfast"...and free up more time for the more important things.
Some of our other Points of Culture (the ones I've covered so far):
Committment; Ownership; Integrity; Excellence; Success; Education; Team Work
I love to see businesses succeed! As a business attorney and business owner, I know what it's like to live in the trenches (especially in this economy). Remember: Perspective + Planning = Achievemen
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