Dave Crenshaw's Blog, page 49

SAM: The Sidekick to Your Focused Business

All businesses are “make believe” until someone makes them real.

Have a good look around the next time you visit a big city. Look at the buildings, the businesses, the shops and the restaurants. They wouldn’t exist without visionary leaders who had the audacity to dream about them first.

But how do you keep your dream alive when the daily grind of keeping a business alive wears you down? Your imagination can help here, too. Start with an imaginary sidekick, a confidant, someone to help you process your frustrations.

My new video introduces you to SAM, the best imaginary friend a business will ever have.

When you’re finished watching, get to know SAM better in my new book, The Focused Business. Learn more at http://focusedbusiness.com.

By the way, The Focused Business started out as an idea, too: entrepreneurs like you are superheroes.

Action Steps:

To get the most out of this experience, write down the biggest frustration at your business or in your life.  
Be honest and ask yourself questions related to Systems, Accountability and Motivation.

Is it possible to invent and implement a system to take care of your frustration?
Do you regularly follow up with your employees and clients? Do you have someone outside of yourself to hold you accountable?
Are you and your employees truly motivated? Align their motivations with your business needs.


Do you want to get on the fast track to learning more about the villains you face as an entrepreneurial superhero? Go straight to Amazon and buy yourself a copy of The Focused Business.

Principles to Learn:

The three business fundamentals are Systems, Accountability, and Motivation.
If you lack just one of these elements, your business will be attacked by the evil forces of chaos. Learn more at http://focusedbusiness.com.

The post SAM: The Sidekick to Your Focused Business appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Triumph Over Chaos.

“The Focused Business” is Now on Sale!

If you’re in a hurry and you already know about my book, go here to grab The Focused Business NOW! 

For everyone else:

My third book, The Focused Business: How Entrepreneurs Can Triumph Over Chaos, is now available at Amazon.com!

Through real-world examples, in-depth worksheets, and a healthy dose of wit, The Focused Business helps business owners and their key employees develop an action plan to overcome the prime culprit of small business failure: CHAOS.

This book is over fifteen years in the making. Everything inside is crafted to be both entertaining and actionable. The content has been rigorously field-tested. I consider it the very best of my work.

Check out just a few of the early reviews:

“Crenshaw has mastered the perfect recipe for small business success. This book rocks!”

Iron Chef Michael Symon
“This is the one book I wished I had when I first started out in business. The Focused Business is jam-packed with street-smart strategies to help you achieve success NOW. Crenshaw rips apart all your excuses and will jump-start you on your way to the profits you deserve!”

“Famous Dave” Anderson
“Dave has perfectly captured the sobering reality of an entrepreneurial existence. Follow his advice and your path to excellence and the ‘ultimate harvest’ will be more rewarding and a lot less stressful. I wish this book existed five years ago.”

Raegan Moya-Jones, CEO and co-founder of Aden & Anais

…and many more! Learn more and watch the exciting book trailer at FocusedBusiness.com!

Buy two copies: one for yourself, and one for another business owner you know. They’ll thank you for giving them the best gift their business has ever received.

Action Steps:

Go to Amazon.com to buy your copy of the focused business here: http://amzn.to/ZlCQo9

Principles to Learn:

The Focused Business teaches business owners how to triumph over chaos in their small business.

 

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Stop The “Customer is Always Right” Bully

Do some customers bully your business? You know who they are. These customers suck your business dry and leave nothing in return.

No matter what they say, all you hear from them is “the customer is always right!”

Learn about ways to recognize customers who abuse their power in my new video.

Action Steps:

Watch for the question “can’t you make an exception?” Siphons ask you to make major, extra-special changes just for them.
Pay attention to your emotions and the emotions of your employees. If a particular customer makes everyone feel uncomfortable, start thinking about how to end the relationship tactfully.
Watch for opportunities to refer siphons to other businesses that are better suited to help them. This is the easiest way to dispatch your siphons.
On this page, share other ideas on how to deal with siphon-customers.

Principles to Learn:

Some customers will take more from your business than they pay for. I call these customers “siphons” in my upcoming book, The Focused Business.
It’s true. The customer is always right. But sometimes “that customer” isn’t always right for your business.
When you’re honest with customers and refer them to businesses better suited for their needs, you’ll improve your business’s authority and reputation

The post Stop The “Customer is Always Right” Bully appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

The Best Entrepreneurs Never Break This Business Rule

Have you ever felt like you were inconveniencing a small business with a simple call to place an order?

You could be making the same mistake by breaking a little known and often overlooked business rule.

Find out how to make it stop in this short video. Please watch and share your thoughts.

Action Steps:

Strive to reduce the time it takes for customers to check out at your business.
Accept ALL major credit cards.
Make it as easy as possible for people to sign contracts by using online tools like Adobe EchoSign.
Share other ideas on this page.

Principles:

Once you’ve done the hard work of gaining a customer, it needs to be as easy as possible for your customer to pay you.
If it’s not easy to pay you, customers you’ve already invested time and money in acquiring may walk away.

The post The Best Entrepreneurs Never Break This Business Rule appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

Eliminate This Weird Paradox to Save Time

You spend a lot of time doing things you’re unaware of. Your brains tricks you into thinking that focusing on these hidden tasks will save time in your workday.

It won’t.

Find out why in my new video. I’ll share one trick to uncovering lots of hidden hours monthly.

Action Steps:

Make yourself aware of all the time you spend processing.
Create a schedule to recapture the switching cost associated with processing tasks and save time at your business.
Share your stories below. Let’s talk.

Principles to Learn:

Most professionals waste hours and hours because they are unaware of the time they spend switching from task to task.
Processing is the act of deciding WHAT the next step is, WHEn it will be done, and WHERE an item’s home is.
You will save time when you start focusing on the time you spend processing.

The post Eliminate This Weird Paradox to Save Time appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

The Best Trait an Entrepreneur Can Have

It takes courage, grit and determination to start a successful business. It also takes a bit of blind confidence…if not a touch of madness.

Given these most common traits of entrepreneurs, they may have the tendency to develop blind spots. In short, business owners often don’t know what they don’t know.

If you’re an entrepreneur, how can you protect yourself from these blind spots?

Find out in my new 3 minute video.

Action Steps:

Listen. When you talk, you’re depriving yourself of the opportunity to learn from others. Make it a point to be quiet and listen to what other people have to say.
Create systems to collect employee feedback.
Find a business coach. Your favorite team doesn’t go without a coach. Neither should your business.
Make time for quiet time at least once a day.
Please share your thoughts in the comments section on this page.

Principles:

Listening and quiet time are closely related. When you let other people talk, you will find they have things to teach you. When you make time for quiet time, you’ll find the quiet has things to teach you, too.
Your employees know your blind spots. They know all about your “unknown unknowns.” Listening to them will keep you from getting broadsided by the things you don’t know you don’t know.
Coach > Accountability Partner. An accountability partner will default to being your friend when things get tough. A coach will get tough with you when things get tough. It’s the extra push that makes all the difference.

The post The Best Trait an Entrepreneur Can Have appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

Company Vision: Dream Big Without Getting Hurt

The reality of big dreams is they take a long time to achieve. It’s easy for your dreams to get the best of you when they’re too big to achieve in the short term.

Big dreams can be a huge motivation killer, especially when they are hitched to your company vision.

Find out how to get the most out of dreaming big in this short video.

Action Steps:

Create a vision. Allow yourself to dream big. Create your “castle in the clouds.” Most importantly, set a target date by which you want to accomplish your company vision.
Break your big dream into smaller targets to keep it from becoming a motivation killer.
Ask yourself what the next step is in accomplishing your goal.
Please share your insights or ask questions below.

Principles to Learn:

The key to motivation is consistent progress over time.
Dreaming big has value, but may kill your motivation if you fail to make consistent progress over time.
By setting small, bite-sized targets, your small successes will motivate you while you’re working toward your biggest goals.

The post Company Vision: Dream Big Without Getting Hurt appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

Don’t Cut Costs to Save Money in Your Business

Businesses never make money by saving money. Instead of trying to save money in your business, you must invest your money in such a way that it earns a return for your business.

Instead of cutting costs, watch this short video and inspire yourself to start thinking about where you should be investing your resources.

Action Steps:

Calculate your Cost Per New Customer, or CPNC. Your CPNC is your customer’s projected value divided by 3. This calculation satisfies the “Rule of 3″ from the video.
Find ways to invest in increasing your customers’ loyalty to your business. Is there a way to make your customers thrilled, happy or excited about doing business with you? Brainstorm some ideas, pick one and execute it.
Share some of your suggestions on how to make wise business investments on this page.

Principles:

The Rule of 3 says that every dollar spent should add at the very least $3 to your bottom line.
By using the Cost Per New Customer (CPNC), you’ll increase the odds that your make money in your business when advertising.
Investments in customer loyalty tend to yield the highest returns for small businesses.

The post Don’t Cut Costs to Save Money in Your Business appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

Three Methods for Work Life Balance

Everyone needs time to transition from work time to personal time. Think about this in terms of driving a car. If you change the gears too fast, the gears don’t mesh. They grind.

Your family and friends will notice that you’re still “at work” if you fail to draw a line in the sand between your work time and your personal time. It grinds their emotional gears.

Find your work life balance by using the methods I teach in this short video.

Action Steps:

You can use a commute to transition from work to personal time. Instead of listening to work related things when you’re in the car, listen to something that addresses your personal interests.
Many people exercise at the end of their work day. This will give you more energy for the remainder of the day, too.
You can also use a hobby to help make a mental transition. I play video games for 30 minutes a day after work every single day. Find something that works for you regardless of how silly it seems.
Please share other ideas for transition activities in the comment section below.

Principles to Learn:

Transition activities help your mind make the mental switch from work time to personal time.
Transition activities can help you improve your work life balance by telling your mind “it’s time to stop working!”
There are many ways to “power down” from your work day.

The post Three Methods for Work Life Balance appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.

3 Methods for Work Life Balance

Everyone needs time to transition from work time to personal time. Think about this in terms of driving a car. If you change the gears too fast, the gears don’t mesh. They grind.

Your family and friends will notice that you’re still “at work” if you fail to draw a line in the sand between your work time and your personal time. It grinds their emotional gears.

Find your work life balance by using the methods I teach in this short video.

Action Steps:

You can use a commute to transition from work to personal time. Instead of listening to work related things when you’re in the car, listen to something that addresses your personal interests.
Many people exercise at the end of their work day. This will give you more energy for the remainder of the day, too.
You can also use a hobby to help make a mental transition. I play video games for 30 minutes a day after work every single day. Find something that works for you regardless of how silly it seems.
Please share other ideas for transition activities in the comment section below.

Principles to Learn:

Transition activities help your mind make the mental switch from work time to personal time.
Transition activities can help you improve your work life balance by telling your mind “it’s time to stop working!”
There are many ways to “power down” from your work day.

The post 3 Methods for Work Life Balance appeared first on Dave Crenshaw | Helping Entrepreneurs Outwit Chaos.