Mike Michalowicz's Blog, page 81
August 25, 2015
7 Apps That Should Be Banned From Your Office
We are all – whether we’re the employee or the employer – infinitely distractible. Studies have proven that multitasking is a myth – that while we can switch between and among tasks – we can’t actually do many things all at the same time. I learned a valuable lesson in my business about increasing productivity, and I’m going to share it with you.
In my office, we didn’t think we had a problem with the staff wasting time on apps that distracted them from their primary function – at least no one was willing to admit to wasting time on Candy Crush when they should have been coordinating calendars. Imagine our surprise when we installed a device that prohibited access to sites and apps that are major sources of time suckage in an office. Productivity magically increased, despite the claims that no one had been using those sites previously. We couldn’t argue with the results; many popular apps are bad for your business.
Here are the apps you need to eradicate from your workplace:
1. Any kind of virtual drive (Google Drive, Dropbox, Sugarsync, etc.) – Protect your proprietary information by making your data less portable. Virtual drives make your files much more susceptible to theft or even accidental sharing. An employee may legitimately have files, but if they’re accidentally shared along with his vacation pics, your information could end up in hands it shouldn’t. Should you absolutely need a virtual drive, your most secure choice is a corporate drive with far more security than the many free apps that make file sharing far too easy.
2. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, YouTube – these digital media players are far too tempting. Even if you access YouTube for a legitimate business reason, it’s far too easy to get sucked into True Facts About Sloths…and Land Snails…and Chameleons. You get the idea. Shut it down before it starts.
3. Angry Birds, Candy Crush, and the other addictive games – these games are expressly designed to entice folks who intend to play for a minute or two into losing huge blocks of time. Your staff may legitimately need breaks, but you’re much better off getting them up and away from their desks. A walk or even a Foosball game will help your staff decompress and be ready to get back to work.
4. Facebook, Google +, Twitter – Company policy must be clear here – business matters aren’t discussed on employees’ social media apps, and the apps aren’t used during the workday. Your social media team should be the only folks authorized to put your business out there on Facebook and Twitter. The last thing you want is for a potential client to read about inter-office drama in your company, and you must keep your business secure by limiting the number of people who share information publicly.
5. Pornography, gambling sites – There are lots of reasons to keep these vices out of your workplace, and lost productivity is one reason. The other biggie is to limit your company’s exposure to criminal investigations. You do not want to be part of a child pornography investigation and discover that your company’s computer had been used to store illegal material. Again – the goal is to head these things off before they start. These vices don’t ever belong in your office.
6. Most productivity apps (Orchestra, etc.) – You’d be surprised how much time you waste when you open an app, wait for it to load, remember what you wanted to record, and have to settle back into a task. Sometimes low-tech is best, and your biggest time saver could be a pen and paper. Jot notes and reminders as they occur to you, and you’ll be able to keep working without interruption.
7. Interoffice chat and texting – Multiple factors make this tip practical. First, your message is far more likely to be understood properly if you make a call than if your writing is misconstrued. Second, if you send a message and distract an employee who feels compelled to answer right away, you may be introducing a wake of disruption into their workflow that could last for up to fifteen minutes. It’s often quicker to pick up the phone, pass on the information, and let everyone get right back to work. Or use your pen and paper to remind yourself to deal with matters that aren’t time sensitive. We waste time when we convince ourselves that everything must be dealt with immediately.
You’re the captain of your company, and if an app doesn’t make your ship run more efficiently, then your best bet is to throw it overboard.
August 24, 2015
Episode 42: Office Products and Niche Focusing with Adam Smith and Jonathan Domsky
Show Summary
Adam Smith and Jonathan Domsky join us for Episode 42 of the Profit First Podcast. Adam talks about office products that can help protect your company. Jonathan tells us his journey of founding Kidorable and what it’s like to work with factories in other countries.
Our Guests
Adam Smith (left) is currently a Director of Marketing for ACCO Brands based in Lake Zurich, IL. He leads a team responsible for the integrated B2B marketing of brands including Swingline, Quartet, AT-A-GLANCE and Mead in the B2B market. He has been with ACCO Brands since 2010 and previously worked for Newell Rubbermaid and TTi on various durable goods categories and brands such as Hoover, Dirt Devil, Sharpie and Graco.
Jonathan Domsky (right) is co-founder and president of Kidorable. The company exists to delight both children and the adults who love them by transforming everyday, functional kids’ accessories into objects that excite their imaginations and enrich their lives at play.
Jonathan leads the company’s sales and operations (his wife and cofounder, Liping, is the creative force behind Kidorable’s success). They met and married in China in 1994. In essence, Kidorable is a love story.
Jonathan’s current project is the Kidorable Parenting Blog, helping parents make their family life more fun, easy, meaningful and joyous—due to launch late summer 2015.
Show Quotes
Data protection is a huge thing to focus on in the office; almost 90% of businesses still have sensitive information on paper (even in today’s world of technology!). It is so easy to through away or recycle paper without thinking twice about the information that is on it. Invest in a shredder!
Always ensure a product with good warranty.
When it comes to office supplies, people often under-buy what they need. Do your research before making a purchase.
If you choose to work with a manufacturing company outside of the U.S. you can work with an import/export company, or to work directly with the factories.
Always expect that there will be some intellectual leakage of your product. Be pro-active and set certain expectations with your employees and vendors.
Have a question you’d like us to answer on the air? Email Kristina or Mike!
Kristina@MikeMichalowicz.com
Mike@MikeMichalowicz.com
Show Links
Adam Smith
LinkedIn
Jonathan Domsky
Facebook
Website: www.kidorable.com
Corporate Partners
Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.
Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.
TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!
August 21, 2015
Don’t Change, Leverage
I was contacted by a business that’s struggling. Atypically, the concern was not financial. The founder was struggling with his own micromanagement. He can’t help but insert himself into every part of the business, unintentionally stunting the growth of his employees and his company.
It is a surprisingly common dilemma. Micromanagement was necessary in the early days. The entrepreneur needs to do it all, and manage a few people. There is no time devoted to systems and process, so everything just sits in the founders head and the “system” is micro-managing. But what got him here, won’t get him there. The fix?
Simple! Don’t fix it.
Let me explain. If the owner tried to defeat his micromanaging behavior, it would be a battle of willpower. It was a behavior that served him well. It was a habit that was chock full of successes and emotional rewards. His brain is literally wired to micromanage. And willpower won’t fix it.
He may be able to pull it off for a week or two. He may be able to loosen the reigns, briefly. But the moment something falls short of his expectations he will jump in again to micromanage. In fact, he is wired (like we all are) to keep our habits intact. So if he believes micro-managing is necessary, when he removes himself from doing it, he will unconsciously look for failures so he can return to micro-managing. He will look for any reason to sustain his established, old habit.
The solution isn’t to fix a habit, it’s to redirect it. Since his tendency is to constantly check-in and give input, we simply give him the “check-ins” before he seeks it out. Instead of him asking how things are going, triggering fear and inserting himself, he now gets reports that give him the status before he asks.
Studying his micromanaging ways, we found that he has “ten areas of concern.” Each employee now knows the ten situations that will trigger his micromanagement and always report the problem with a solution already in place.
Since the fear triggers have been removed, he no longer feels compelled to micromanage. He is using all this spare energy to sell the big deals. They didn’t have a financial problem before, just a management problem. Now they don’t have a management problem, and sales are on course to double.
Don’t try to willpower your way through habits; Understand their triggers and redirect the energy.
August 19, 2015
August 18, 2015
What Is Being In Control?
This is likely the most misunderstood concept circulating in modern day society. Being in control means that all the elements of your life are easily managed by you. Effectively you have all the dials of your life laid out in front of you and can turn them up or down as you wish.
Being in control means you have direct influence over your health, income, relationships, job, family, spirituality, and emotions. The reality is that is not possible. You can surely influence all of these categories, but you can’t control them.
You can improve and maintain your health, but you can’t prevent a lightning bolt from striking you dead. You can grow your income through hard (and smart) work, but you can’t stop the boss from whimsically firing you. You can work on great relationships, but for them to reciprocate they must do the same.
And so, in the greatest ironies of all, your thirst to be in control of all the elements of your life actually gives you less control. The harder the effort you make to be in control, the less and less possible it becomes. The more control you assert, the more you need to get involved in the uncontrollable minuta.
The desire to be controlling is controlling you. Release what you can’t control and delegate the things that are better controlled by other. Those two things will give you the greatest sense of control.
August 17, 2015
Episode 43: Content Sharing and Budget Management with Nathan Hecht and Gregg Hollmann
Show Summary
Business owner Nathan Hecht and Disk Jockey Gregg Hollmann join us for Episode 43 of the Profit First Podcast. Nathan gives insight to what his software can do for your business and gives tips on protecting your intellectual property. Gregg shares his story of how he grew his DJ business from part-time fun to full time profitability!
Our Guests
Nathan Hecht
Nathan Hecht is the mastermind behind Dstrux. The acclaimed platform to share self-destructing files on the web. He is also the Founder and CEO of Components Intl & CI Lumen Industries, the first LCD integration company to effectively deploy large- scale airport and mall digital signage systems.
Gregg Hollmann
Gregg Hollmann is a music lover who has parlayed his passion for music and parties into a thriving DJ entertainment company. A graduate of The College of New Jersey with a degree in business, Gregg caught the DJ bug in his late 20s and has not looked back.
His company, Ambient DJ Service, performs at over 350 events per year with its 15 DJ entertainers. Ambient DJs specializes in weddings, teen dance parties and corporate events.
Gregg is a highly-regarded expert in the DJ entertainment field, and has spoken at national conventions. For the past three years, Gregg has served as President of the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network (NJDJN), a premier professional DJ association. He publishes 100+ blog articles per year, and in addition is the author of the well-reviewed book “The Bride’s Guide to Selecting the Perfect Wedding DJ” – available on Amazon.
Two business mantras that he lives by are #ContinuingEducationCounts and #NetworkingWorks
Gregg resides in East Windsor with his wife and two children. His interests include reading, writing, international travel, Las Vega$, tennis, bodyboarding and creating mix CDs.
Show Quotes
When you share something over the web (email, social media, etc) you are essentially giving that information to the platform that you’re sharing it on. They can then use that information to advertise to you. The recipient that gets this information can also keep it.
Your small business is all about your intellectual property. Regardless of what business you’re in – everything that you are sharing is valuable to you. It’s important to protect that information!
It’s pretty common to have your business start out as a hobby. It is also important to know when it’s time to start charging for your services when you make the decision to turn your hobby into a business.
Keep a tight budget and avoid impulse purchases! You will be amazed at how much money you can save.
Have a question you’d like us to answer on the air? Email Kristina or Mike!
Kristina@MikeMichalowicz.com
Mike@MikeMichalowicz.com
Show Links
Nathan Hecht
Website: www.dstrux.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Dstrux
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DstruxInc
Gregg Hollmann
Website: www.ambientdj.com
Facebook. www.facebook.com/ambientdj
Blog: http://ambientdj.com/ambience-a-nj-dj-blog/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ambientdjs
Instagram: ambientdjs
Pinterest: pinterest.com/greggambient
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/gregg-hollmann
Corporate Partners
Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.
Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.
TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!
EPISODE 41: Accounting and Profitability with Dawn Brolin
Show Summary
Dawn Brolin, Managing Member of Powerful Accounting, LLC joins us for Episode 41 of the Profit First Podcast. Dawn deep dives into how to save money and increase profit in your business.
Our Guest
Dawn is a Certified Public Accountant and Managing Member of Powerful Accounting, LLC. Dedicated to working hand in hand with small business owners Dawn strives to “leave people better than she found them” through implementing good business processes. Her unconventional speaking strategies captivate and motivate an audience to take the next steps toward their success. She is co-host and founder of “The QB Show” weekly broadcast, has been named one of the “Top 40 under 40” by CPA Technology Magazine and one of the “Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting” three years running. She speaks regularly at national conferences and has been featured on MSNBC “Your Business.”
Show Quotes
What is your entity type? There may be additional tax benefits once you are profitable.
Don’t be scared! Be prepared.
There’s a fine line between spending money and investing money – even if it’s an expense it can still be an investment.
Lazor-focus on your books. Track your information and don’t co-mingle your funds! Look at what you are spending money on and the benefit that comes from it.
How do you know when cutting costs in your business works? Take a look at your profit margins.
If you’re at the 3 month mark after making a change and are not seeing a direct increase in sales, productivity, etc, then you may need to make another shift.
If a client is not fitting your culture, it is time to “pumpkin patch” them.
Clarity is power.
Have a question you’d like us to answer on the air? Email Kristina or Mike!
Kristina@MikeMichalowicz.com
Mike@MikeMichalowicz.com
Show Links
Twitter: @dawnbrolin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawn.brolin
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbrolin/
Website: www.powerfulaccounting.com, www.dawnbrolin.com
Blog: http://www.dawnbrolin.com/blog/
Corporate Partners
Nextiva – VOIP phone providers for small businesses.
Fundera – Single source online funding for entrepreneurs. Also offers an adviser program for CPAs, bookkeepers and business coaches.
TSheets – The #1 customer rated time tracking solution!
August 14, 2015
The Best Way To Break The Industry Rules
To know the rules is dangerous. You are likely to adhere to them.
Drive down a road without a speed limit sign, you’ll guess the likely speed limit and drive accordingly. You’ll adhere to a rule that might not even exist.
Conversely, if you had no concept of speed limits, you will drive differently. You’ll more likely adhere to the limits of the car, not the rule in your mind.
What’s the best way to break your industry’s rules? By not knowing them in the first place.
August 13, 2015
August 12, 2015
What Do You Want?
Of all the questions I ask, the one that gets the most lies in response is “What do you want?” I found that very few entrepreneurs really know. The most common responses (lies) are more money, more freedom, more something.
When I hear the first answer an entrepreneur gives me to this question, I then ask them “Why do you want that?” Some look puzzled, others give an answer that digs a little deeper, and yet others say “Because I just do” keeping us trapped in a circuitous discussion.
Regardless of what the answer is, I again ask why. And with the subsequent answer I ask why again. In fact, often I will peel back the onion until no onion is left. Requiring the entrepreneur to rethink all their motivates, dreams and ambitions.
Your business mastery depends on yourself mastery. It is important that you understand why you do what you do. You need to understand yourself at a core emotional level.
I do know this: At the end of the day, you will only excel at what you do if what you do brings you happiness. And you will only know if you are being successful if you have defined what that happiness is.
So, keep asking yourself “What do you want?” and “Why do you want it?” Even if you “know” the answer today, you might not tomorrow. Just keep asking. Daily. As the answers prevent themselves you will have provided your business with the greatest guidance it could ever ask for.
If you know what make your soul come alive, you too will know what will l make your business thrive.
