5 Ways to Enjoy Your Small Business Work Week More

I think all of us would like to get a little more enjoyment out of the sometimes more mundane things that we face on a daily base.  All too often work moves to the top of the list of things that people dislike.  Here are 5 ways that you can enjoy your business week more.

1) Incorporate One Passion Into the Work you Do-

Everyone has things that they love to do or information/ideas that they love to follow.  Our workload becomes far more interesting when we can find a way to bring that passion in to the things that we are doing in our jobs.  Take some time to make a list of the things that are most interesting to you.  Then make a list of some of your responsibilities or tasks at work.  Compare the two lists to see if there are some things from the first list that you can merge with the things that you are doing on the second list.  You would be surprise to see how you attitude about those tasks changes when you incorporate things you are passionate about.

2) Find a Way to Serve-

Service has an amazing way of invigorating the mind and motivating us to become more engaged in the work that we are doing.  Don’t discount the impact that it can have in making the work that we do become more meaningful.  Service can happen in a couple different ways: 1) plan projects with co-workers to build up  your community or 2) find ways to do something extra for clients, neighbors, co-workers or friends.  Set aside some time each week to do something entirely focused on someone else.  It will enrich your work week.

3) Cut Out the Unnecessary-

Take careful stock of all the tasks that you have on your to-do list.  What items are necessary?  What can be cut out or delegate?  When we do a better job of managing our time and our responsibilities, it can go a long way to giving us peace of mind and more enjoyment because we are doing more of what we enjoy and less of the mundane.  Now, unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to cut out all the mundane tasks that we have on our plates, but better time management will allow us to minimize the time wasters that we so often engage in.

4) Make a Friend-

People are really social creatures and it is critical for peace of mind to develop meaningful relationships.  This is especially true in business.  Your week will become more enjoyable as you find clients, customers and co-workers with whom you can have interesting conversations.  Be engaging with those around you and take some time to learn more about others.  Invite someone new to lunch this week.  Ask a client about their family.  Have a conversation that you wouldn’t normally have.

5) Stay Focused-

Finally, do your best to stay on task.  Work is most meaningful when it is done properly and with full energy.  Remove the things that normally distract you and focus on achieve all that you desire from your workday.  Be persistent and actively engaged in your tasks and they will become more enjoyable as time moves along.

LinkedIn Conversation: What are the greatest challenges facing your small business?

In addition to giving small business owners access to information and networking events, one of the goals of this blog is to create a forum for discussion for small business owners.  In order to facilitate this, I often ask questions of group members of the various LinkedIn groups I am a member of.  The responses vary, but I believe the questions allow small business owners to think about what they are doing and how they can improve.  This week I asked of the International Trade Network group: What are the greatest challenges facing your business?  I thought I would share my own response and another response that was give.  Share your thoughts and possible solutions in the comments section below.

Robert Rogers-

My great challenges that I am overcoming are creating connections and helping small businesses know and understand the value of having a small business attorney.  Connections are critical in any industry because that is what leads to ongoing business and improved word of mouth referrals.  The key efforts that I am making are in creating the appropriate environment when small business owners can see how I operate and what services I offer them.  Effectively and appropriately injecting myself into the conversation is critical.

Alexander Anisimov-

I guess it's establishing new contacts and moreover earning trust of the people you work with, because it requires time and patience. And of course, implementing the new deal at the very start is the most difficult. But if you've got the thing going it gets easier.

(Alexander runs a materials supply business.  For more information, click here.)

What challenges are you seeking to overcome?

Educating the International Small Business Owner

Here are some interesting articles and blog posts for international small business owners:

The Global Small Business Blog: How to do Business in India-

This article discusses and links to some great resources if you are a small business owner interested in doing business in India.  It is always important to make sure you cover all your bases when entering in to a new market.

America’s Best Business Practices: What Color is Your Small Business?-

Here is an article that gives some insights into the “Green Revolution” and its impact on small businesses.

E-Zine Article: Two Million Jobs Are Coming to the United States-

Here is an article about the potential impacts of the Export Initiative of the White House.

Entrepreneur Daily Dose: Listening in on the President's Entrepreneurship Summit-

Here are some insights that will help small business owners understand the focus and direction of the President regarding entrepreneurship.

MoneyTalksNews: Five Steps to Turn Your Hobby Into a Business-

Small businesses often grow from a hobby or interest of a small business owner.  Here are some tips if this is something you are considering.

MyVenturePad: Do you blog for international business?-

Here are some tips about the role that blogging can play in marketing your international small business.

The Daily MBA: The Fun of Guest Posting-

Another way to promote your business/material is by guest posting on some other small business blog or forum.  Here are some reasons why it may help your small business.

International and Small Business Events in South Florida: Week of April 19, 2010

Here are some upcoming events that small businesses can look out for in the coming weeks:

Week business events listed in the Miami Herald-

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/19/1581465/business-agenda.html

Palm Beach Post Business Events-

http://events.pbpulse.com/search?cat=3&st=event

Ft. Lauderdale Credit Repair Workshop-

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-credit-repair-workshop-0421,0,2021621.story

BizBash Expo Event-

http://premierguidemiami.com/bizbash-expo-debuts-in-florida/

South Florida Small Business Spotlight: Pati Vargas Entertainment

Each week, I spotlight a different small business with the intent of showcasing the variety of skills and opportunities that are presented in the small business community.  This is also to give small businesses a voice on their product/service as well as running a business.  For more questions or a request to be spotlighted, please send me an email at: www.corallaw.com.

This week, the spotlight is on Pati Vargas Entertainment.  Look for them to help out with your next event or promotion. Enjoy getting to know the company!

What is your business name?

PATI VARGAS ENTERTAINMENT

How long have you been in business?

3 1/2 YEARS

What industries do you serve?

CORPORATE, ARTS & CULTURE

What motivated you to start your own business?

MY PASSION, KNOWLEDGE AND RESPECT IN THE FIELD I'VE GAINED

If there is one aspect of your business that sets you apart, what would it be?

MY ABILITY TO WORK SPANISH PRODUCT IN THE ANGLO MARKET WITH EASE AND SUCCESS

What is your favorite part about owning a business?

I DO NOT WAIT FOR APPROVAL TO CONTINUE WITH A PROJECT

Who is your ideal client/customer?

EVERYBODY, I WILL WALK THE CLIENT/CUSTOMER THROUGH THE PROJECT AND HELP IN OTHER FIELDS TO MAKE EVENT SUCCESS

What is something that you have learned as a small business owner that could assist other small businesses?

YOU WORK 24/7 WITHOUT REALLY WORKING 24/7, SCHEDULE AND ORDER COME BEFORE THE PASSION AND DRIVE TO SUCCEED IN THE BUSINESS. 

Is there anything else that you would like to share about your business?  What is it?

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN AN VERY PLANNED OUT MANNER, GO VERY SLOW BUT ON TARGET.  NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH.  I.E.; REACHING TO DISNEY AND EVENTUALLY TAKING ONE OF THEIR MUSICALS ON TOUR WAS AN ABSOLUTE, AGAINST-ALL-ODDS SITUATION THAT CAME OUT BRILLIANTLY.

LinkedIn Conversations: What is Your Greatest Asset in International Business?

Each week I will start a different conversation in a LinkedIn group about a topic of use for small business owners.  I will post the responses to that conversation here in the blog with links to the contributors.  Often it is in the conversation that we get the solutions we need for our business.  Below is the first conversation:

What is your greatest asset in international business?

(From the International Business group on LinkedIn)

From Atacan Arica-

Robert:
I would like to use couple of bullet points for this question. I would assume that people commenting after me will change the priority of my list with their own experiences...
1) Language abilities well enough to understand the minute details of proper wording & correct translation in the context.
2) Great understanding of the culture/country/history of the colleagues that you are dealing with. Understanding of their "National Pride" factor.
3) Understanding of the business customs and how it is conducted (office table or dinner table) as well as time management expectations-a New York minute is different than New Delhi minute.
4) Understanding of how the management decisions are made and who makes them. How do they say "no" to you or to your business endeavor. Different management styles (American, European or Eastern) will yield different results.
5) Finally: Patience.
Hope this helps.
Ata

Response from Ursula Pfahl-

Ata:
Excellent list of attributes required for success in doing business internationally.
Ursula

Response from Lionel Frey-

Ata:
Well said. The cultural aspect cannot be understated. There are so many varying customs when it comes to things like even presenting a business card to friends in other countries that it really pays to make an effort in understanding those nuances even prior to beginning building relations in those markets. Recent experiences in both Brazil and India show marked differences in certain aspects, while some other aspects seem more universal.
A deeper understanding of those customs results in more trust built, which inevitably leads to stronger opportunities for business.
Lionel

Response from Jay Banerjee-

Ata:
All contributors correctly state the key factors. On how to ensure success and grow your business in the particular region depends (depending on the nature of the business), on having a trusted, dependable and well-respected local partner, or presence. Many failures and financial misadventures are attributable to either a lack of it or the determination to develop the local foothold over time, as a Global Company doing business locally. Would you agree?
Jay

Response from Eric Delarue-

To what Robert said, I would add
6/ Respect: Too often would-be exporters treat their overseas clients as second rate customer, i.e "we should do business the way we do it here in the U.S"
7/ Understanding that " I am interested " in China does NOT mean " I am interested" in Germany, i.e the ability to interpret the same business statement across various business cultures

Response from Atakan Arica-

Jay:
I would agree with you that it is crucial to have a local trusted partner and It should be cultivated over time as you stated.
Market entry strategies (as well as exit strategies) will be different based on your product/service and usually needs to be modified for the local tastes/needs. A competent partner is certainly valuable to work with customization as well as creating the backbone infrastructure for the local human talent management for expanded operations. A steady pipeline of qualified personnel with the right management team will create the necessary sustainable operations and hopefully the profits as well. Local operators can also mitigate the political risk as well as the unfortunate corruption in certain environments.
My last paragraph sounds very cliche but I have met many successful & and smart operators that did not subscribed this simple plan & in return, they lost their sizable investments in foreign countries.
Ata

Response from Arthur Michael Devine-

My best asset is understanding people. This helps overcome all barriers.

Response from Marty Gofberg-

My best assets is the ability to communicate and help parties and stakeholders in conflict come to a equitable solution that is durable and long lasting. The tricky part is the turning those assets into viable business revenue,
Hence the reason for this social networking site and the ability to connect with so many potential consumers of dispute resolution services worldwide.
Please feel free to contact me if I can be of service.
Kindest regards to all !
Marty Gofberg

Response from Joe C. Burke-

I would add: a nonstop, proactive effort to understand the cultural and business practices of each country in which you would operate. Also, a concerted effort to learn how to pronounce and remember, names. It is a great insult to mispronounce someone's name in many cultures.

Response from B. Lee Jones-

Ata,
Understanding...the people, their culture and their language. Being multi-lingual has always opened many doors for me in business.

Response from Dirk Seggelmann-

Robert:
I believe to summarize, it comes down to exactly the two success factors that matter most in any business: Information and Communication
You need to not only be able to speak to people in their native language, but also be able to know what they truly understand when you say something. If you consider information not a product, but a human process of interpretation, I think you are on the right way to get inside the business and the people in the foreign country.
I know this might be a rather academic or philosophical rather than practical approach, I find it an important perspective nonetheless that should help you formulate the questions that you should be asking your future partners/customers in the foreign country.
Good luck,
DS

Response from John Papathanassiou-

Dirk,
I like Lee Jones' response. It is straight to the point and accurate. I would have also included patience, lots of patience, as well.
In working the international marketplace, do not be rushed. Learn the ground rule well and quickly, because each country/region/territory has its own idiosyncrasies.

5 Ways to Improve Your Contracts

Every small business owner should have a good handle on what is in each of their contracts and should play some role in their development.  The reason for this is that contracts can play an important role in shaping the nature of the business that is performed.  Here are five “c’s” to focus on while developing your contracts.  Feel free to add any suggestions that you may have in the comments:

1) Clarity

Make sure that you and whomever you are contracting with understand the nature and the terms of the contract.  While it is relatively simple these days to purchase or download template contracts for your small business, it does not necessarily mean that they will be a clear outline of what the two parties are planning on doing.  For a contract to be truly effective, it needs to be clear.

2) Conversation

Take the time to discuss with the necessary parties what everyone thinks their role and others’ roles are in the agreement.  A contract, in essence, is the written summation of what the parties agree their roles and responsibilities are.  Talk about it.  Negotiate it.  Make sure everyone understands what they should do and what others expect.

3) Consistency

Contracts are much easier to manage if you establish a level of consistency in each transaction.  While each deal is different, there are many similarities from deal to deal.  The more consistency you can create, the easier your job is.

4) Cooperation

Too many people feel like business needs to be dog-eat-dog.  Real, meaningful business is about relationships.  Work hard to establish those relationships and then use any agreement to maintain that.  Work together to build consensus on what the business relationship will be.  Create opportunities to succeed and be reasonable with mistakes.  We all make them.

5) Cohesiveness

At the end of the day, it is important to make sure that your agreements work together.  This can mean across deals (duties and responsibilities in one contract should not conflict with duties and responsibilities in another contract) as well as within a specific contract.  Make sure that there is harmony in the work that you are doing and there is less likelihood of difficulty.

The Impact of Values in a Cross Cultural Business Context

Included below is an interesting article about business, values and international transactions.  Most of the principles about these interrelationships and connections internationally actually have direct application in the work that you do locally.  Miami, where I practice and live, is a very cosmopolitan place with numerous cultures and values represented.  Because business is fundamentally about creating and maintaining effective relationships, it is critical to know the values and background of those with whom you are interacting.  This occurs both locally and internationally.  Here are some great insights about that process:

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Impact-of-Values-in-a-Cross-Cultural-Business-Context&id=1077313

Partners for Self Employment Small Business Seminar:

I will be teaching at the following event-

PARTNERS FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT INC

PRESENTS

A FREE WORKSHOP BY

ROBERT ROGERS, P.A.

“LEGAL ENTITIES”

LEARN THE BEST WAY TO STRUCTURE YOUR BUSINESS

IF YOU OWN OR WANT TO OWN A BUSINESS YOU CANNOT MISS THIS WORKSHOP!

Business Entity Workshop Outline:

I. Title

a. “Understanding Florida Business Entities”

II. Discussion items

a. What are my options for business structuring in Florida?

b. What are the general tax consequences of each business entity?

c. How will each business entity protect my personal assets?

d. Learn how to use company structure to create flexibility in ownership.

e. How can I structure my business to prepare for future success and growth?

f. How can I change my entity if a different one is a better fit for my company structure?

g. Review concerns specific to small and emerging businesses regarding entity setup.

III. Sidebar Items

a. Develop a general understanding of business entities in the state of Florida

b. Gain valuable information from an attorney about how to use the Florida business entities.

c. Due to limited seating please RSVP: cornell@partnersforselfemployment.com

d. When: April 7 2010

e. 7pm-8:45pm

f. Where: 3000 Biscayne Blvd. Ste. 215, Miami, FL 33137

g. FREE PARKING AVAILABLE

DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ON BISCAYNE BLVD

PLEASE ENTER 30^TH STREET FROM NE 2d AVENUE

3 Reasons You Should Use Google Alerts In Your Business

Love it or hate it, Google has created numerous web resources that can be of great benefit to business owners.  One such resources is the Google Alert feature.  Here are three reasons that your business should consider using Google Alerts:

 

Monitor Your Brand-

Google Alerts can be an excellent way of monitoring your brand on the internet.  By setting up an Alert for your company name, a product, or your own name, you are able to track what is being said about you or your product on the internet.  This allows you to efficiently respond to any potential concerns in a timely way and better engage in the conversation about your brand.

 

Monitor Your Competitors-

Also, as you are monitoring your own brand, you can also monitor what competitors are doing or what is being said about them using an Alert.  Again, by doing a search for a major competitor’s name/products, you can track what their successes and failures may be and adjust your marketing/game plan accordingly.  This can be an effective resource for market research and SWOT analysis.

Understand Trends in Your Industry-

By using Google Alerts to monitor industry topics, you will be better able to adapt what you are doing to changes in your industry.  You can also gain access to resources that will help you improve your understanding of general business topics that you may feel you need some further education on.  The benefit is, whatever you are interested in tracking and learning about, you can monitor with a Google Alert.

 

What other resources do you suggest using?  Add in the comments below:

International Trade Workshop Series

The Miami Free Trade Zone is hosting an international trade workshop series for small and medium sized businesses.  Here is some information:

The 2010 Import / Export Workshops
Session 1: Importing into the United States for International Trade Professionals
Thursday, March 25, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Session 2: Exporting Compliance for International Trade Professionals
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Session 3: Importing Food Products in Compliance with FDA and U.S. Customs Rules
Thursday June 3, 2010 (8:00 am – 11:00 am)
Cost to attend each event is $30. Light refreshments will be served.
If you wish to pay by check, please indicate which session(s) and date
you will be attending and make the check payable to
Trade Mission Center of the Americas, Inc. and mail to:
Jay Malina International Trade Consortium
111 NW 1st Street, Suite 2200 Miami, Florida 33128
Seating is limited, so please register now!

Another blog discussing the event:

http://exportamos.com/?p=1980

Access to Information:

One of the biggest drawbacks to the increased access to information that the internet gives us is the difficulty of sifting through everything to get to the information that you need.  This is especially true when looking through blogs and other user-generated content.  Here are some resources that help you sift through information to get to content that is useful:

http://alltop.com/

http://globalvoicesonline.org/

And here is some guidance about how to select blogs from the OPEN Forum:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/how-to-decide-what-blogs-to-read-4-steps-trent-hamm

2nd Annual Florida-China Business Summit

2nd Annual Transit Summit: Miami-Dade County

Creating Forecasting for Business Units

It is necessary in business to take the time to forecast or project how your business will perform in the immediate and the long term future.  Here are some basic tips:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/create_forecast.html

Global Entrepreneurship Week in Miami-

Don't Miss GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK At the University of Miami's Toppel Career Center More than 50 Global Entrepreneurship Week events are planned at the University of Miami November 16-20, 2009 RSVP at www.thelaunchpad.org/GEW Global Entrepreneurship Week Highlights University of Miami Monday, November 16th 10 a.m.-noon: Entrepreneurship Fair, University Center 3:30 p.m.: Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship, Maurice Gusman Concert Hall 7 p.m.: Six Degrees to Success: The Art of Networking, Storer Auditorium Tuesday, November 17th 10 a.m.: Laurie Silvers, co-founder of the Sci-Fi Network, School of Communications, Shoma Hall Noon-2 p.m.: Entrepreneurs of the Internet Panel, Contemporary Judaic Studies Auditorium 4 p.m.: Romero Britto, Storer Auditorium 6 p.m.-9 p.m.: An Evening with Fashion Entrepreneurs, including Donald J. Pliner; Storer Auditorium Wednesday, November 18th 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Women in Entrepreneurship Day at Jungle Island; keynote speaker is Suzy Welch (panels are free; fee for luncheon) 3:30 p.m.: Watch first-round eliminations in Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library 5:30 p.m.: Leonard Abess, CEO, City National Bank, Storer Auditorium 6 p.m.-8 p.m.: Presentation of Ten9Eight and Q&A with filmmaker Mary Mazzio, Cosford Theater Thursday, November 19th 10:30 a.m.: Watch second round, Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library Noon to 6 p.m.: Social Entrepreneurship Summit, University Center Friday, November 20th 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Watch finale of Elevator Pitch contest, Toppel Library 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Gaming and Mobile Applications Fair and Summit with founders of AlienWare, Destructoid and GameRecruiter, University Center Miami Dade College Miami Dade College is hosting more than a dozen events on its campuses. Go to www.mdc.edu/business or call 305-237-0620 for a complete list. Here are a few: Wednesday, November 18th 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Can You Sell It? A competition, InterAmerican Campus, Flag Courtyard 9:15 a.m.: Kenneth Rader, founder and CEO of the Cereal Bowl, Wolfson Campus, Room 1264 10:30 a.m.: How a Reality Show Affected My Business, Wolfson Campus, Room 1264  For more information on all of The Launch Pad's events and to RSVP: www.thelaunchpad.org/gew-calendar thelaunchpad@miami.edu 305.284.2789

Is Offshore Business Right for you?

The link below is for an article that helps business owners navigate the pros and cons of offshore businesses.  The key to starting any new venture successfully is investigation, information and adaptation.  You need to learn about the industry and see if your skills fit the venture well.  Enjoy the read:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Offshore-Business-the-Right-Business-For-You?&id=3239608

Establish Daily Forecasting

Managing labor and resources is especially important to small business owners in this economy.  Here is a good article on things to do to establish daily forecasts:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2009/11/establish_daily.html

Sell Value, NOT Time

One struggle that many businesses face is how to quantify the value of the product or service that they provide.  Here is an interesting article about what pricing figures should be based on; especially in services businesses.  Enjoy the read:

http://blog.smallbusinessadvice.com/2009/10/21/sell-value-not-time.aspx?ref=rss

Small Business Counselor Video Series

Here is the link to the weekly videos that I am putting together for the benefit of small business owners.  I will also post the videos as blog entries here.  Feel free to share with your friends and associates:

http://robertmrogers.snappages.com/small-business-counselor-video-series.htm