I read the paper the other day and came to the realization that our current Canadian economy is in a bad space. In fact, our dollar is significantly lower than our neighbours—the United States. This is terrible news, especially during a major event such as the Pan Am Games happening in Toronto. As a business owner, during these hard times, the worst thing you can do is panic.

As I’ve grown as a business man the best advice I’ve given myself is to ‘hope for the best, and expect the worse’—this statement has kept me focused and mindful of making smarter decisions, as opposed to acting on impulse. The economy is always changing, and in rare cases we have total control.

People say the best time to start a new company is during an economic downturn. I personally believe this is true. With the mindset of serving people, sometimes economic hardship could be the best time to bring forth a new idea. When starting a business think about the cause. What are you bringing into the market place to serve the people. Find out what your passion is, plan accordingly, and make sure you commit to it – this should be your entrepreneurial mindset.

Never let a lack of money hold you back. The tough economy weeds out those who don’t have the drive to stick through new ventures. If there’s a lot of money out there, anyone can get in the game. You’ll attract more investors and raise more awareness around what you’re building, especially if you’re successful during a tough time. Another aspect is, once you’re able to leverage the resources you have from the time spent to the people you’ve invested in, it can become a great learning experience—setting you up for future success.

Lastly, you have to stay persistent. Ask yourself what you have failed at and your answers may be quite interesting. These things will make you look at things in a different light as you reflect. Don’t ever count on luck, because there’s no plan in luck.

So with that said, make the commitment, find a problem—then solve it. Think BIG, and remember you can’t do it alone. Learn from the best. And don’t forget: be persistent, persevere, and prevail.

Yours,
Frank.

We’re in the month of June here in Canada. Very exciting in terms of weather, but in business – sometimes things can turn cold. In the summer months there’s vacation time, holidays, and not to mention the attitude to relax and go out and enjoy the ‘heat’. In result, this can make it harder to reach annual goals internally.

When you are selling, getting connected to decision makers is critical. Whether it’s current clients, referrals or cold leads you can’t sell to people you can’t communicate with.

To get the most out of this summer’s selling season, you need to do a few things -differently.

Here are some recommendations that I instill in to practice here at the Wish Group to ensure as a whole we meet our goals and objectives for the quarter:

1. Build your calendar now for the entire summer.

This is very important. Right now in June, these are the times during which making new connections or getting current deals to close are going to be the most difficult. They should include holiday weeks as well as your own vacation weeks.

You’ll need to use those weeks for something other than the final stages of closing or the initial stages of opening new relationships.

2. Talk to key clients now.

I hope you’ve been building and maintaining a rapport on all your prospects. I guarantee that Summer vacations are already on many of your client’s calendars. Get them on your calendar too. Build a relationship by asking about their vacation plans and set up a time to follow- up once they get back so that it’s fresh on their mind in their work week.

3. Think past your buyer to the decision-making network.

Often several people have to sign off on on purchases or proposal approvals. If you don’t know when the key players in your deals will be gone, then your contract can get delayed. Ask the right questions to get the information you need to ensure you can close the deal and within your desired time frame.

4. Use the summer to set up for the fall.

As a result, the transition from summer to fall is like shifting from first gear to fifth in about a two-week period.  Use the summer for planning so you can set yourself up for this burst of activity between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Your goal should be to make your goals and obtain your bonuses by the end of the fiscal year. Don’t wait. Start now!

5. Consider syncing your vacation plans.

Try and identify a period during the summer that will be the least productive for you, that may be a good time to take your own vacation. Take that time to recharge so you can be ready during the more high productivity periods.

The highest-level performers always  try to get the most for any investment of time. Looking more strategically at your summer can help you make the best use of your own time.

Have a great week!

Frank.

Being an entrepreneur you’re prone to wear many hats. In fact, sometimes you’re called upon to take a role you may have never thought you could do. One thing I’ve taught myself in running a business is that if I don’t know how to do something I’ll either find someone who knows how to do it or learn how to do it myself.

Of course, the most cost-effective way is to learn to do it yourself. For those who are conditioned to think that learning only happens in a classroom, the world of self-learning can be a little scary at first but in order to be successful you’ll sometimes have to teach yourself how to get it done.

Here are a few tips that have helped me learn different skills to be a better success not just individually, but for those around me.

1. Get interested

There must be a problem you need to solve or a reason you’ve thought about learning something new. Your interest in the subject is the essential driver of success. You can’t learn what you do not want to learn. Emotion is an important part of the learning process. If you are even moderately interested in a subject, give yourself  a chance. The key is to get started. If you can create a routine, you may find that the subject grows on you. 

2. Expect problems and you won’t be disappointed.

Don’t expect to understand things at first or even remember them. Things will get clearer as your brain logs with new information. Keep at it, and you will gradually find that things that seem difficult at first, will become second nature with time.

3. Anytime is learning time.

Take full advantage of the Internet and various mobile devices, books and magazines. Anytime is learning time. Remember, you are learning through exposure, not by nailing things down. So the more you learn with experience, the better of you’ll be.

4. Join learning communities.

Join a learning community on the web, where members share their knowledge and experience. Search for the communities that suit your interests and learning style. You will find encouragement, advice and stimulus from fellow learners, as well as from tutors, teachers and coaches. In these communities, you can measure your progress against your own goals, or compare your experience with that of other learners. You can even teach and help others, which is a great way to learn. I love LinkedIn. It’s a great way to connect with like minded individuals and industry related professionals.

Never has it been easier nor more exciting to be a learner. Let constant learning be a major part of your life-style. The rewards will be constant, personally, socially, and professionally.

Remember that learning is always earning. You either WIN or you learn.

Frank.