Feb 14 2012

Ramp Up Business – Corporate Expansions

The Editor @ 12:05 pm

In a tunnel under the border of France and Switzerland, protons are being smashed head on in a huge contraption called the Large Hadron Collider.  The point of the operation is to find the origins of creation, the Higgs Boson which, according to the theories of physicists, is the stuff from which all is built.

You can imagine the planning that went into building the Collider, the protocol put into place to ensure safety (after all, collision of the atom gave us Hiroshima!).  And now, it has been reported that more careful planning is leading to the ramping up of operations.  BBC today reported that now the scientists will  “increase the energies of the bunches of subatomic particles called protons that it smashes together.”  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17025708.

The ramp up will be a 14% increase, making a sum total “collision energy of 8 trillion electron volts.”

You planned for your business, created your business vision, the operations manual, all the protocol.  You are in business already, but you want to ramp it up a few notches.  What do you do?  Many business owners believe you just ramp up the energy.  However, many case studies will point out that just ramping up operations without solid planning can cause a business to fold.

Just as physicists must ramp up the pace in their Collider, a business owner must do careful, prudent planning before going for an expansion.

Your business plan has to be overhauled and updated.  New job descriptions and protocol must be drafted, employees trained and policies and procedures put into place that will encompass all the added responsibilities and activities.

Answer these questions before ramping up operations:  what resources will you need to increase operations, what additional staff and consultants, how will added workflow impact current successful outcomes and how do you keep your current success in place, even as you expand.

Explode profits, without imploding your business.

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Feb 08 2012

How to Visualize it Done

Randy Joy @ 9:00 am

 

The best emails I get in my business consulting company are those with one word-DONE.  How many times have you waited painfully for someone to complete a task for you?

Next time you ask someone to perform a task, visualize getting an email the next day saying done.  Now that you are dreaming of having it done, make sure that vision comes to fruition.

How?  State your expectations and train those around you to just get it done by being unambiguous about it.  It is always good to be clear about what you expect, in what shape and form and by when you want it done.

Enjoy seeing results now.

And return the courtesy — when you’ve completed something, email back “done” .


Feb 07 2012

How to Empower your Team to Make Positive Change

Randy Joy @ 11:00 am

 

As an NYC business consultant, I am asked to help align the team toward the CEOs vision.  Here is how to can rally the troops behind your leadership:

1. Be crystal clear where you want to lead the team

2. Communicate your vision to the team – carefully choose the environment to show you are serious about your decision  and optimistic about the future

3. Take action – quickly show your team you are serious about the change and make things happen

4. Track the change to demonstrate the amount of change after each month, quarter and year.  Progress breeds progress

5. Celebrate those changes

 

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Jan 24 2012

4 Things a Business Consultant Can See

Randy Joy @ 10:00 pm

 

1-Perception of your business, just by walking in the door.

2-Your value system, just by how she is greeted and how people interact.

3-The heiracherial structure based on where people are seated.

4-CEOs purpose based on what they speak mostly about.

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Jan 19 2012

8 Impactful Speech Rules

Randy Joy @ 2:00 am

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our company helps clients create impactful speeches for investors, prospect clients, and their own employees.  Here is the quick list of how to do it yourself:

1. Be very clear what is it you intend to communicate.  First be very clear on your thoughts, then your writing and finally your speech.

2. Determine 3 take aways you want to give your audience

3. Think of a story to engage your audience right away

4. Decide what you want your audience to feel during the presentation.

5. Change the mood, pitch and tone of the speech often to keep your audience engaged.  Think of a movie with moments of laughter, tears or awe.

6. Create a visual speech  – showing your audience your message is better than telling them.

7. Share with your audience that the nuggests you are giving them are gifts.  It is important to tell someone that you give them gifts when you do.

8.  Offer a next step to your speech such as how they can incorporate the knowledge into their lives or implement it in their company.

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Jan 04 2012

How to Scale Your Business

Randy Joy @ 9:30 am

 

Scalability is the essence of taking what you have and multiplying it.  How can you do more with less?  Technology companies are scalable because they can take one product built by a few and sell the same product time and again to many.

In building a company there are many resources including time, money and labor; the secret is using all resources efficiently to maximize the company’s value.

Next time you need to make a business decision think what is the best resource to use.  Then figure out how to repeat that — it is like a math.  If this resource gains this result, can I somehow find the factor that makes that resource multiply that result.  For example, many supermarkets have lines where customers wait to pay.  Putting various “small ticket” items in view of those lines increases the purchase total of  the same customer who was standing there, for many of them will toss some of those small-ticket items, things they had no intention of buying originally, into their basket.

Look around your business and see what can be added here or there that would use your current operations wisely, while still upping your profits.  This will help you scale your business.

 

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Dec 28 2011

Should I Sell My Business?

Randy Joy @ 11:00 am

Many entrepreneurs build their companies with the hope of selling it one day – to another buyer or even by going public.  What most companies fail to do is prepare day one for the company’s sale and to continue moving the company closer to the sale each day.

When you sell you business you are not only selling potentially its assets or the legal entity, you are also selling the hows.  Like how your build your product, how it is delivered to your customers and, of course, how you hire and train great employees.

So when the buyer buys, the well thought out business sustains its success.

That is why buyers look for companies that had fashioned themselves into a saleable one.

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Dec 27 2011

Don’t Uncover Your Team’s Needs Yourself

Randy Joy @ 10:00 am

 

"The Business Think"

While you might know your business inside and out and know where you want to take it (if you have done business planning),  there are areas that will remain hidden to you.

One of the keys to energizing your team is to listen to them.  This way they feel a sense of ownership and feel valued.  However, the mistake some CEOs make is to do it themselves.

A big issue most CEOs have is that not many employees feel secure enough to be honest with them.  In fact, many members of an organization’s team will tell the boss what they think the CEO wants to hear.  How likely will they be to tell him what they think is being done the wrong way or uncover real issues in the company?  How encouraged will the employees be when you don’t take action on their ideas?

We uncover the true issues for our clients as outside business consultants with the sole objective of revealing ways to help your company grow.  A benefit to both the employee who wants more opportunities to grow and be part of the process and to the owners who want an energized team and growth.  There are times, you ought to call in an outside party…just so you can have a clearer inside look.

 

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Dec 26 2011

The Resilient Business Consultant

Randy Joy @ 2:00 pm

 

This morning I fell down right there on the New York street, scratching my knee and elbow.  I fell with a smile and picked myself up with a smile.  As a New York Business Consultant I have seen many businesses fall and pick themselves right up with a new plan, direction or resiliency.  It is these strong entrepreneurs who courageously decide to succeed no matter what.

Think of the business growth greats like Ray Croc of McDonalds who did not find his business stride and the right idea until he was in his 50s.

As a Business Consultant I have seen that it does not matter where you start your business journey - only how resilient you are to succeed.  If this week you fall, try to do it smiling and courageously.  Pick yourself up for just around the corner might be your million dollar opportunity.

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Dec 19 2011

How to Create a Business Vision Statement

Randy Joy @ 1:00 pm

 

As Ghandi said, “you must be the change you wish to see in the world”.  As the business leader of your company, when you change a small part of yourself and model the new behavior, you change the very fabric of the company’s culture.  The secret of change is to know where you are headed by having a clear vision and by putting one foot in front of the other.

Here is how:

1. Become very clear what it looks like when you business is all done.  Paint that picture in your mind.

2. Write down what you see in that “mind’s picture”.  Included details of  that business such as how many people are employed, clients, where it will be located, how much revenue, and what is it known for.

3. Share your vision with everyone you know – your employees, friends, and family.  Let everyone you know help you get there.

Business Vision Statements are always the starting point, the seed of an idea.  The next step will be to expand that into a more lengthy and detailed business plan.

Even if your business has been around for generations, it still needs a clear vision statement and a detailed business plan.  Accelerate your company’s success and profits by ensuring these plans are in place.

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