August 2011 Articles (122)

The hot potatoe landed in the hands of a nice lady today. I called, as instructed yesterday, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After explaining why I was calling, she seemed to be familiar with everything. She even told me that she had read the blog. At that point I was surprised and hopeful.



What I've discovered is that the correctional facility has not done anything like this in the past. Understandably, they are very cautious of all of this electronic media. This is a very…

Most salespeople don’t push hard enough for business. Their relationships with prospects and customers are driven almost exclusively by those prospects or customers. In other words, the salespeople wait for the decision-makers to make their decisions.



That’s not to say that there aren’t salespeople who are pretty diligent about following up on quotes/proposals/opportunities. There’s a significant difference, though, between following up and really asking for the order, and an even…

"Clutter is insidious, a slow but steady tide. It enters your home little by little, usually over years. Clutter sucks life away. It leaves you depressed, overwhelmed, lacking motivation, and unable to breathe. Clutter prevents you…

Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky...stormy weather...



Everyone knows that they should be prepared for as many types of disasters as possible. That's why we have insurance, right? Unfortunately, in the event of a hurricane, few know exactly what to do in addition to grabbing their flashlights, batteries and 3 days worth of bottled water. Being prepared and getting organized before an emergency is one of the easiest ways to reduce stress and anxiety. Even better,…

Did you ever feel like a hot potatoe when trying to find the right person to speak with about something important?



That was what I felt like today trying to get permission to post Darin's notes. Prisoners are not allowed internet access. I spoke with Gary yesterday. He has been trying to get permission from the proper authorities. I told him that I would be happy to speak with the proper authority if they wanted specific information about why I wanted to post the notes, and to…

I spoke with Darin today. He called to tell me that he had been writing and wanted to get his notes to me but had to wait until he got an official OK from the authorities. If I publish his notes without the appropriate permission, he could wind up seeing more jail time.



Earlier, I had spoken to Gary, the fellow who visits Darin on Saturdays and has agreed to forward the notes to me. He called to give me the name of the person who has the authority to give the official permission and…

With the economy the way it is now, so many people are scrambling to find a "Plan B".

Many will chose to join a Network Marketing company. Bravo... I applaud you! The concept of leverage has not escaped you. As with every industry there are good, great, and yes, even bad companies out there. Here are a few guidelines to optimizing your success rate when selecting one to work for you:



1. The…

Collars vs. Harnesses: What’s Best for Your Dog?



As pet sitters, we see many different dogs with various types of gear that they use for their walks. How can pet parents and dog owners know what is best for their individual dog? Depending on breed, size, walking habits and exercise routines, the need for a harness or a collar can differentiate between…

The standard phone line is slowly being replaced by cellular and digital phone services. This is causing customers to ask about different options to keep their security system connected for monitoring the security, smoke, CO levels and medical devices they have…

Today we celebrated my daughter's 29th birthday. We watched home movies of her as a baby and had a delicious lasagna dinner with family. It was special.  As we watched our home movies, we could not help but be moved by the passage of time. We looked back at all that has happened in our lives and observed how we have all have changed, grown up, gotten older.  I thank God for the freedom the ability to have spent that time with my family and making those home movies, even if I did get on my…

HOW DO WE MAKE A CHANGE?

Have you started to get thoughts in your head about wanting to try something new, make a significant change, drop a pesky old habit?

Others have been telling you what THEY want you to do. You’ve barely listened, until now. Now you are thinking it might be a great idea to lose those extra pounds before your next doctor’s appointment, to quite that job which is causing you so much stress, to go back to…

First let me start by saying how thankful I am that we did not suffer any significant damage or injury from Irene. My heart and prayers go out to those who did. This post is not intended in any way to take away from those who did!



As I waited and watched Irene yesterday, I couldn't help but think "there are some life and business lessons here".



Here are a few that I came up with,…