2009 Community Leadership Award - Jack McDonald

Last night: Perficient CEO Jack McDonald (future US Congressman from Texas 10th Congressional District!) was awarded the Entrepreneurs Foundation's 2009 Community Leadership Award at the EF's annual Texas Independence Day Celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Jack is more than a CEO, he is a community leader who has assisted several non-profit organizations: He has served as vice chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the AusTech Alliance, as chair of PeopleFund, chairman of the Central Texas Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization, on the board of KIPP, People's Community Clinic & the Hill Country Conservancy and as past advisory board chair for American Youth Works and as a co-chair of EF's Austin Invitational Poker Tournament.

He is a good guy, and the type of person that we should all aspire to have serving us in Congress. When he makes his campaign announcement official, I plan to be a big supporter of the cause!

I had a great time at the party last night.

Congratulations, Jack.

Guest Blogger - Andrew Weaver: "Sitting on the Sideline"

I asked for volunteers on Twitter to be guest bloggers on The Some Assembly Required Blog. Wow, some great people stepped forward to share their thoughts, ideas and pontifications.

Today's Guest Blogger is Andrew Weaver. Andrew has spent the past 13 years in customer service and sales, both in worlds of retail and B2B. By day he is a mild mannered team leader and logistics planner in the operations department at Con-way Truckload. By night, he is pursuing his passion for photography and writing. He is focused on launching his new photography business this spring. You should connect with him on Twitter - @drewmaniac - or his blog, Leave It To Weaver.

Sitting on the Sideline

by Andrew Weaver

"My body could stand the crutches but my mind couldn't stand the sideline." ~ Michael Jordan

In the short term, a good way to learn any job, sport, or hobby is to sit by and observe. There comes a time though, when you need to get into the action.

Most of you will get your feet wet. Most of you will try. Most of you will put out an effort (minimal effort is some effort) to succeed. Most of you will be willing to learn something new. Some of you though are content to sit on the sideline.

The temptation to sit on the sideline is very real and you can get caught on the sideline in many aspects of life.

· If you are comfortable with the job you hate because “it pays the bills”, you’re sitting on the sideline.

· If you are content to go with the flow simply because “that’s the way it’s always been done”, you’re sitting on the sideline.

· If you are afraid to change course, even as you can see there’s a trouble ahead if you don't, you’re sitting on the sideline.

· If you are waiting to join Twitter or network in any way (as The Today Show suggested earlier this week) until you are laid off, you’re sitting on the sideline.

Whatever your excuse for not coming off the sidelines of life and getting involved in the action, it's not good enough.

The person who is comfortable in the job he hates, will never wake up one day years later and be happy he stuck around. The person who never stands for anything and simply drifts in whatever direction her friends or family takes her, will never find herself doing what it is she truly loves. The person who is afraid to make a change in his life because he is uncomfortable with change, even when he knows that change will make him a better person, will never grow to be a better person. The person who is worried about her job and possible layoffs, but is waiting to network, is going to have a rude awakening if she ever faces a pink slip.

Trust me. You don't want your first Tweet to say, "Hi. New here to Twitter. Just got laid off. Looking for a job."

Are you sitting on the sideline in your life? With the economy like it is, the entrepreneurs and the risk takers are the ones that will most likely come out ahead. There is some great opportunity all around. Do not wait until you've received your pink slip to prepare. By then, it will probably be too late and it will certainly be more painful.

Come off the sidelines and join the rest of us in the game.

Thom's Two-Cents: Andrew is right, you cannot win the game if you do not play. You have to take action. I had someone ask me "How is it you have written three books and have three more coming out in 2009?" The answer? I wrote six books. I did not worry if anyone would read them. I did not just think about writing, I woke at 5 AM most days and wrote.

No matter what you want to do, just do it. Even if you are not successful, it is better than looking back saying I "wish" I had done something.

Have A Great Day.

thom

I Believed This Time "Change" Was More Than A Slogan

It is the success of businesses that will be the engine that pulls our country (and the world) out of the current recession.

With all the government programs and the many faces of stimuli packages, we need more money to begin flowing into the treasury. This is only accomplished through taxes. However, raising the percentage that individuals and corporations pay can be counter productive, as the less money they have, the less they can spend on other products and services.

In the United States we spend a lot of time arguing about tax rates, who pays, and what we will tax. It is one of the core arrows that Republicans and Democrats fire at each other. But this misses the point.

We don't need to be focused on taxing more, but instead on raising the amount of profit that companies and people realize. In the late 1990s the economy boomed, and the government took in more money. There was no rocket science on this one. Lets freeze the tax rates.... No ups, no downs for the next decade and make everyone understand the goal is earning more money. Higher income, higher taxes.

Teach people how to create multiple streams of income. Champion entrepreneurship. Praise those who have ambition to earn more income. Companies and people who can extend their income levels year over year, and pay more to the government, will add to the raising dollars flowing into Washington and create jobs along the way.

Politics as usual and the political fights between Republicans and Democrats over taxation is so "yesterday". I am waiting for someone in Congress to become a real leader and show his co-workers how to grow up and grow past all the partisan finger pointing. Our economy is not a board game, but nobody has told this to the members of the House and Senate. We need to get business moving, end of story.

Change will never come until the people demand it. I believed this time that "Change" was more than a slogan. I expected to see Washington DC be different. So far I see the same old thing. If the people sent a message "Stop it or we will toss you out" then you would see elected officials change their tune in a minute. They would focus on solutions rather than this continued Red vs Blue bullshit that trickles down into every discussion.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Newpaper Industry Should Try Networking

I was once told by a reporter from a major city daily newspaper, "I don't need to build relationships with people in the business community. I work for [paper name withheld], which means that people need to kiss my butt.... NOT the other way around". (that is not the exact quote, but you get the idea).

This guy had a chip on his shoulder the size of Mars, and did not think he or his co-workers should stoop so low as to attend community business events unless they were chasing a story. Making friends was a waste of time, as he was "a reporter", and above the standard rules that impact the rest of the business world.

Ummm....how is that working out for the industry? In the end, all businesses face the same issue of the need for profit. When cash is flowing in fast, they can rationalize all day long that they are under some other set of "rules", but when the money gets tight we all learn that business is business, regardless of industry.

With few exceptions, I do not know of major daily newspapers where the corporate culture actively encourages building and cultivating relationships in their business community. Yet, daily newspapers have a great advantage that they ignore.... they employ an army of professional people in a variety of roles. Thus, if they worked on establishing a philosophy that encouraged their reporters, editors, publisher, sales staff, and the executive office team to network and establish mutually beneficial relationships in the community -- I believe they would find more success.

(I do have to give kudos to some of the folks at my local daily newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, as Kirk Ladendorf, Lori Hawkins, Dan Zehr and Omar Gallaga (and others) do participate in the communities that they cover. But I do not see more of the team being aggressive in their looking to establish real connections in the business community (to be fair, they might be... and are just not at the events I attend. But I attend a lot of very good events full of local professionals and rarely see them!).

These reporters I mentioned above are not just meeting people for story ideas, but they have successfully established themselves as part of the ecosystem of this business community. The American-Statesman is also at the cutting edge with their online social media involvement. Their effort is being lead by Rob Quigley who is doing amazing things, including hosting their own "Tweet Ups" for local Twitter users).

I am sure every city has examples of reporters who actively network, and all show up from time to time -- but I am always hearing from people all over the country who cannot figure out how to even meet anyone at their local paper. This means that papers are not actively being visible. They are making it hard for anyone to become part of their network. Those that are seriously networking are the exception, not the rule.

Law Firms used to be the same way.... they avoided everything to do with marketing, branding, advertising, and networking. However, the smart firms realized that they could win more business if they were more visible at a street level in their community. Now most successful firms are active at all of these things (or try to be at some level). I think the newspaper industry could benefit by putting a human face on their brand, too.

Here are my suggestions for any daily newspaper who wants to try and see if having a networking culture would help their business. Try this for 6 months and then let me know if it worked:

1. Identify all of the business, civic, political, and networking groups in your city. This should be easy, as the best ones most likely list their events in your newspaper's print or online calendar. While you do not want to or need to participate in EVERY organization in the city, identify a large variety of groups that are attended by the influencers in your town.

2. Assign two people from your staff to each organization. Each person should have two or three different organization assigned to them. Now make attendance and participation in these organizations a priority. If two people from your organization attend each event, it will not take much time before the community starts to notice your participation. "Drop In" networking (just showing up at events on occasion) will not allow you to establish any real relationships. Meeting someone does not make them part of your network - It makes them someone you have met. It takes time to cultivate real bonds with other people.

3. Educate your team about the purpose of networking. Remember that networking is not just about helping the paper or others, it is about finding ways to bring value to the other people who are part of you network. While you cannot write about every person or company you meet (nor should anyone expect you too), you can bring value in other ways. If your people are good, they should have amazing contacts. Being a connector (one who helps people meet others in the community who could be useful contacts to each other) will make your individuals shine. If your networking purpose is selfish, you will fail.

4. Have a consistent message. Make sure that everyone, no matter their job title, is describing your company in the same manner. While sales and editorial have different goals and purposes, they should both be able to convey a message about why your paper is a valuable business in your community.

5. Regularly discuss the events your team has been attending, the quality of the programs at the events, and whom they are meeting. Champion those who are taking the networking program seriously and have talks with those who seem not to care. If you want to change the industry you need to have your people engaged. Those who are stuck in the "old ways" or who believe journalists (and anyone else who works for the paper) are exempt from the changing aspects business social networking (online and offline) should not be allowed to spoil the success of others.

6. Adopt an online social media strategy. Many newspapers are already doing this, and I see more and more reporters who have blogs, utilize Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc... These mediums are new, so there is no "best" strategy yet.... so be the ones who are trying out different methods. Do not just sit on the sidelines and wait for another paper to figure it out. If you are a follower you might just be the next daily to go out of business.

I have no idea if any editors, publishers, or sales managers from daily newspapers will read my advice. I do not work in their industry, thus many will dismiss my ideas without consideration. But I think I am right. Papers have large staffs, and if each person just showed up at two events a week they would suddenly be seen as heavily engaged in the community, as opposed to hiding in some ivory tower.

I do know that in this recession that most companies are very interested in the topic of "the power of business relationships and networking". I know this because they are buying my books and hiring me to speak to their teams. I cannot imagine that this message would be any less useful to a newspaper.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas Host Corporate Social Responsibility Conference

As part of the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas, they hosted their first annual Corporate Responsibility (Opportunity!) Conference today.

When they launched the idea for the event they had hoped to have around 50 attendees. Instead over 150 community leaders showed up to participate in the dialogue about the importance of companies being engaged in philanthropic and community efforts. When done right this is win/win ... as it impacts the social well being, but also helps the company's reputation and brand with customers, employees and the community.

Corporate Social Responsibility goes far beyond what some might think. Many perceive such programs being part of large, multi-national corporations. While the "big checks" that large companies write are part of the equation, it is not usually the money alone that has the power. Enlightened organizations know that the world is changing, and people want to be affiliated with companies that have a cause. Making money, while very important, is not enough, especially to the younger generations of workers and customers.

"Giving back" is not exclusively for big companies, and it is not just about some PR motives. Organizations of all sizes can benefit from being engaged with their community. Aligning the culture of your company with the interests of consumers, employees and beyond creates the seeds of a sustainable organization.

All organizations can benefit from having a cause that they support. But to have a successful program you must have buy in at all levels of the company. Many CEOs are visionaries who desire to impact the greater good, but they do not do an effective job at making sure that middle management and line employees are part of the CSR team.

A company can have the best results if they focus on one thing rather than trying to their charitable attention up into too many directions. Look for ways that your expertise and skill sets can have the greatest impact and work together with organizations that serve those areas. When corporations and non-profits can establish long-term partnerships and alliances then more can be accomplished.

Most important is to realize that it takes time to create meaningful results. Doing volunteer work one day a year will not solve big picture issues. It takes years to make a sustainable impact on causes you support. This is why you must make this part of your culture.

Congratulations to the team at the Entrepreneurs Foundation ( Eugene Sepulveda, Amanda Chiampi, marion Cimbala, Shobie Partos and Peter Frey ) for putting on a great conference that made people do more that listen.... it made people think!

Have A Great Day

thom

Attend a FREE Session of RISE Austin

Next week is the Big Week for RISE Austin 2009.

If you live in the Texas Capital and would like the opportunity to see some of our area's finest business professionals present in small and intimate setting... here is your chance.

All day long on March 3rd, 4th and 5th there are over 120 business presentations being conducted at various venues all over town. Each session last 90 minutes. Audience size is limited to 20 -25 people, and the speakers are sharing all sorts of tips and stories.

Many of the sessions are already filled up (My session is full - March 5th at 8:00 AM), but there are several to choose from that will be GREAT. This is an amazing chance to meet and listen to the speakers in a small setting. Participate in the RISE program and make some connections with key people in our business community (yes, it IS always about networking!!!)

Scan the whole list and look for interesting topic and speakers.

Don't know who to go see? Here are a couple of suggestions:

As of this writing there are still a seats available for several FANTASTIC presentations.

I recommend you go and listen to my boss, Ellen Wood (co-founder and CEO of vcfo) deliver her talk "There Is No Parachute - And Other Lessons Entrepreneurs Learn AFTER Take-Off" at 10:30 AM on March 5th. Ellen launched vcfo 13 years ago, and in addition to her hands on experience running the company, vcfo has worked directly with over 800 companies - many of whom are entrepreneurial, high growth businesses. Thus she has seen the ups and down from many angles, and she will share a bunch of great stories and ideas.

Spots are still open to see Colin Pope, the managing director of the Austin Business Journal. His talk, "How and When to Address The Media" , is a must see presentation for anyone who is curious about how to get more PR. If you don't already know Colin, you should know Colin!

Laura Patterson, CEO of VisionEdge Marketing, still has space for her presentation "Creating a Customer-Centric Measurable Marketing Plan". I just finished reading Laura's book. She knows her stuff, so attending her presentation on March 5th would be a good one!

Brett Hurt, CEO of Bazaarvoice would be a great one to attend. He is set for 2:00 on March 5th. Space is filling fast for his presentation, "Establishing the Foundation of a Great Company Culture". Ask anyone in town, and they will tell you Brett is all about having a wonderful culture, and they live that at Bazaarvoice.

Are you a new entrepreneur? Go see attorney Matt Lyons of Andrews Kurth present "Top Ten Legal Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurs" at 2 PM on March 5th. Matt has an impressive career of counseling business owners to ensure they avoid the legal mistakes than can hurt their company down the line. This one will be good!

Leadership Austin president and CEO Heather McKissick will present "Creating Customer Experiences" at noon on March 5th. I am a graduate of the 2008 Leadership Austin Essentials Class and have worked with Heather on several projects. This would be a great presentation to attend.

Richard Balius from Intergistic Solutions will present "What Every Owner Should Know About Compensating Sales People" at 8:00 AM on March 5th. Richard is a great speak and an expert on sales.

I could list two dozen other friends, colleagues, and local experts...all of whom I know and respect. To any of my friends whom I left off, this was just a sampling. I did not want this post would be too long to read.

You can't go wrong with any RISE event you attend.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Social Media Online Fundraiser

For the second year in a row my family has hosted an "Online Social Media Fundraiser" for the Dell Children's Hospital Foundation.

As of this writing we have raised $1220 for the "Kate Singer Endowment for Cranio-Facial Research" in honor of Kate's Birthday. She turned seven on February 2nd, and we feel very fortunate that she has continued to thrive throughout her life, having been born with Saggital Synostosis, which required her to have reconstructive surgery on her skull when she was six-months-old.

All of the money donated has come from the readers of this blog, friends on Facebook, and those who follow me on Twitter. Donations from as little as $5 have pooled together to create a wonderful gift for the local hospital.

The power of the social media online communities continues to amaze me. I am touched by how many people supported our fundraiser to help such a good cause.

We appreciate your generosity.

You can still donate until Saturday, February 28th. Lets move the bar a little higher. Last year we hit $1700.

Thank You!!

Have A Great Day.

thom

Guest Blogger - Matt Scherer: "Observe & Listen"

I asked for volunteers on Twitter to be guest bloggers on The Some Assembly Required Blog. Wow, some great people stepped forward to share their thoughts, ideas and pontifications.

Today's Guest Blogger is Matt Scherer. Matt has been working as a public affairs and communications professional for over 30 years, including 20 years in the Air Force. You should read his blog "So What Makes Matt Scherer Tick?"

Observe & Listen

by Matt Scherer

Last week, I went to a morning breakfast meeting where I ran into some longtime friends that I haven’t seen for nearly two months. My friend and I were in the midst of a deep conversation when two sales professionals came up to interrupt our chat to sell us their services.

At the time, I had used their product and services for clients. My friend, a technical type for one of the major TV stations, wasn’t a customer. Still, they barged into a conversation without listening.

I am amazed by some people’s lack of manners.

Obviously, these 20-something marketing types were not attending to the signals I was sending. My friend and I had broken the traditional American space of speaking to each other at a normal three feet and were close to 18 inches so we could talk to each other.

To most, it should have been obvious that were having an earnest conversation.

Had these people taken a couple of seconds to observe what we were communicating with our body language before trying to introduce themselves, I would have been nice enough to stop what I was doing to allow them to join their conversation.

Yet,they didn’t get the signal, and they sure aren’t going to get more of my business.

And, there is another colleague of mine who will go on and on about his business accomplishments. He once spent 45 minutes of my valuable time as I was driving to tell me about his latest successes. I was unable to get a word in return so I put him on my cell phone speaker and uttered an occasional “Great.” Despite my lack of feedback, he kept talking.

Now, when he calls, I put him into my voice mail. I don’t have time for someone who want allow me to talk, even just a little.

As a longtime communications professional, I am amazed by the number of people who don’t pay attention to these communication signals.

To me, if there is one skill that most of us can improve upon in networking, it’s the art of listening to others.

As a former Toastmaster (www.toastmasters.org), I learned how to become a more effective listener. Through four years of meetings, I learned how to improve this critical skill. This non-profit organization provides a great forum for teaching people how to really pay attention to others in every meeting.

For anyone who wants to build a network, it’s important to focus on your listening skills. The “peeps” in your network will value you when they realize that you’re listening and they’ll be glad to share more with you, especially if they believe you’re going to listen to them more effectively.

Regardless of what you do in life, Toastmasters is a good investment of time and effort. The listening skill sets that are developed through this non-profit program will make you a better communicator and a very effective networker.

*****Thom's Two-Cents: Toastmasters was the best move I ever made in my career. I highly suggest that everyone select a local TM Club and participate actively for one year. You will never regret it.

Have A Great Day

thom

"Don't Let Your Presentation Run Long" ... OR..."I Missed Tucking In My Kids"

Note to people who speak on panels...

I don't care how good you are or how wonderful, informative and important your content is to the audience.... please do not run long. (This is also a reminder to myself, as I speak often!)

Keep in mind if there are other people who need to follow your presentation, and there is a finite time set for the panel discussion, that it is not just you who is impacted by your going over time. If you are too verbose you are being rude to the other panelists and the audience.

I recently attended an amazingly intelligent business panel on an important topic. The place was packed. The speakers were brilliant. But they all went so long that they lost me. I was looking forward to the audience questions, which never never came.

At the start of the event they announced that each had about 8 minutes to present their piece (three panelists), then they would take Q&A. There was about 55 minutes for the whole event following the announcements from the host of the evening.

Speaker one was funny, engaging, and I learned a lot. But she spoke for 30 minutes. Wow.

Speaker two was cleaver, and had amazing examples that were spot on topic for the audience. He spoke for 20 minutes.

Speaker three was whom I came to see. He is a person that I know and respect - and I was excited to see his presentation. By the time he got his computer plugged in and began going through his slides, the program should have ended. I have no idea what he said because I kept thinking about how I promised my daughters I would be home in time to tuck them into bed, but I was stuck in my chair...as crawling out over a dozen others in my row would have been awkward and rude.

Ouch.

Speaker three ended about 17 minutes later. No idea what he said, and that makes me sad.

I will admit that after ten years of studying professional speakers and presentations, I am highly critical of the execution of panel discussion and speakers. I am sure the rest of the audience was more or less unshaped by the longevity of the talking from the stage.

But I feel bad for the third speaker, the people who organized the event, the audience members who were planning to leave on time, and my kids,....who do not understand that sometimes panel discussions just run long. They will have sad little faces in the morning.

I write this not to be pompous, as I am a professional speaker, and I too have had events where the content has run long. I instead write this as a reminder to all of us who take the stage and plan events to remember that we must be respectful of the clock!

Have A Great Day.

thom

Guest Blogger - Debra Helwig: "Running Scared"

I asked for volunteers on Twitter to be guest bloggers on The Some Assembly Required Blog. Wow, some great people stepped forward to share their thoughts, ideas and pontifications.

Today's Guest Blogger is Debra Helwig. Debra Helwig is the marketing communications manager for IGAF Worldwide, an international trade association serving mid-sized accounting firms in over 60 countries. Her favorite part of the job is sharing ideas and connecting people -- helping service professionals learn from one another and from the brightest minds in the various industries they touch. Find Debra on Twitter at @dhelwig or visit the IGAF Worldwide Web site at http://www.igafworldwide.org.

Running Scared
by Debra Helwig

“At least I still have a job…for now.”

How many times have you heard that phrase in the past few weeks? Me, I’ve heard it more times than I care to count, from people in every walk of life – the bakery gal at Publix, the marketing director of a public accounting firm, a social worker, a Web designer. I’ve heard it enough times that I actually caught myself saying it, even though I work for a very stable association that has yet to feel the rattle from the downturn.

Maybe it’s the pathologically bad news reports blaring from every PC and TV screen. Maybe it’s that just about everyone knows at least two people who have been laid off recently. But whatever the reason, people all around us are behaving as if their jobs are on the chopping block. The whispers at the water cooler aren’t just whispers anymore.

I admit, for some folks, this attitude is common sense. Layoffs are happening all over, and some companies are folding. People who work in these places have every right to be freaked out, jittery, and afraid they’ll be next in line at the Department of Labor.

HOWEVER (and this is a big however) if you’re a manager at a company that’s doing even marginally well, the rising panic is a serious problem. If you don’t stop the tide before it starts, a larger-than-healthy percentage of your people will be punching the wrong half of the flight-or-flight ticket. Now, this doesn’t mean they’re going anywhere. Hooooo no. They’re filling up their timesheets, but mentally they got fired last week. They’ve checked out. They’re unproductive. And – worst of all – if they talk to your clients, they’re poor mouthing your business directly to the people who are keeping you in business. Disaster walking.

You have to stop the bleeding before it begins. But how?

Talk to them.

A lot.

An old boss of mine, Ernie, used a technique he called “management by walking around.” Every day, he walked the department. He talked to every person. He answered questions. He planted ideas. He explained decisions. He never hedged, and he never lied. When we had a sizable layoff, he told it like it was – early – and people believed him because he had the street cred that came with years of playing honest and fair. Even after the downsize, his department’s productivity and customer service soared. People worked harder than ever because they knew Ernie had their back.

Even if you don’t have Ernie’s years of credibility on your side, you can make a difference in your company’s ability to successfully weather this downturn. Begin communicating right now – regularly and truthfully – about where things are going for your business. Give your valued professionals (and your customers) the information they need to stop running scared.

Your bottom line will thank you.

***Thom's 2-Cents:

I agree with Debra. There is too much negative chit-chat going about the negatives in the economy. While not to be discounted, we must also remember that there are still positives out there. To only focus on the bad will not help anyone. We must break the cycle of bad news by finding the good stuff and talking about that, too.

Have A Great Day

thom

Five Networking Tips For Everyone In The Current Economy

There is a lot of interest in the topic of networking. During the boom-boom days many people would roll their eyes when I would opine about the power of cultivating long-lasting, mutually beneficial business relationships. Now everyone seems to be interested.

Book sales are rising and readership of my blog has nearly doubled since the start of the economic meltdown. There is also an uptick in speaking opportunities - as more law firms, sales-oriented companies and professional business associations are showing interest in my 90-minute presentation: "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow, and Keep Your Business Relationships".

Networking matters! For companies who are hungry for sales, suddenly the economy has them interested in ways to build stronger referral partnerships. With the tough times comes more competition, and that makes every referral that much more important.

For those who have been laid off who are seeking new employment, the reality is that most jobs are filled, directly or indirectly, through a contact within a company or with a recruiter. You need people if you want a job.

And those who have been laid off that want to start their own business - They know first hand that their network matters more than ever as they launch their new new thing. When bootstapping an idea it is the word-of-mouth marketing opportunities that get you started.

Here are 5 tips for how to network in the touch economy that will help job seekers, entrepreneurs, and anyone whose company is looking for more clients:

1. Networking takes time. If you are suddenly in need of sales or recently laid off, you cannot expect to create a network overnight. The people you meet for the first time will not know enough about you to be an instant resource. Knowing that this is a process that will take months (if not years) to create results will keep you from being discouraged. Always network with a long-term horizon. Networking cannot help you with short-term goals unless you already have a very strong list of contacts.

2. Ask others for help. If you have avoided networking in the past and now realize that was a mistake, admit it. Not just to yourself (although that is a good place to start), but also fess up to the people you know and new folks that you meet. Tell them that you had never understood about the power of business relationships and ask them for help in getting you started. Most people enjoy helping others, but you need to let them know what you need from them.

3. Remember that networking is NOT just about YOUR needs. You must establish mutually beneficial relationships in order to see real results from networking. The problem is that when people are up against a wall they often forget that other people need assistance as well. Never have a conversation with anyone in your network without asking them what they need to succeed. You will not always be able to be of assistance to others, but when you can provide them with ideas, introductions or other value...make sure that you do so in a timely manner. Helping others is the fastest way to create a network. Expecting people to help you without your investment in helping others will not only fail, but get you listed as a taker.

4. Do not try to network EVERYWHERE. Select two or three business organizations that interest you and that draw the right people in your areas of interest and participate in all of those groups events. If you try to hit too many groups you will end up just dropping in on them "sometimes". Drop in networking does not lead to building real relationships. It takes multiple interactions with people to establish connections, so if you spread yourself too thin then you will never create a true network.

5. Create you own networking events. Be the catalyst that brings others together and you will find that your network will grow. Many people complain about the quality of the networking events they attend, but they do not do anything to improve upon the gatherings. If you cannot find an organization that brings together the people you want to see, then create your own events. With a little effort you can structure new and productive events that will put your name in front of many new people.

Two Bonus Networking Tips For Job Seekers:

1. Do NOT bring your resume to every networking event or individual meeting. If somebody wants your resume, you can easily get them a copy in a timely manner. However, people are often turned off when a resume is shoved into their hands at the first meeting. On the flip side, you do need business cards, as they are an unobtrusive way of making sure others have your contact information. If you have been laid off you can purchase inexpensive cards at Kinkos or Office Depot that can have your name, address, email, phone, etc... If asked for a card you do not want to reply "sorry, I don't have one", as you will appear unprepared.

2. Use "Social Media". If you do not have an account on LinkedIn, you need one. This site has become a regularly used tool by companies and recruiters when they are looking for candidates. If they look for you on the site and you are not there, they will assume you are "out of touch" with this very common business tool. Additionally, you can use LinkedIn (or other social networking sites) to help connect yourself with former colleagues, bosses, vendors, etc.... Any of whom might be able to serve as a contact that could lead you to your next opportunity.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Choose Love

"All my life I've had a choice of hate and love. I chose love, and here I am!" - A.R. Rahman.

Moments ago A.R. Rahman won two Academy Awards for best score and best original song from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. As he accepted his second award he made the above quote to the audience.

This hit home. Today I had some yokel give me the finger on the freeway. We almost had an accident as we both merged in from opposite directions. Fortunately we did not collide, but it was one of those moments where we both shared blame. He flipped me the bird. All day his selfish jerky choice made me sad. I actually said a prayer for him, as I am sure he needed it.

But Mr. Rahman made me feel better with his comment. In every moment of every day we can choose hate or we can choose love. As I look around, I am proud that most of the people whom I encounter regularly do choose love.

Have A Great Day.

thom

Advice for Outsourcing Key Roles - Guest Blog Post by Ellen Wood, CEO of vcfo

The below originally ran on the Austin Startup Blog on Friday, February 20, 2009. Ellen Wood is the CEO of vcfo (the company I work for as director of business development)

Today’s guest blogger is Ellen Wood who is the co-founder and CEO of Austin based vcfo. The firm specializes in operational finance and accounting, HR Solutions and recruiting services for companies of all sizes. She can be reached at 512-345-9441.

The outsourcing of key roles inside companies of all sizes is becoming more common. Historically companies have looked to outside experts for highly specialized assistance in areas such as audit, tax, and legal assistance. In more recent years functions such as marketing, HR, operational finance and accounting, IT and recruiting have become outsourced resources as well.

For startups, tapping an outsourced resource can be an ideal solution. The company can obtain the desired level of experienced professional advice at a fraction of the cost of making a long-term hiring commitment that comes with adding headcount before the business has grown to the right size.

There are several things to consider when deciding to outsource any key business function for your company:

• Reputation Of The Resource. Check references both formally and informally. When you can, go beyond the references they provide and inquire within the community and your network to see what kind of feedback you get.
• Validate expertise and specific experience. Make sure that the consultant has the experience you are seeking. There is a significant difference between an individual who is between jobs and a firm with experienced resources across multiple areas of expertise. Individuals are great resources and may become a long term hire – just be sure if that is the option you are considering that they individually have the experience that you need in your situation. Avoid the “brother-n-law” or “best-friend” option to fill key roles on part time or outsourced basis unless they really do have the expertise that you need.
• Be wary of overly discounted rates. You are looking for expertise for the right amount of time to get the job done, not to become ongoing billable hours indefinitely or inefficiently.
• The Network Matters. As an early stage company it is particularly important to think about the value of the network other resources you engage with can introduce you to. You are building your team right now both internally and externally.
• Transparency. You should be able to learn from your consultants. Look to them to educate you as to their particular areas of expertise. You need consultants who see themselves as your partner and put your interests in first place in the relationship.

Utilizing experienced recourses at key growth points can prevent your startup from making common mistakes along the path to success. An optimal outsourced provider will see themselves as your partner in achieving your goals.