Sales is more than just a numbers game...

Climate Control -- If It's Going to Be, It's up to Me

“We live in a civilization with an ever-increasing hunger for energy and its fixation on fossil fuels to provide that energy is in the process of imploding on itself as our population grows and its demographics change. Yet we live in a world of tough realities – where an elegant solution simply does not exist. We are constantly told that renewable energy is too expensive but, all things considered, it is actually cheaper than traditional energy sources!”

This opening quote is a clip from a November 22nd Press Release that was sent to me featuring Craig Shield’s position on a host of related questions surrounding climate control and global warming. Craig is the founder of 2GreenEnergy. He is also the author of “Renewable Energy - Facts and Fantasies: The Tough Realities as Revealed in Interviews with 25 Subject Matter Experts” (Clean Energy Press).

In reply, I pushed back in an email with my own interest and concern of “…(the) impact of water being used for fracking (hydraulic fracturing) of natural gas - we can live without natural gas, but we can't live without (clean) water” and that  “… no one seems to be able to roll out a cost effective alternative to oil, coal, or nuclear power.” Offering to have an open discussion on my challenge by phone, Craig was very generous with his time and desirous to talk openly about this topic.

It’s this on-going debate of climate control (and global warming) versus “an elegant solution simply does not exist” or “renewable energy is too expensive” that gnaws at me. After talking to Craig, I was reminded of Robert Schuller's book title, “If It's Going to Be, It's up to Me”. This is something we have to attack from a personal level; it’s not going to be resolved in the short term by governments or industry.

As luck would have it, our conversation took place just ahead of the recent (194-party conference) U.N. climate talks in Durban, South Africa. From the short time of our conversation until now, stories have surfaced talking about how “modest accomplishments” were made at the talks, a local wind power project in my area (North Carolina) has stalled due to “utilities have decided the project's power is too costly”, solar-product makers are on the ropes due in part to “weak demand, low prices”, and just yesterday the story about new power plant (EPA) rules will lead to higher consumer energy prices and a loss of jobs. This morning brought news of the possibility of higher domestic natural gas prices as a result of U.S. exports from the newly developed shale gas supplies.

What I most enjoyed about my conversation with Craig was his willingness to listen yet vigorously confront topics head-on.  Also, he seems to understand both sides of the coin of: “…the political, economic, and technology trends that, when fully understood, influence clean energy business strategies.” As I told him over the phone, “It’s a good thing we’re not sitting in a coffee shop somewhere – we’d certainly draw an audience.” But I will admit, I would love to have had the experience of seeing peoples’ faces as we bantered about; well-behaved, but passionate.

Although I would like to take the step forward, I still struggle getting past the investment in solar panels on an individual consumer level. Also, I would like to put in a geothermal (heat pump) field for my home heating and air-conditioning. I have looked into wind power, too. But, each one seems to be greeted with the same barriers to entry: high initial cost, no life-cycle payback, and local regulations (including homeowner association covenants) that make it nearly impossible to install something on a meaningful scale. Local utility agreements and governing bodies can also govern your ability to sell or get credit for any excess power you may be able to generate on your own.

Craig brought forward many incentives for us to change our ways; from the staggering costs of healthcare as a result of pollution to the reliance on foreign nations, or a desire to take control of our own energy destiny through independence. He has a positive outlook and believes that we can “get there by 2050”. What seems to concern Craig is the next decade of 2011-2020. Again, it comes back to what we can do as individuals. The time to act is now. The lingering question is, what are you (and me) going to do about it?

Online Poll -- Who deserves first (place) for a patent, invent (idea) or file?

Recently I have been looking closer at what holds inventors and entrepreneurs back from an early success with their idea or innovation. It doesn’t take long before the discussion turns to filing a patent. In some ways, I see an eagerness to do so before they have taken the time to better understand the process and evaluate how long it might take, and the costs associated with the patent filing.

In today’s The Wall Street Journal, I took interest in the article “Patently Wrong? Firms Are Divided”. The article points out a number of different views on whether our current system works in favor of, or a change would be against, individual inventors, small businesses, and innovative start-ups (companies).

What do you think? Here’s a simple Poll I put together for you to vote; click on this link to take the Poll (will open in a new window):

For today’s inventor, entrepreneur, or small business, which is more beneficial to innovation and new product introduction in the granting of patents by the USPTO?

“first to invent” or first to idea (current system)
“first to file” (proposed change through new legislation)

I’ll leave the Poll in place for a couple of weeks, and then post the results in the Comment section below, soon after it closes. In the mean time, you’ll see the on-going results, after you vote.

p.s. Feel free to weigh-in on the topic with a comment, after reading the article in The Wall Street Journal.

How you can start your own, Take your PeopleTowels to Work Day

There are all kinds of celebrations and events with a name like “Take your [insert your own] to Work Day”. My recollection – which I will gladly admit may be at risk - is the first such day was “Take your Daughter to Work Day”. This effort has evolved into a number of lookalike events; there are probably enough of these now that you could/should bring someone or something to work each week.

What I can say with confidence, there is only one PeopleTowels. As a People4PeopleTowels’ Ambassador, you now have the opportunity to start a new work day celebration and help the environment, too.

People4PeopleTowels’ Ambassadors are “… preventing deforestation, decreasing waste and reducing pollution with their friends and families.  It is estimated that each person who switches from paper towels to PeopleTowels will save 1/4 of a tree, reduce landfill waste by 23 pounds and conserve 250 gallons of water in just one year.”

You may recall the post I wrote on PeopleTowels as a great Holiday gift idea for 2009: “Innovation: Forget about a Homer Hanky, ask for a PeopleTowels this Holiday Season”. Regular readers and subscribers also know how much I enjoy reading about, or having the opportunity to interview, small business owners and entrepreneurs. Anita Crook’s story reflected in “Innovation: Pouchee – Clever Christmas gift with inspiring back-story” shortly thereafter struck me the same way. These are women business owners and entrepreneurs, who want to make a difference in the world with their clever ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

Linda Lannon, and co-founder Mary Wallace, of PeopleTowels knew that Word of Mouth Marketing (WOM) was going to be crucial to their early success. They have enjoyed the fruits of viral marketing in a number of ways, but especially in their ability to get people who use their product to tell others (of their satisfaction). Recognizing this valuable consumer was an ambassador for their product, they recently launched the People4PeopleTowels’ Ambassadors Program to offer a reward for both the ambassador and their friends and acquaintances.

It’s simple and straightforward - Ambassadors are automatically enrolled in the PeopleTowels’ Rewards’ Program, after a registration process. In turn, they earn points towards PeopleTowels’ products, special discounts, and cash rewards, as they recommend it to others. Offering a friend a purchase code, the Ambassador earns points for every order placed by their friends and family on the PeopleTowels’ website, and the friend becomes eligible for a limited time discount on their purchase. You can see what happens next; the friend becomes a People4PeopleTowels’ Ambassador, and ‘the beat goes on’.

To enroll and begin your celebration of, Take your PeopleTowels to Work Day – for the record, I made this up, there really isn’t such a work day (yet! Hey, Mary and Linda, I may be onto something here) – follow this link to the registration form and you’ll soon see your location on the People4PeopleTowels’ Ambassadors’ map on their website.

Entrepreneur’s Challenge: What do you do with 6,000 glass plates, prints and film negatives?

If you are one of the longest operating family-owned commercial photography studios in the United States, you bring the collection online and make it available to collectors, advertising agencies, businesses, interior designers, and the public.

No easy task, Brady Stewart Studio spent four years researching, filing, scanning and printing, a wide array of Black & White, Sepia and Color photographs. This significant collection spans most of the 20th century (1901-1990). There’s more work to be done. Brady Stewart Studio will add 25+ images to their web site every week until completed, which they believe will be another few years to finalize the scanning and filing.

That is all fine, well, and good, but how do you turn this into a viable business? Most of us with any semblance of a collection realize the challenge of keeping track of what we have, the value of each item, and whether or not you can turn it into cash. Far from the average person’s ‘Cash Closet’, how does an independent operator like this compete against the likes of Getty Images, and other online image providers?

One answer would be market segmentation. Make an effort to concentrate on those most likely in need of a specific period piece, e.g., local museums, architects, non-profits, locally-owned and historically significant companies, etc. Another market would be period collectors who are looking for something that may add to their own collection, or as a family heirloom. Artists and graphic designers are always on the prowl for something unique and different – what’s old is new again.

Like any other business that wants to draw attention to itself, it looks like  Brady Stewart Studio has embarked on garnering local press and speaking engagements. What else could they do? Enter today’s demand for social media marketing in the form of a newsletter, blog, Facebook page, Twitter, etc. You need to grasp a community of interested parties and turn them into your outbound marketers, a.k.a., “buzz”. Easy for me to say, but when you have the burden of researching, filing, scanning and printing more of the collection, where do you allocate your time, first?

Isn’t this the challenge most small businesses face today? Demand rich and resource poor, you often find yourself asking how to easily grow your business, without the additional staff and expense.

Photos are courtesy of the Brady Stewart Studio.

More about the Brady Stewart Collection:

The collection captures a historically significant period with photographs of Advertising & Products, Building & Churches, Duquesne University, Homesteading in Idaho, Manufacturing & Equipment, Lake Chautauqua and Erie, Lifestyle & People, Niagara Falls & Washington DC, Pittsburgh City Scenes, Sports and Transportation. Available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, the photographs were made by Brady Stewart, Brady Stewart Jr., and associates of Brady Stewart Studio Inc.

Entrepreneur’s Challenge: The problem continues – Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

Back in October of 2007, I wrote a blog Post titled “Entrepreneur’s Challenge: When the colony collapses, where do the honey bees go?” I challenged readers with the following:

“Here’s the Entrepreneur’s Challenge: How would you go about tracking the whereabouts of the missing honey bees? Since they navigate to and from the hive in a relatively short distance, around 2-4 miles, it should be easy to set up some low range tracking device and help solve the mystery of the missing honey bees.”

This morning I caught a headline on msnbc.com titled “Busy bees, but hives are besieged, diseased” with a subtitle of “Scientists struggle to find cause — and fix — for colony collapse disorder”.

In the article by Adrian Higgins, from washingtonpost.com, the problem can be summed up with “After three years of research, scientists think the cause is not a single factor but a cocktail of maladies that together weaken and sicken the bees.”

Stephen L. Buchmann, Ph.D (Department of Entomology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ), made mention of this aspect in a comment to my original Post. In that comment he brings forth a number of the factors that could contribute to the problem as well as some education surrounding the industry and how it affects crops.

Also, funding for research and awareness seems to be minimal to solve the problem. Not long ago, I watched the film “The Last Beekeeper” on Planet Green (Discovery Communications), which “…follows the lives of three commercial beekeepers in South Carolina, Montana, and Washington. Over the course of a year they struggle to come to terms with the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive or European honey bee colony abruptly disappear.” Other documentary films like “Vanishing of the Bees” are making an effort to raise awareness, but they are minimally funded and scrambling for attention.

Sadly, the extent to which the USDA suggests the public help combat CCD is limited to “The best action you can take to benefit honey bees is to not use pesticides indiscriminately, especially not to use pesticides at mid-day when honey bees are most likely to be out foraging for nectar. In addition, you can plant and encourage the planting of good nectar sources such as red clover, foxglove, bee balm, and joe-pye weed.”

With so much government spending elsewhere, whilst our nation's crops are most certainly at risk (from this unsolved mystery), you would think they could do more about CCD; while spreading all the $timulu$ around, how about sending some toward solving CCD. Maybe it’s time for all of us to pen a note or make a call to the local, state, and national Department of Agriculture offices and help raise this profile of need. Look around the universities in your area and see what they need, too. After all, this is one issue that literally goes right to your gut.

p.s. Follow this link to the USDA’s Progress Report on CCD, dated June 2009.

0 to 60 in less than 5: Jeans with a hole in the knee

Cabin fever must be settling in. One of those rare Carolina snowstorms came in on Friday night. Nice to wake up to the white blanket of snow, but it certainly wreaks havoc on getting around town. Born and raised in Chicago, with a brief stint in Western Michigan, in years past I didn’t understand the slowdown that comes with weather like this – it’s certainly mild by Midwestern standards.

We came to North Carolina from California on the premise it would be a mild weather transition. Our first year here in 1993 proved that to be wrong – 17 years later, it still holds true. But, one thing that has not changed in all those years is how an old pair of jeans with a hole in the knee can bring comfort. The hole in the knee is an emblem that often signals the softening of the denim, and the comfortable fit around the waistband, that only time can bring to life.

Working at my desk today, I couldn’t resist putting on a pair that has only begun to show some flesh in one knee – the remnants of white thread add a touch of a pattern not found elsewhere on these pants. To a degree, they are still presentable; it skirts the edge of acceptable business casual. I can’t help but think, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get away with this more often.

Since heat pumps are loath to put out any significant heat in this cold weather, I spend the waking hours, and later in the evening, near the fireplace. We have an insert that puts out more heat than the pumps, so they are silent while the natural warmth slowly creeps through the house. With laptop engaged, I enjoy the work at hand until signs of above freezing grace the thermometer – then I can go with the pumps again. Nothing like a wireless network to help you greet the outside world, too.

Herein lies the rub for today. The comfort I find in my jeans, and natural warmth of the fireplace, can’t overcome the need to connect via technology to keep business going. Cell phones, wireless networks, laptops, etc. have encroached into my otherwise peaceful setting. Maybe there is a subtle message I have yet to see – could it be that I long for simpler times? Please tell me it’s not just age creeping in.

Save on print with imaging? Sure, but where’s the capital to buy it?

This morning I stumbled upon a Press Release from InfoTrends titled, "InfoTrends Study Examines Prime Vertical Markets for Office Solutions and Managed Print Services". Having spent a great deal of time around this market – in a print service bureau, as a software vendor, and making it all work in hardware components for both print and imaging – my interest was piqued by some of the material in the release.

What first caught my eye was,  'Randy Dazo, a Director at InfoTrends, commented, “While significant growth is occurring within these markets, increased market education could add an additional boost. Vendors have much to gain by making known the cost savings that can be realized by implementing the right combination of solutions and services.”'

As a former ‘vendor’ in one form or another, that is what vendors have been doing ("making known the cost savings") for years. But, in talking to many small to medium businesses these days, they tell me that it's a lack of money (capital) that holds them back; they would like to adopt the solutions, but getting the capital to do it is hard. As an aside, last week I witnessed a local loan officer making in-person cold calls talking to local business owners about SBA loans – what a refreshing way to start my morning.

Under the Economic Stimulus Act, the banks are supposed to be lending and the Government is offering some tax breaks, along with new incentives from the SBA. However, in our work with small to medium businesses, I do not see much of it taking hold. In fact, in many ways, it is just the opposite; when it comes to capital expenditures, companies are in retreat.

I guess if you were a vendor, paying $3,995.00 for a 100-page report of “over 500 qualified respondents”, may be helpful to build your case around "making known the cost savings". The abstract I looked at included only a table of contents, so I can’t attest to the report’s value. It is interesting to note that the report contains information related to those “who had already invested in document assessment/managed print services”.

What about those companies and organizations that would like to have made the investment (in better economic times), but did not. That’s the call to today’s vendor; how can I save money without a significant cash outlay? Or, as Clara Peller used to say (in a burger commercial), “Where’s The Beef?”

p.s. If you are company looking for this type of solution or cost savings, there’s a good chance your vendor(s) has an excellent comprehensive study, customer or market survey, and/or a white paper or two of information to help you make an educated decision in your purchase.

Two guys, a plan, and a better way to Go Green in building

The first time I saw Brent Francese, he was playing drums behind a clear acrylic drum screen and sound shielding system. I would have another opportunity to view his work when I saw a poster he designed for a benefit concert, which was prominently displayed across opposing, overhead screens. Curious about his background, I discovered he is also an accomplished architect.

This past week, I seized the opportunity to get to know Brent better. We spoke briefly in the hallway about the current trend of “Go Green” in building, both residential and commercial. I explained that although I was very upbeat at the possibilities, and reflected on a few of my favorites, I questioned the ability of this taking hold without some level of cost advantage. Everything I have looked into to this point seems to not have a payback, other than the positive impact from treating our environment with care and respect.

What began as a quizzical conversation (from me), soon developed into a high level of curiosity and interest in a new way of thinking. Brent talked about more than just the product side of this movement; he introduced the notion of “…creating low carbon, smart living environments for everyone.”

Brent described how the architectural industry is a driving force in green building, much of which is in the product side. This occurs most through the products specified by the architect, and the incorporation of “greener” design concepts. Some of the more prominent areas are “plywood sheets, countertops, sinks, toilets, rain catchment, wind, (etc.)”. This in turn is being driven by consumer demand, i.e., the public at large is asking for it.

Here is where I think Brent, and his collaborating partner, Tony Lineberry, has ventured into new space – pardon the pun – called “Clean Living”. They define it as, “Clean Living is about creating residential homes with a smart, small and sustainable mindset. Simply, our mission is create homes that will not only help our environment, but give back to it.”

They are putting it into practice with “a simple house set on a 4' module which is the basic dimension of a piece of plywood (4'x8') and has a basic set dimension of conventional lumber to reduce waste.” This level of greener living, or Clean Living as they call it, makes for “ a very small footprint which will keep it low impact on the earth.”

What Brent showed me was that I was focused on the ‘big’ systems (solar, wind, water, etc.); although they incorporate those in their design, they begin with the notion that “basic architecture can start off with a base of being green just by how it’s sited on the land”, what Brent referred to as “passive”. The “active” side, which had been my primary interest, can include a package of products, treatment (finishes, paints, plaster, etc.), and other building materials or techniques.

I still believe that we will need to reach some level of cost savings, or at least a reasonable break-even, before this takes on greater momentum. But for now, I have a new idea of how Clean Living can help mitigate some of the cost obstacles presented by the ‘big systems’  that I have considered in the past.

More on Clean Living found here.

Entrepreneurial venture calls for corporate discipline

Recent economic changes have brought about a new harvest of entrepreneurial ventures and endeavors. The franchise industry is experiencing growth with new franchisees, as well as individuals going solo as an independent business, or consultant. As job losses continue to accumulate, more people are considering some level of self-employment.

We see this benefitting the individual and the companies who are in need of these services. Individuals can develop an income stream and companies can take advantage of short term or specialized skills at competitive rates.

Nevertheless, the more we interact with these changes, the more we see the need for both parties to apply some corporate discipline to the relationship.

For the entrepreneur, they need to recognize that larger companies as customers will apply some type of pre-qualification process prior to purchase. These companies often have a procurement profile or assessment that can be accessed online from their Web site. There will be questions that relate to company size, financial information, corporate structure, client referrals, etc. This information should be prepared in advance and readily available prior to submission. Good accounting resources and legal advice can pay handsomely in this situation.

Most any size company will/should also demand some level of assurance for performance. A recent example we saw was in professional computing services. Although the proposal was sound, there was no provision for an SLA (Service Level Agreement). We told our client to go back to the vendor – a small entrepreneurial firm - and ask for an SLA.

The exchange of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between parties is a common practice. As the numbers of agreements grow, and the terms and conditions may vary, it is a good idea to keep a catalog of the agreements. Along with a cross reference by company name or date, a capsule of the terms and conditions is also helpful when looking for specifics, e.g., length of term, business entity, name and title who signed it, expiration date, products or services bound by the agreement, etc.

Beyond these simple examples lie many more. Most of the new wave of entrepreneurs are ‘corporate exits’, i.e., they came from a corporate discipline or accountability. As you venture out on your own, think in terms of the discipline that was in place while you were an employee of your former employer. Let experience be your guide.

Three priorities for business owners to consider, now

While reading an online article in The Wall Street Journal this morning, I caught a discussion question asking about the three things management should focus on now, e.g., human resources, financial, etc. Putting this on top of the CNBC TV show I watched last night, “Saving GM: Inside the Crisis”, and the story of a small bolt company, Seaway Bolt & Specials, I started to think of the struggles for the average small to medium business owner. If you were to set only three priorities, what would they be?

Let’s add another component to this little exercise; you have only three minutes to answer. What three priorities would you choose? I challenged my own thinking, along with the three-minute time limit, and here’s what I came up with:

1. Cost Containment - Focus on your 'core' and consider outsourcing the non-essentials (to your business). Example: If you are a multi-location business (or restaurant chain), consider outsourcing your accounting (dept. functions). This can raise the quality of financial information, introduce better processes and systems, and reduce or eliminate costs. This works in most any industry segment, or size of business, even if you are just a one-location business.

2. Social Responsibility - Recent tax incentives, e.g., Energy Tax Credits, can allow you to make sound investments in becoming more socially responsible and save money. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 also includes provisions for increased Energy Credits, i.e., the Act provides even more incentive for you and your company to “Go Green”. Not only can you save money with credits and incentives, you will also be showing your commitment to social responsibility in energy use.

3. Cash Flow - Look beyond traditional lending sources and consider recent changes in the lending practices of the SBA. Along with the new tax provisions, the SBA now offers new programs to help small businesses. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contains a package of loan fee reductions, higher guarantees, new SBA programs, secondary market incentives, and enhancements to current SBA programs that will help unlock credit markets and begin economic recovery for the nation’s small business sector.”

How about you? What three priorities would you offer up to this question? In your own business, what priorities have you set, or put into motion?