Photo: LuciditySBM

Jake Daghe

There are disaster situations that companies and organizations are prepared for.

Every year of grade-school growing up, twice a year we had to do a mandatory tornado drill where a loud, obtrusive alarm would blare and everyone would scramble to the middle of the hallways, away from the windows, and would sit with our heads tucked and legs pulled in.

Companies do fire-drills. My company had an active-shooter training a few years back to prepare our team for what to do in the event of an unseen dangerous situation.

Organizations have scenarios and situations that they are already prepared for. The training manuals are on the shelf, ready to be pulled out at a moment’s notice. A global pandemic that shuts down the economy for 3 months, halting all work-life rhythm and social practices is not one of those scenarios organizations were prepared for.

As such, many organizations have been reeling, knocked back onto their heels from the recent events, and are still working to figure out how to best move forward in light of this pandemic.

To best move forward, companies must be radically honest. They must be willing to listen and learn, to admit their shortcomings, and to make adjustments where necessary.

And they must do everything in their power to maintain their mission.

In order to maintain your organization’s mission during a time of crisis, you should embrace three crucial truths.

From: https://entrepreneurshandbook.co/maintaining-your-organizations-mission-in-a-time-of-crisis-14fc60cfb4b7

On July 1, 2020, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters into force officially replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

About the author

Loretta Greene

Associate Administrator

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Loretta Greene is Associate Administrator for the Office of International Trade.

<p>Loretta Solon Greene is the Associate Administrator for the Office of International Trade (OIT) at the U.S. Small Business Administration. &nbsp;In this role, Greene works to increase the number of small business exporters as well as the volume of exports by American small businesses. As Associate Administrator of OIT, Greene oversees the SBA’s programs related to federal and state trade development, international trade and finance, and international affairs and trade policy.</p> <p>Greene brings extensive knowledge in federal government and global affairs to the position, with 30 years of experience in international trade, economic development, fundraising, and protocol.&nbsp; Before her appointment she served as the President of Greene Strategy, a government affairs consulting organization that advises on trade and energy issues.</p> <p>Greene also provided strategic direction as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she advised on global markets, commercial services, foreign direct investment programs, manufacturing, and industry. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of International Trade Association Affairs at Commerce and was responsible for promoting trade programs and building coalitions for free trade policy. She has also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this role, she was responsible for establishing and maintaining the strategic communications systems between the HUD Secretary and state, local, and regional governments.</p> <p>Greene is a native from Dallas, Texas and has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hollins College.&nbsp;</p>Read More

Stephanie Burns

Most entrepreneurs are eager to take external actions to increase their revenue, like building a better sales funnel or buying the newest “blueprint.” But if you want massive success, you should focus on making internal changes by rewriting what Cynthia Garcia calls your “Stuck Story.”

“My Stuck Story was written on my eighth birthday. After waiting all day for some small token to celebrate my existence (A present? A cake?), my mother made it clear that not only did she forget it was my birthday, she also didn’t care. So, I created my ‘Stuck Story’ that day which was, ‘I’m not special and I don’t deserve nice things.’ You can see how that would hold someone back from success.

“Before my business hit even seven figures, I was one of those externally-focused entrepreneurs with internal problems that needed fixing. Once I rewrote my ‘Stuck Story’ I was able to break through to next-level success,” says Garcia.

Cynthia is a leading expert in the field of transformational mindset work and the founder and CEO of the Institute of Transformational Nutrition (ITN). The following tips are how she overcame her stuck story to create massive success.

“Stuck Stories fall into five categories: the Powerful Procrastinator, the Visionary Victim, the Passionate Perfectionist, the Distinguished Deflector, and the Prestigious Pleaser,” notes Garcia. “These aren’t personality types. They’re deeply stored, limiting identities that hold us back from reaching the level of success we’re capable of.

“Powerful Procrastinators tend to take themselves out of the game before they even get started. How? Simply by not taking the next right step toward the thing they know they’re meant to do. (If you don’t think you matter or can win, why play?) When I was trying to write a book a few years ago, I would procrastinate sitting down to write. But once I was able to rewrite my stuck story and finish the book, it led to huge financial success. We sold over a million copies, I got national media attention, I built up my platform and grew my online following.

“Perfectionists want to do everything themselves, so they tend to hold themselves back by not delegating. Deflectors, for example, they never toot their own horns. You’ll say, ‘Great job on this project!’ And they’ll reply, ‘It was really a team effort.’ That holds you back from getting promoted or stepping into the spotlight as someone people want to work with.

“Pleasers say no to themselves because they say yes to everyone else. That means there’s no time to do the things that they want to do—the things that will move the needle for their own success. And Victims blame others for what happens in their lives. If you don’t think you have any control, why make any effort to achieve greater things in life?” explains Garcia.

Really assess which category you fall into so you can move forward.

Step 2: Let Go Of Your “Identity”

To start rewriting your story, it’s critical that you dismantle the limiting beliefs tied to your identity. Until you do so, you will continue to stay stuck, repeating the same actions over and over again. “Part of letting go of the identity your story created is noting how it has also served you. For example, I didn’t have a great mother figure in my life so I figured out how to nurture and meet my own needs. I became a problem solver who can handle anything. That still serves me to this day. Often, the perceived weaknesses from your past are actually your greatest strengths,” says Garcia.

Once you’ve taken the good from your story, let go of it. Then all that’s left of your Stuck Story is your descriptor. If you’re a Powerful Procrastinator, for example, when you let go of the Identity of “Procrastinator,” all that’s left is being “Powerful.”

Step 3: Select A New “Identity”

“Imagine the successful version of yourself you want to become. Most of us have already pinpointed this person (or these people) but we just don’t realize it yet,” notes Garcia. “Maybe it’s a celebrity you’ve always fantasized about switching places with like Oprah or Michelle Obama. Or someone you religiously follow on social media like Kim Kardashian or Jimmy Fallon. Or perhaps it’s someone whose products you always buy like Donna Karan or Sara Blakely.”

Now ask yourself:

• What does this person do on a daily basis? 
• How would they respond to this email?
• How would they lead their teams?
• Who would they allow in their environment?
• How much time would they spend on unimportant tasks?

You get the idea. Be as specific as you can here.

Step 4: Act As If

Constantly ask yourself those questions and then act accordingly. This is where the shift into your new identity actually starts to happen. You begin living as if you’re already the person you want to become.

“While writing my new book, I imagine how Cheryl Strayed, Glennon Doyle or Tara Westover would approach their writing schedule. How they would set up their writing environment. How much time they’d spend on research. And then I act as if,” explains Garcia. “The practice calls you to set higher standards for yourself and then strive to meet them every single day. That’s the real work of an 8-figure and beyond entrepreneur.”

It’s important to plan for the future in uncertain times

By Luka Ladan

Believe it or not, Americans are starting new businesses—hundreds of thousands of them. Even in the midst of a public health crisis, a possible recession, and now social unrest, American entrepreneurs are still taking on the risks of running a small business.

As an entrepreneur, I commend them for their extraordinary risk tolerance. Most will fail. Some will survive. But a select few will thrive, taking the U.S. economy to greater heights.

Innovation is the heart of the free-market and expands with it. As the Archbridge Institute’s Gonzalo Schwarz puts it, “Human ingenuity is our greatest weapon against the coronavirus.”

Indeed, human ingenuity remains our economy’s greatest weapon in good times and bad. Entrepreneurship is a primary driver of economic output, fueling the business expansion and job creation that uplifts Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum.

The entrepreneur’s journey is an arduous one however, now more than ever. Whether they are sole proprietors or the stewards of larger entities, small business owners must ask themselves: What is my value-add? How can I monetize that value-add to the fullest extent possible? Is my value-add sustainable in the short-, medium-, and long-term?

That last question is especially pertinent during these turbulent times. Today’s entrepreneurs are running small businesses in the midst of an unprecedented economic recession and turmoil. According to economists, America’s unemployment rate has surpassed 20 percent—the highest mark since the Great Recession. Tens of millions of Americans are out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, the question becomes: Is my business “recession-proof?”

Starting a small business, let alone running one, can take months to map out, if not years. It costs money, and it takes time—an opportunity cost in itself. Once you go down that road, you want to stay on it.

Because starting a business is mentally, physically, and financially draining, but starting over, even more so.

By “recession-proofing” business models, entrepreneurs can mitigate the risks of running a small business, not to mention the risk of a “black swan” event (i.e. a public health crisis or social unrest) shutting it down. The most innovative, forward-thinking entrepreneurs can develop a business model that can not only survive a “black swan” event but also thrive during it.

So how do you do that? Thinking ahead is the first step. Predicting what the future may look like is another. Even more importantly, entrepreneurs need to assume that the worst-case scenario will happen—that the business will face the most overwhelming odds.

Perhaps, that won’t happen. For example, today’s Millennials probably won’t suffer through another pandemic in their lifetimes. But small business owners need to go about their lives as if a pandemic could spread again or social unrest could bring economic activity to a halt.

I’ll give you an example. As a public relations expert, I handle a wide range of client deliverables, from content creation to media outreach. Planning ahead, I need to ask myself: The way technology is changing the world of strategic communications, do I need to adjust what content I’m creating? Do I need to tweak how I’m communicating with reporters and the like? Or is my current business model sustainable over the next six months, the next year, and the next decade?

I’ll give you an even more concrete example. Primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital advertising expenditures are down 33 percent for the March-June period. Ad spending on traditional media, such as cable news, has dropped even more (39 percent).

Those advertising experts who specialize in digital and traditional advertising, respectively, need to be introspective. Is this downward trend simply because of the coronavirus, or does it represent a broader trend? Should ad dollars be shifted to digital, traditional, or somewhere else entirely?

Once they’ve analyzed their situation, advertising experts can then construct a business model that endures during and beyond our current crisis. They can then build a “recession-proof” business model that adds value, even during the worst of times.

Again, consider the worst-case scenario.

For instance, your client’s own revenue stream is cut by 50 percent, due to the pandemic. What value can you add that is still worth paying for, even on a slimmer budget?

There may not be any level of value justifying that expenditure. Even if you are adding significant value, there are circumstances beyond even the most self-aware entrepreneur’s control. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, not all businesses are “recession-proof.”

Only with self-awareness can entrepreneurs hope to come out stronger on the other side. Only with resilient entrepreneurs can we survive and thrive, whether the U.S. economy is in a recession or not.

As if being an entrepreneur isn’t difficult enough, the current crisis has thrown a new set of risks our way. We have two options: Complain or turn this crisis into an opportunity.

Re-posted from https://catalyst.independent.org/2020/06/05/recession-proofing-your-small-business/

Resolving those conflicts even when everyone is right!

By Steve Header

“Connect the dots,” we hear it often. In the classroom, in the workplace, and even in the oval office. But what exactly does it mean?

To understand dot connection, we first need to have a look at what “dots” are. Dots are experiences, events, learned behavior, and beliefs bestowed upon us by our parents and peers.

We have many dots, and each of us have our own distinctive dots, like no one else. Our dots help us to form and distinguish our individual sense of right and wrong, including our moral compass.

When we connect dots, our minds begin grouping them, i.e., experiences, behaviors, and beliefs into categories and patterns, and placing value on them.

Our dots and how our minds connect these dots determine how we approach life, and form our individual perspective; and subsequently, the positions we generally take on issues. Every day as we receive new dots, we align the new dots with already established patterns and slowly build our perspectives. Our pre-disposition automatically designates all new dots as good, bad, indifferent, interesting, and so on.

Our perspectives – our truths 

As we can see, each of us have many different dots, and each of us also have different amounts of dots, and they are constantly increasing albeit at different rates for each of us. For example, a child by default will have fewer different dots and fewer amounts of dots. This limits their perspective, but only in relationship to those with more dots. To themselves and to others with similar dots, their perspective is their truth. It has to be. Similarly, you and I, will have perspectives representative of our truths or else it would not be our perspective.

When a child believes in the magic of the holidays, that belief is not pretend. From their perspective, it is as real as the tree we see outside our window. As a child receives and connects more dots, their perspective most likely will change, and it will continue to change and evolve throughout his or her lifetime.

Our perspectives, our truths, will continue to mature and there are no limits. Perspectives are dynamic, ever changing, and are also the source of all conflicts. Humans form societies, we are social creatures, we want and need the closeness of others. The young, the elders, and in between are all welcomed and needed in our society, and each represents a unique perspective.

When everyone is right                        

Problems occur when our perspectives are not aligned with each other. Now, that is not to say some folks may not try to influence the masses through forwarding, and sometimes mandating, dots for a particular agenda. However, it is impossible to control all dots that an individual receives. Every single conflict will have it bases in the dot connection of the individuals or the parties involved.

People will align with others who have similar dots, and we know according to their perspective their ideas and thoughts are true. It is quite feasible to assume there are infinite levels of perspectives in society, and based on their truths, each level forms a position on issues.

Why conflicts arise so readily is now very understandable, we have several different levels of perspectives holding different positions on issues. These positions can be yes or no, right or wrong, and even life or death; and they are all correct!

 Classic Scenario

To demonstrate we’ll have a look at a common issue, minimum wage, that surfaces every so often. We have a perspective that takes a position minimum wage should be raised to provide an adequate standard of living. We also have another perspective that takes a position minimum wage should be lower or removed as it hampers business and adversely affects the fixed income population.

The above positions are 180 degrees opposed to each other, yet both are right. If we leave the discussion here these two positions will be in contention forever. There can never be a resolution. How could there be? Both positions are correct based on their perspective, their connection of dots.

We see this butting-of-heads about many issues in the news and on social media.

“I’m right, you’re wrong, “no I’m right and you are wrong.”

“Why don’t these people understand?”

“Why can’t these people see the truth?”

“Wake up!”

Or sometimes it becomes a contest of who can bash the other side more. “You’re a fool, “no, you are an idiot.”

I believe it to be a universal truth that we will never convince someone with a different perspective to join our perspective, by bashing or belittling their position.

Sisyphus

Will this scenario play out over-and-over again? Like Sisyphus, are we doomed to an eternity of rolling this boulder up a hill, just to watch it roll down again? Or possibly until society can be mandated and manipulated enough to where we all have been indoctrinated into one universal perspective, and cease being individuals?

Thankfully, no. The study of leadership has given us several wonderful tools to use to break the deadlock associated with opposing positions. One such tool is ‘Principled Negotiation.’

Principled negotiation directs us to:

• Separate the people from the problem – No more name calling, badgering, or personal attacks on our fellow brothers and sisters
• Stick to using objective criteria – Use facts, precedence, and moral standards recognized by all positions
• Focus on the interests, not the position – the reasons why a certain position is held
• Create options (New Dots) with mutual gains – knowing the interests behind a position, we have a far greater understanding of the elements involved, and this allows us to work toward and conceive more and higher quality resolutions

Once we understand why someone holds a particular position, their interests, their dots, that gives us not only more information to create viable solutions, it also expands our own perspective. We now have an opportunity to experience a small window into their position, and this gives us an opening to apply empathetic reasoning, knowing from their perspective their position is right.

If I win, must you lose

I would like to note, finding the optimum resolution is not a zero-sum equation. If I win, does not mean you have to lose. Also, I am generally opposed to the use of compromise. Compromising purely makes both positions give up something they hold to be true; and thus, both sides lose.

A much better approach, though it may take a bit more time and energy, is what Mary Parker Follet termed, ‘Integrative conflict resolution.’ A philosophy of conflict resolution where the solution can and should produce a win-win for all positions. If we apply Principled Negotiations to our earlier example of minimum wage, we’ll need to separate the people from the problem, and we are not going to attack someone personally for a position they hold. We will use only objective criteria, and will look at the interest behind the position, the dots. With this greater understanding more information will be opened for us to explore.

The first position – minimum wage should provide an adequate standard of living suggesting the interest behind the position is that many people are stuck at a particular level of marketable skills and due to circumstances cannot readily change their status. All while being tasked with providing for themselves and their families. From this perspective this position is correct.

Now the second position – minimum wage should be lowered or removed as it hampers business and will adversely affect older folks and others on fixed incomes suggesting the interest behind this position is many struggling businesses cannot afford to pay more for services that don’t require higher skills. If forced to do so, it may cause businesses to close, leading to higher unemployment. Additionally, if wages are increased without being based on merit, consumer prices will need to be raised to offset the increase in wages. This will adversely affect those who are on a fixed income. From this perspective this position is also correct.

Our new understanding

With our newfound understanding of the dots contributing to both positions, one viable solution, without one position winning and the other position losing, and without compromising, would be to subsidize head of household low skilled workers. Living expenses and specialize job training are provided for a period of time. The outcome being the head of household now has the skills required to earn a higher wage based on merit and no longer requires assistance in the form of an inflated wage. It is a win for the interests behind both positions, and just one of many similar solutions.

When we put forth the effort to understand the opposing interests, and truly become empathetic toward that position, we have expanded our own connection of dots to allow a greater range of options that will lead to a win-win resolution. The possibilities are endless.

Photos sources: Psychologist World.com/ Pinterest/ brainpicking.org/ The geekyleader.com/ Jonathan Petersson on Pexals.com/ LuciditySBM.com

Steve Header is a Professor of management-leadership/Consultant/Speaker

If you’re someone who is able to keep your cool — and care — even when your team is driving you nuts, you were born to be a leader.

LEAH THOMAS VIA FAIRYGODBOSS
APRIL 5, 2019

Leaders are often depicted as cold-hearted, no-nonsense figures without a trace of a soul (think: Miranda Priestly). But recent research shows that successful leaders have a completely different attribute that’s contradictory to the previously taught leadership qualities: true kindness.

According to research, employees enjoy working for a leader who takes charge and creates her own rules in a nice way. A leader who seems to actually care about them, their livelihoods, their families, their work-life balance in a genuine way.

It can be difficult for most leaders to exude under the stresses of management, but kindness in a leader has been found to create not only a happier work environment, but more loyal and committed employees who work harder and produce better work. If you’re someone who is able to keep your cool — and care — even when your team is driving you nuts, you were born to be a leader. Here’s why.

1. Kindness improves employee well-being and productivity
When employees are friendly and help one another with tasks, they develop better relationships with coworkers (seems obvious, right?) These relationships create a healthier work environment, one that is not based on fear of repercussions, which, in turn, improves employee productivity. Workers are also more likely to perform better and be more efficient with their time without being watched and told to hurry up by a mean boss. Seems like kindness really can pay off.

2. People’s brains respond to kindness in a way that improves teamwork
According to Judith Glaser, CEO of Benchmark Communications and author of Creating WE, the human brain is wired to respond well to kindness and respect.

“When someone is kind and respectful to us, our brains produce more oxytocin and dopamine, which helps us relax, feel open to others, and be more sharing and cooperative,” Glaser said. Being open and allowing collaboration is beneficial to the teamwork necessary in most professions.

3. Kindness in the workplace leads to trust in the workplace
In a survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1,409 CEOs in 83 different countries were interviewed on improving employee performance. The survey discovered that kindness leads to greater employee dedication and commitment to their company. Kindness also breaks down communication barriers that may exist, reduces dangerous competition among employees, and improves relationships with company shareholders.

4. Kindness creates learning and innovation
Kindness, along with the qualities of empathy and understanding, is important to innovation. These qualities lead to personal psychological safety, according to research from Bar-Ilan University in Israel and the University of Michigan. This “psychological safety” makes employees more likely to learn from their failures, rather than be discouraged. Those who are psychologically safe are more likely to share personal information, as well as work together to come up with creative solutions to problems in the workplace.

Text as published in Ladders

By YEC CommunityVoice Entrepreneurs

Adding new team members is an important and exciting time for any business. Not only is it indicative of success, but it is also an excellent opportunity to further focus the direction of the company. Hiring new players to the team means that new ideas and backgrounds come along as well — a benefit that can greatly add to a company’s creativity and perspective.

Yet, with new people coming in as a company scales, it can be challenging to maintain a cohesive company culture. To help you scale with ease, eight members of Young Entrepreneur Council share their own experiences.

1. Keep Remote Workers Engaged
We’ve expanded from a team of four to almost 100 in only four years. We try and keep all of our team at HQ as much as we can and have a very limited remote workforce. However, even if you’re a remote worker, you still come to HQ at least once a quarter. We have every meeting on video via Zoom — not just over the phone — so they may be virtual workers, but they are still as face-to-face as it can get. We include remote workers in our weekly company all-hands meetings as well and ensure they can participate in fun office activities, even from afar. – Suneera Madhani, Fattmerchant

2. Create And Maintain Company Traditions
Early on in your company, you may have created company traditions that bring the team together — and if you haven’t created any company traditions, I suggest you do. Having unique company traditions is important to building a great company culture, and it’s important not to lose those little traditions when your company starts to grow.

Whether your company tradition is to not wear shoes at the office, to have a yearly costume contest or to encourage workers to take a nap after lunch, company traditions bring about greater connections with your team members. So make sure new employees know about your company traditions and encourage them to participate. – John Turner, SeedProd LLC

3. Lead By Example
You and your leaders need to set the visual example of your core values all the time. Remind people of them through your own actions. One of our values is team pride. My business partner and I jump in when we’re needed — no matter what the work.

If account directors take maternity or paternity leave, we take their place for those three months. We’ve also instilled our values in our managers so they lead by example, too. When they take a vacation, they are sure to shut completely off. They take all their vacation days. When their kids are sick they work when they can but show their family is the priority. If you have values you’re not living by, how is the rest of your company supposed to? – Kerry Guard, MKG Marketing

4. Choose The Right People And Set Clear Expectations
You need to hire the right people. Anyone that creates drama will not fit within your corporate culture — unless that is your culture. If someone does not fit well, you should terminate quickly, otherwise, team morale can slag as they deal with the ineptitude of employees who are underperforming.

Clear expectations need to be put into place for all new team members. This can start with the mundane, such as when to show up, how to dress, how quickly answers are expected, what to do in situation “X” and so on. This can all be covered in an employee handbook. You should also assign all new hires to a buddy — someone who has been at the company for a while — to teach them the corporate and work ethic that is needed. Otherwise, you will end up with all new people teaching each other. – Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Web Design

5. Remember Your Team Members Have Goals, Too
I have noticed that when I have allowed people to work from all over the world and remotely, it has actually indirectly created a more inclusive culture. People get along well with one another, they get what they need to get the work done and they are self-starters. I like to encourage others to have a side hustle, and this will keep everyone connected.

Also, it doesn’t always have to be about your company and your goals. When you focus on your team members and their personal goals, your company will grow and scale indirectly. This is the strategy that I’ve seen work with many of the startups I have worked with. The CEOs are able to see more of the team members in the joyful state versus the shrug of just being “happy.” – Sweta Patel, Silicon Valley Startup Marketing

6. Set Culture-Driven Performance Indicators
We set key performance indicators (KPIs) per role or a skill all the time. Why leave culture out of the equation? Culture-driven KPIs helped us reduce turnover by over 30%.

As we already have our traits defined, an exemplary scenario helps to assess culture fit over the first weeks. Think of what really matters for your culture. Is it teamwork? Or hard work? Volunteering? Count how many colleagues your new hire has bonded with. Poll them and ask for the added feedback. Or schedule a couple interim reviews with a new hire, asking when was the last time they took care of their volunteering cause. Setting measurable, albeit small, goals for new hires related to your culture will help retain top players without losing committed long-term employees. – Mario Peshev, DevriX

7. Make Onboarding An Immersive Process
We recently added half a dozen folks to our team this summer, which is a big jump for us as we need to keep up with the growth of business. We now have an onboarding process that spans three weeks and includes in-person onboarding for a week with human resources and our head of talent at our headquarters, even for our East Coast team members.

In addition, we have each new team member meet for a lunch, coffee, walk or whatnot with every current team member (which is feasible, as we’re a team of under 50 employees). Culture is built and added to by every individual of an organization; it doesn’t live on a poster or get talked about just by the CEO. The long onboarding, in addition to the individual meetings, helps to showcase this. – Beck Bamberger, BAM Communications

8. Don’t Compromise Your Core Values
As your company grows, it is very easy for quality controls to loosen, particularly around hiring. In the early days, hiring people who fit seamlessly within your company culture is second nature. When you are in growth mode and need to hire more aggressively, you will often have to sacrifice something in considering imperfect candidates.

You must not sacrifice your company culture. The best way to make sure that your company culture stays intact is by only hiring people who will fit in well within your environment. One bad apple can spoil the bunch, and we have had bad experiences hiring people who did not embody our culture. We moved on and learned the hard way just how important it is to put company culture first. – Adam Mendler, Beverly Hills Chairs

As published in http://www.forbes.com

A few minutes focused on reducing stress pays dividends all day.

By Derek Doepker

For entrepreneurs, stress is a double-edged sword. On one hand, a moderate amount of stress can boost productivity, creativity and performance. Research shows that a moderate deadline, as opposed to one that’s extremely tight, can boost creativity.

On the other hand, many entrepreneurs are facing an overwhelming amount of stress, which can hinder performance. Entrepreneurs, compared to the typical population, have higher rates of stress, worry, depression and addiction. With stress, like exercise, the key is to maintain just enough to stimulate the system, without overloading oneself or doing damage.

Unfortunately, some entrepreneurs think relieving stress means giving up meaningful work or engaging in time-consuming stress management techniques. Fortunately, there are a few evidence-based methods that can rapidly reduce stress and increase resilience in just minutes a day. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you’ll watch stress levels plummet and your performance soar.

Strategy 1: Box breathing.
It’s hard to imagine more stressful work than being a Navy SEAL. To equip SEAL trainees with a way of quickly entering into a calm, energized and focused state, former Navy SEAL Mark Divine of SEALFIT teaches the box breathing method.

Research supports that slow, diaphragmatic breathing reduces the stress hormone cortisol, while also improving attention.
Here are the steps for box breathing:
Inhale for four seconds
Hold your breath for 4 seconds (without clamping your mouth or nose shut)
Exhale for four seconds
Hold for four seconds without air in the lungs
Repeat steps 1-4
This activity can be done for as little as 5 minutes to enter into a calm and focused state.

Strategy 2: Yawning.
According to neuroscience researcher and author Mark Waldman, repeatedly yawning for one minute is one of the fastest ways to reduce neurological stress and anxiety. Yawning can also enhance alertness.

While it may seem unusual, a quick test will prove how quickly your mind can calm after engaging in conscious yawning. To do this, simply force yourself to yawn several times. You may notice that you begin to stimulate a real yawn. Repeat this for up to 60 seconds and note the relaxed and alert state your mind enters. This can be done any time during the day to quickly calm your mind.

Strategy 3: 5-minute walks.
Exercise has long been a powerful stress buster. But fitting exercise into a busy day can be challenging for some entrepreneurs. Research in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity has shown that taking a 5-minute walk every hour can be just as beneficial as a 30-minute walk at the start of the day. In fact, the frequent walking group showed an improved mood, whereas the 30-minute walking group didn’t.

Entrepreneurs can incorporate frequent walks by:
Walking during phone calls
Holding walking meetings
Using treadmill desks
Walking outside for a break
Using smartphone dictation or recording software to walk and speak notes

Strategy 4: Gratitude.
Positive psychology research shows that gratitude has numerous benefits for improving mood, relieving depression, boosting the immune system and lowering blood pressure. While there are a few instances where gratitude hasn’t been shown to make a positive difference, for many entrepreneurs, gratitude can be an easy and time-efficient way to fight off stress and improve their mood.

A simple gratitude practice can include taking several minutes to write down reflections in a gratitude journal as well as conveying gratitude to those at work. As a bonus, taking the time to express gratitude to those in your network (e.g., writing thank you cards) can be an excellent way of sparking conversations that could lead to business growth.

Strategy 5: Saying no.
Entrepreneurs are often willing to take on challenges and risks that others won’t. While this personality trait can help blaze new trails, it can also potentially lead to burnout.
Whether it’s website design work or doing the laundry, many entrepreneurs are taught the benefit of outsourcing tasks that are outside their wheelhouse. What can be more challenging, however, is saying “no” to potential opportunities because of the stress they might add. This could also mean saying “no” to a client who requests too much.

The key here is a mindset shift. If you resent taking on work and it stresses you out, it could not only negatively affect you, but could also negatively affect those working with you — including your clients. Sometimes the best thing you can do for others is to let them work with someone who has the mental and physical capacity to better serve them.

Putting it all together.
Each of these strategies only takes a few minutes to implement, making them almost effortless. The key is remembering to do them. It’s recommended to first start with one or two of these strategies and create an “If-When-Then” plan.

For instance, “When it’s the top of the hour, then I will yawn for 60 seconds.” “If someone calls me, then I will get up and walk while taking the phone call.” “When I pack up my belongings at the end of the day, then I will recite to myself three things I’m grateful for.”

Write down your plan and read it at the start of each day until it becomes a habit. Apply any one of these simple strategies today to enjoy a renewed sense of well-being and newfound peace of mind.

as published in entrepreneur.com

By Melinda Emerson

To ensure success in the new year, most small businesses don’t realize that the process begins long before January 1. Instead, a lot of work goes into setting your business up for a running start when the clock strikes 12. Don’t wait; start now with this list of 10 New Year Tips For Your Small Business.

1. Revisit Your Business Plan
If it has been a while since you examined this critical document, now’s the time to get to it. Review it to ensure it’s still aligned with your current company goals. Change what needs changing. And if you never had one, use http://www.enloop.com to develop one online for free.

2. Set Your Business Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions are not all about losing weight. It is beneficial to lay out what you want for your business in the coming 12 months. Be specific, so you can actually measure results and see whether you accomplished them by year’s end.

3. Build a Promotions Calendar
Sit down with a calendar and start looking at all the holidays or events you want to build promotions around. This will give you ample time to plan your social media updates, blog posts, advertising campaigns, etc.

4. Consider Your Hiring Needs
If your business is getting increasingly too busy for you to run with a skeleton crew, start planning your hiring strategy for 2015. Consider temps, freelancers, virtual assistants, and part-timers as alternatives to full-time employees if your budget is tight.

5. Invest in Technology
If you’ve been putting off that computer or software purchase, now’s the time to go ahead with it. You’ll be more efficient, if you have a computer that doesn’t take an hour to load. Also, if you want to reduce your taxable income, you need to spend money before 2014 rolls away.

6. Create a Conference Plan
Attending conferences and industry trade shows can be so beneficial for you as a business owner. Not only can you meet others in your field (or potential customers) but you also learn from leading experts. Do some digging to see what’s available to attend in the next year, and put them on your calendar.

7. Reassess Your Online Brand
Google yourself! Is it time for a new headshot or website refresh? What worked for you in terms of marketing this year? This is a great time to tweak your online strategy so that you identify the tools that helped your business grow, and cut back on those that don’t.

8. Get Organized
If you’re like a lot of business owners, your desk is cluttered, and so is your desktop. Spend a few hours throwing away and shredding things you don’t need and organizing your computer files by year, i.e. Contracts. It will make things easier to find. I guarantee you’ll feel more together come January.

9. Refresh Your Employees’ Skills
If you do have staff, now’s a fantastic time to offer supplementary training to refresh their skills or give them new ones. Maybe they’re not all using your customer relationship management software. That’s the perfect topic for training.

10. Get Smarter
Your employees aren’t the only ones who could learn more. If the end of the year is quiet for you, build in reading time. Read industry blogs, books, magazines, and anything else you can get your hands on to be on top of the trends in your industry.
If one of your resolutions is to reinvent your business or start a new one altogether, pre-order my new book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition. You couldn’t ask for a better holiday gift to buy yourself.

As published in huffingtonpost.com, and modified by LuciditySBM