Are You Entrepreneur Material?

The V.P. of the company I work for encourages everyone to read.  Whether it's in between taking customer calls on a slow day, like today, or if it's during your free time at home, reading is something he highly recommends as a way to "broaden your horizons".  It's not just any book, however, it has to be a book that is smart and business related.  A book that will make you think or invoke some sort of response.

I have already read two books and am in the middle of my third already.  The book I am currently reading is The E Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber.  Essentially, this business literature is a guide on how you really should look at starting a business and what most business owners do that cause their venture to fail.

I just finished reading Chapter 5, which talks about breaking out of your comfort zone as a business owner.  So far, the book has stated that most business owners are technicians, someone who knows a lot about the job of the industry and loves it so much they want to make it their own.  What these technicians-turned-business-owners fail to do is allow other people to do the job for them.  Which makes sense because these owners know the job inside and out.  When they see someone do the job and it isn't done perfectly, it upsets them enough to where they will just do the job themselves.

In the chapter I just finished reading, this business owner that the author is talking to, had hired an employee to do just about everything for them.  They had a bond with this employee because they both worked equally as hard.  When the employee finally quits because the compensation isn't enough, the business owner is astonished.  She doesn't know what to do because, now, it's just her running the place.  She tells the author that she is "afraid' to hire anyone else because she fears they might quit on her, too.

After I read this, I took a moment to process it.  Really?  This business owner doesn't want to hire anyone else to fill the open position because she's afraid that they are going to quit, too?  I had to think, is this someone that the author really talked to, or is he making this up for book content?  If this was a real conversation, and I was speaking with this woman, I would have told her that she doesn't need to be a business owner if that is one of her biggest fears.

Being in business, no matter how big or small your company is, you have to separate personal feelings from work.  If you have to fire someone because they are not doing a good job, then fire them.  Don't let them hang around simply because you two have become friends or you might feel sorry for them.  And if you don't take care of your employees to compensate for the hard work they put into your business, don't be surprised or offended if they quit.  In most cases, it's nothing personal towards you.  Usually, it's because their work-related needs were not met and they found something better.

If this happens and you don't hire someone else, your business is undoubtedly doomed.  No one, with the right business sense, would willingly do all of the work themselves to avoid employee conflict.  It happens all the time.  People quit or get fired for whatever reason.  It's the nature of the business world.  If you can't handle it, you don't need to be a business owner.

After going through this thought process, I then tend to wonder how many business owners are like this.  How many owners take on all of the work themselves, put too much emotional value into their employees, or don't allow their business to grow and evolve because they are afraid of change?  In a free market economy, it's impossible to tell a business owner that they must meet requirements before they can start a business because that defeats the purpose of a free market.  But in some cases, I think there should be some sort of evaluation of a business owner that can say whether or not they are allowed to own a business.

The book states that each year nearly 400,000 businesses close their doors because the business owner couldn't maintain or grow the company.  This puts people out of work, and if business loans are involved, makes the owner's debt outstanding.  In essence, it's a beautiful tragedy.  We have the freedom to start a business if we're passionate about something or have the desire to better our financial standings.  But we don't realize what actually goes into starting a business until it's actually done.  And, according to how many businesses close each year, we don't have the willpower, knowledge, or understanding on how to keep a business running through the tough evolving struggle.

Not every business will immediately take off.  Sometimes, it takes 10 years before you actually see exponential growth.  And because the consumer market can be fickle, if you're not ready to adapt to change then you're setting yourself up for failure.  So, if you're thinking about starting a small business, you might want to think about these following questions:

• Can you remove yourself from the emotional aspect of a business relationship with your employees in case they quit or you have to fire them?
• Can you allow your employees to do their job without you standing over their shoulder?  They might not do it perfectly, or to your exact standards, but if they are getting the job done and to the customer's satisfaction without hurting the business then you should see it as no harm done.
• Can you allow your business to evolve with the consumers' needs?  
• How well do you adapt to change?  Because the business world, big or small, is always and forever changing.

So, are you entrepreneur material?

Just Keep Writing

So apparently I have been away from my blog for a while that I now have to get used to blogspot's new interface.  Which is ok, it looks easier and cleaner to use.  Now, why haven't I blogged in a while?  Well, other than the fact that I'm constantly busy with work, school, and family I have decided to take up writing as a paying hobby.  For the last few months I have been writing for Yahoo!'s Associated Content.  And just recently, their affiliate OMG has targeted me as a featured writer.  What does this mean?  It means I get emails when they need someone to write an article for them about a celebrity, tv show, movie, or anything else having to do with Hollywood.  And these articles are paid upfront, which means I don't get paid based on just how many clicks my article gets.  They pay me a specific amount for each article if they publish it.  The amount depends on how detailed the article needs to be and who or what it's covering.  And once it's published on OMG, millions of people have a better chance of reading it since it will be a featured article.

I must say, I did always want to do something with my writing.  I knew I had a talent and I knew that it shouldn't go to waste.  I just didn't know how I could make use of it.  I don't think I have the patience to write a book, but who knows that might change too.  I've tried lyrical writing with an old school friend and we were pretty good together.  However, I just didn't have the time after I started working full time again and got married to keep it up.  But this is something I can make time for and get paid doing it.  It's not a whole lot of money, but with the submissions I have been making it will add up quick.

I can't remember which article it was that had attracted my interest, but I had seen that the writer of the article was a member of Yahoo! Contributor Newtork (YCN).  Their group of writers post articles on YCN's Associated Content.  In many cases, articles are display and performance only, which means the writer will only get paid for however many clicks they get on their article.  The content can range from creative writing, to favorite venues, to current events.  Some articles, and you have to be quick to claim them, are exclusive.  This means that Yahoo! will own the rights to the article that is written but they will pay you up front for them.  The first one I wrote that was exclusive, I was only paid $4.00.  It was about a local Olympic athlete that will be at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was featured on Yahoo! Sports.

Now, I'm getting most of my requests for OMG!, Yahoo!'s source for celebrity news and gossip.  The first article that was published on OMG! I was a little unsure about.  It was about actress January Jones, and unfortunately I didn't know too much about her.  After doing some research I saw that she recently had a baby and was not releasing the name of the father.  Now personally, I don't care who the father of her child is.  That is her business and if she doesn't want to reveal to the media who her father is then so be it.  But gossip about celebrities has the tendency to attract readers.  So I thought, why not?  I'll write a gossip article and see how well it goes over.

After it was published on OMG!, I took a look and much to my surprise I had comments from people who I didn't know but had read my story.  And it apparently struck a nerve with some of my readers.  I thought some of the responses were a little comical as well as flattering.  To think that my writing inspired people to write a comment, positive or negative, about what they thought of my story made me feel almost like a professional.

So, if any of you followers out there want to read my published writings, I'm posting the links at the end of this blog.  Let me know what you think as I welcome any comments, positive or negative.  Also, if there are any stories you would like to have written, tell me your ideas.  If there's something that you feel is newsworthy or at least worth reading, send me an email at marygrl2327@yahoo.com and let me know what it is you would like to see in print.  Til next time, just keep writing!

DFW Local Charity Supports Fallen Heroes
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8175653/support_the_dfw_fallen_heroes.html?cat=8

Relationship Advice
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8193955/6_ways_to_turn_your_relationship_from.html?cat=41

Miami's South Beach
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8261589/a_travelers_guide_to_miamis_south_beach.html?cat=16

JDRF Walk for the Cure
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8329107/rock_the_walk.html?cat=8

Local Indie Music Store
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8374085/a_locals_insight_on_a_great_music_store.html?cat=8

J.Lo Starts Dating
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8393095/jlos_new_beau.html?cat=41

Local Karaoke Bar Review
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8389857/do_that_sing_thing.html?cat=8

DFW Olympian's Plans for 2012 Summer Olympics
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ycn-8772711

How I Changed After 9/11
http://news.yahoo.com/more-charity-firefighters-police-9-11-180000814.html

January Jones Keeps Baby Daddy Under Wraps
http://omg.yahoo.com/news/january-jones-keeps-baby-daddy-under-wraps/72301

All We Need is Just a Little Patience

Is it really that hard to not let things that you can't control take control of you?  Sometimes, yes.  I will be the first to admit that there are times when I don't want to wait.  I want the result right here and now.  And because of my demand for instant gratification, it only makes my anxiety levels worse and stress levels high.  At times, I have to remind myself that if it is beyond my control then I just have to be patient.

A good friend of mine, as well as my former producer when I had fun with my singing, can testify to me telling him every day or two "G-WIZ, you need to learn patience".  I might have been able to get the message through to him because these days I see a lot of patience in his Facebook status updates. 

Those who know me well, know that I have a high tolerance for most things.  And those who know me well, know that there are few things I will allow to get under my skin and I feel a force to rant.  With this tolerance, I have also learned that there are few who are like me.  My case in point, a trip to a local Whataburger after watching the fireworks this last July 4th.

My husband and I decided to make a late night run to the burger joint because we were a little hungry after all of the excitement and activities throughout the day.  We were just going to go through the drive-thru, but after we saw the cars stacked in line we decided that it would be best to order our food inside.

When we go in, we don't see a long line of people, however, we do see a few patrons sitting on the benches near the register with long, tired faces.  We didn't think much of it because it was late.  We figured these people had a day, and night, filled with the same activities as we had.  We later found out that this was not the case.

After we ordered our food, we decided to take a seat with our number on the plastic orange and white number card in hand.  We chatted a little while about how great the fireworks were and how good it was to see everyone.  However, after about ten minutes of waiting we realized that we haven't been called with our order yet.  And those patrons who were there before us were still there waiting for their food to come out.

This wait was very unusual for this particular location.  Usually, they are fast in getting you and your order out the door.  It was then that we started paying attention to the other customers ranting and complaining about not having their food yet.  It had seemed that one too many employees had called in on the night shift and there were only three employees working. 

There were about 4 people in front of us who had been waiting on their food for what was almost 20 minutes.  Each of them demanding not just their food, but also their money back.  The manager on duty was as apologetic as she could be and issued each one of them a refund on top of their ordered meal.  Now, I do understand that waiting 20 minutes under normal circumstances can seem a bit absurd when you order from a fast food restaurant.  But in this case, I can see why it took so long.  There were only 3 people working!  That's 3 entire people working the drive-thru, the front register, and the fryer.  Of course there's going to be a wait.  Granted, management should have reconsidered their schedule when allowing those people who called in or asked for the day off.  But as a patron, is it that hard to give management a benefit of the doubt?

I think my husband and I were the only ones who didn't ask for a refund with our meal.  In fact, while the manager on duty was getting ready to leave (she had already been there for 12 hours and had to be back in 10 hours later) we talked to her and joked around with her trying to make her feel better.  It was obvious that it had been a rough night for her and she was ready to bolt out of there.  We both felt bad for her and her staff because of the hassle we witnessed the other customers giving them.

Now, I'm not saying that this kind of service should be acceptable all the time.  It obviously wouldn't be fitting during lunch hour when management knows they are going to be busy.  However, in instances like this where business is usually slow but the one night you go in and the wait is longer than usual, try to have some patience with the food staff.  I'm sure they are not trying to keep you there just for the entertainment value.  Just take a deep breath, converse with your friends or loved ones, play with your iPhone, and when you meal is finally ready at least say thank you even if it isn't with a smile.  At least the staff feels somewhat appreciated for the burger and fries that they made for you. 

Support DFW's Fallen Heroes

Here's an article I wrote that was posted today.  Read, enjoy, comment, share, you know how much I love feedback!  Just click on the link below.

Support DFW's Fallen Heroes

Back on Track

It was around this time two years ago that I had made a bold decision in leaving a stable job.  I had been there for seven and a half years, I was making great pay, I had decent benefits, and people there had high respect for me.  I had started that job when I was 19, and I had started at the bottom.  I worked as a cancel clerk making $9.50 an hour, which was great pay for me back then.  I found myself quickly progressing and within 8 months I was promoted with a dollar raise.  It seemed like it was promotion after promotion.  I was making myself known with management, throwing out my business ideas like I was one of them, even being told that I had a bright future with the company if I kept up the good work.  And I did.  The last position I held was an operations analyst, and I didn't even have a degree yet.  However, with my extensive knowledge of office applications, SQL, and my drive to learn I was given the opportunity to hold that position.  So why did I leave?  A number of factors really.  I was going through a dark time in my life.  I had lost my husband at the time and we had been together for almost 9 years.  That itself sent me into a spiraling depression.  I started to loose interest in my work.  I dropped out of school even though I was so close to graduating.  I started drinking heavily, going out to bars a lot, and most of all not taking care of my diabetes.  My boss at the time was a great manager, as well as a great friend.  And he tried the best he could to help me out.  He knew what I was going through as I had confided in him my personal life.  But he couldn't help me if I wasn't motivated to do the job.  In my mind I knew it came down to him either having to fire me, or me quitting.  So I quit because I thought if I was fired I would become a failure.

That turned out to be a not so good idea.  When I quit, I figured I had enough in savings to last me a little while until I found another job.  I had actually found a sales job about a month later selling credit card processors to small businesses.  But that didn't last long.  The training was horrible as were the leads.  Sales that I thought I had earned $3,000 in only ended up being $75 because there were "issues" with the paperwork or the customer had backed out of the sale.  And that was in one month.  I knew I couldn't survive on $75 a month.  So I tried another sales job working as a reseller for AT&T Uverse.  That seemed promising at first.  I made a couple hundred dollars my first week and my sales manager had faith that I would do well.  But after a couple months I had to quit because I was spending more money in gas than I was making (it was door to door all over the metroplex).

By this time I decided to either go back into retail or back to a desk job.  I put in application after application with the same answer, "You're over qualified".  My internal reaction....so?!!  I need a f*&%ing job!  Of course, with no job came no benefits and no medical insurance.  I had to rely on friends and family to help pay for my insulin and diabetic supplies, and that only lasts for so long.  I had finally run out of money 6 months after I left my first job with no hope in sight of finding anything promising.

My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, stuck by me through it all.  Which amazed me because we had met right at the end of me selling Uverse.  He knew I didn't have any money, I had lost my car, I was living with my mom, and I had nothing to offer him except for myself.  And it seemed that to him, that was enough.

With a stroke of luck and knowing the right people, I was finally able to land a good job as a customer care rep at a call center.  The pay wasn't as much as I was used to making, but that didn't matter.  Anything was better than nothing at this point.  After a few months working there, I started looking for other job opportunities.  Mostly because I didn't agree with how the business was ran, but also because the medical insurance was sub par.  It was still expensive for me to go to the doctor and I had to meet a deductible on my prescriptions before they would allow me to only pay the co-pay.

So after a couple months of job searching, I was able to land the job I have now (which I have previously praised about in a couple of my blogs).  I truly am grateful to have this job, and not because of the money (I am back to making what I was as an analyst).  But because I am surrounded by wonderful people who I love to work with and I have great medical coverage so I can finally get back to taking care of myself.

Last week I had my first doctor's appointment in over a year.  And this doctor is amazing.  He has a great personality and knows my medical needs.  He prescribed me the insulin I needed and is committed to helping me get back on track.  Within a week, I have seen an absolute improvement on my bloodsugars.  Now, I am keeping track of everything to make sure that I can stay on track.  With the support of my friends, family, and even co-workers I know that from here on out I won't be in the same mess I was in a couple years ago

Being Connected

I was on my in to work the other day listening to the radio.  I usually listen to a local talk show in the morning and the host had said something that got me thinking.  Why do we always have to have instant gratification when it comes to connecting with the outside world.  With all of this technology surrounding us in today's age, we feel as a society that we always have to stay connected in some shape or fashion.  I, for one, am particularly guilty of this.  I can't go anywhere without my cell phone.  I work in front of a computer all day where I talk to customers, do research online, and interact with others either by email or instant messaging.  When I come home I am either on my laptop, texting on my phone, or watching netflix on TV (which is streamed online).

With this in mind, I started thinking about what we did as a society ten or fifteen years ago.  Back then, I was a teenager going through junior high and high school and learning about the facts of life.  Believe it or not, I did not have a cell phone, my parents wouldn't allow it.  They freaked out when my boyfriend had bought me a pager.  Hell, I didn't even become accustomed to the internet until I was fifteen, and it had already been out a good five years at least.  No, the only connection I was really accustomed to was my home phone, writing notes and letters on actual paper, and verbal, face-to-face communication.

Yes, I dreamed of being one of the lucky ones who always had their cell phone by their side believing I was popular if someone happened to call me while I was talking to someone else.  But I never dreamed that as an adult I would feel like I would die if I didn't have one.  Now, it seems like I live in a world of ADD where I am going from website to website looking for new information.  Or I am checking my phone every 10 minutes to see if I missed a text or if I got a new email from work.

Now, I'm not saying instant connection is a bad thing.  If I was in an accident and I needed to call my husband to let him know, having a cell phone by my side would be a life saver.  Or if I'm out to lunch and I get an email from my boss that I've been waiting on, I can see that he sent it to me and I won't have to fret during my entire lunch hour.

What I am saying, though, is that maybe sometimes we have to take a step back and break away from the constant connection.  Give our sanity a break and get connected with the life outside of our internet stream.  Usually, I get that break when I'm driving home and sometimes I feel anxious.  And I feel it's a little sad that I get anxious when I can use that time to relax and gather my thoughts before I get home to my husband.

At any rate, while I know that technology advancements will find new and better ways at keeping us connected, sometimes I think it's best if I just hit the off switch, relax, and communicate like I did back in the day.

A Feel Good Moment

  I have always been a firm believer that you should take pride in your work, and that you should work for a company that strives to make a difference in the community.  If you don't, then at least make that a goal.  Until recently, I had not had the opportunity to work for a company who wanted to provide services to help the community.

  When I worked for Brink's Home Security, they did offer to match your contribution to any foundation of your choice.  However, not everyone has extra cash laying around to donate.  I know I really don't, especially with the way the economy has been lately.  But at least the company tried to do something to help the community.

  When I worked for Gold's Gym, they did support the JDRF (juvenile diabetes research foundation) which is close to my heart cause of the fact that I am Type 1 Diabetic.  But the effort was only once a year, and it kind of was negated when I saw how their customers are treated.  In most cases, at the call center, we were trained to be polite to the customers even when they were yelling at us (which was most times than not).  When it came to their money, though, they were sure quick to take it.  And in some cases I believe it was done without legal authorization.  But I'm not going to go much into that.  I just knew when I saw how the business was ran, I needed to find something better, more meaningful, and fast.

  Which my decision to leave Gold's Gym brings me to where I am today with AccuConference.  I had a feeling that when I started with this company it would be a good move.  I didn't know everything the job would entail or how the business was ran.  I knew after my first interview, it was a small company.  It was definitely much smaller than what I'm used to.  My husband and I were a little skeptical on if this was the right move for me.  I had a secure job at Gold's Gym.  I was promised a promotion in a matter of months with a raise to go with it.  I had been there for eight months and had already impressed my managers with my ability to handle situations in a call center and to provide outstanding customer service without ever working in a call center before.

  My second interview with AccuConference boosted my confidence that this move would be the right one.  The VP was interested in my ability to do reports since I had worked as an analyst with Brink's and was familiar with Excel, Access, and SQL.   He offered me a salary and benefits package I couldn't refuse.  There was no way Gold's Gym could have beat the offer.  And I was right.  When I told the Director of Customer Operations that I was giving my two week's notice, she immediately asked where I was going, what I was going to be paid, and what they were offering me.  When I told her everything, I could see the tears in her eyes welling up.  She knew that she just lost a really good employee.  It wasn't really her fault, though, she was a good boss to me.  It was the principles of the company itself that drove me away from having a long-standing tenure.

  So, now I just surpassed my fifth month of being with AccuConference, and each day I'm loving the job and the people more and more.  What really gave me a sense of pride with my job was learning about one of our customers and how they use our services to help the community.  At AccuConference, we provide conference lines for businesses, non-profit organizations, hospitals, government agencies, and educational facilities to hold conference call meetings.  It saves our customers money on travel expenses and still allows them to communicate with their participants about whatever important event is going on.

  One of our customers is a local university.  They use our services quite often and not just for conference calls.  They also use us to transcribe their conferences for their records.  Being the well-adapted individual that I am, I had learned the transcription process after being with the company for almost 3 months.  I then created a very good tracking system for these transcriptions to make sure that these customers are receiving them in a timely manner and that we are billing them correspondingly.  I noticed that this university was submitting dozens of transcriptions at a time and that their billing for these transcriptions alone was starting to pile up.

  I was having a conversation with a co-worker of mine who is really good at networking with our customers. She decided to contact this university and see if she could meet with them.  She was able to do so today and got a little more information as to why their transcriptions are piling up.  This university has a program that helps children who have had significant trauma in their history overcome their issues and become adopted.  They use the conference line to interview the prospective adoptive parents, the children in the program, and social workers.  The university, when speaking with my co-worker, stated that we were apart of this program as well with the services we provide.  They said that without us, the research wouldn't be considered as legit and the program might not have received the kind of response it has today.

  After I heard that, I felt a great sense of pride with the company I work for, the people I work with, and the job that I do.  Knowing that the transcriptions I provide might have helped a child find a good home and live a close to normal life, that feeling itself outweighs any monetary benefits I could ever receive.  I believe that is how work should be,  I should be able to say every now and then, that I am proud of the work I do.