Glenn DavisFrom Idea to Reality
Risks vs. Calculated Risks
Almost all decisions in life are made with imperfect or incomplete information.
THE DECISION TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENURER IS NO DIFFERENT!
Be Passionate
• Most important trait to being successful is passion.
• Passion about the products or services you provide has a significant impact on your ability to persevere during tough times.
The Importance of a Salesperson
• You need to be a salesperson, or that needs to be your first hire.
• In the majority of start-up’s “Shoe leather” is always better than money for attracting sales.
The Plan “B” Fallacy
• Plan B’s allow you to feel ok if you don’t succeed.
• Humans naturally take the path of least resistance.
• Not having a Plan B forces you to go the extra mile and not give up when challenges feel overwhelming.
Inspiration / Recharging
• Family and Friends are concerned about your well being and not likely to tell you to jump out on your own.
• Every business owner will have multiple times where they feel the world is caving in on them.
• Entrepreneurial peer groups and inspirational media are great resources.
Have Confidence In Your Abilities
• Sometimes you have to go after an opportunity when it’s presented “ready or not”.
• Trust in your determination and ability to deliver when your backs against the wall.
Out of the Box & Out of Your Mind Thinking
Sometimes great opportunities exist, but have to be approached from a unique angle.
Kevin Kordek
Secrets to Building a Killer Team
Building a Killer Team
• Pest Control is not “glamorous”
• Pest Control is not “Sexy”
• Very Stereo-typed Employee Profile
• Unique Challenges in Recruiting
• Unique Challenges in Retention
We have Created a “New Norm”!
“Begin with the end in mind.”
~ Stephen Covey
Define the mission of the “Team”
• Sales?
• Customer Service?
• HR?
• Whole Company?
Psychometric Profiling testing
• Can be a useful tool for screening applicants.
• Can be useful for identifying leadership traits.
• Useful benchmarking tool for job ability.
• Not 100%
• Based on knowledge of job requirements.
Building a Killer Team
• Do you know what the ideal ‘Team” member looks like?
• Do you know them when you meet them?
“The key to building a killer team is knowing what and who you are looking for.”
Job Security
• Build an entrepreneurial culture (ownership).
• Reward excellence publicly.
• Allow the “Team” to grow with the company.
• Ask “why” more than telling them “what” or “how”.
• Ask them what they would do if it were up to them.
• “The best way to help an employee see their future is to let them be a part of it”.
How do measure results?
• How does the “Team” know when they are hitting their “Team” goals?
• Who holds the Team accountable?
• How often? Pavlov…Stimulus-Response Theory
• What are the consequences?
Mediocrity is the enemy of greatness!
• Do you reward mediocre performance?
• Do you promote from within?
• Do you train, lead and support for greatness?
• Do you share your vision of the future?
• Do your employees see themselves as a part of a killer team?
Eric Brown
Standing Out From the Crowd
• Declining business because of the internet/email
• Low barrier to entry in business creating many competitors
• Decision process in choosing a courier company faulty
• Increase in competition and rapid growth in industry
• High barrier to entry and longer sales cycle
• Decision process in choosing a fulfillment company faulty
My Challenge
Proposal
$100.00
Proposal
$95.00
Competing on Price - Unsustainable
CheapestPrice
LowerProfits
FewerResourcesTo Service Customer
Hire People For Less &
Accept Lower Standards
Lower Standards
equals harder to manage People
Inconsistent Service –
Lose Customers
Inconsistent Service –
Lose Customers
Lower Retention of People
Lower Retention of People
Value Propositio
n Left: Price, not Service
Value Propositio
n Left: Price, not Service
Lack of Profit Depletes Passion & Ability To Offer Great Service or Products
Red Ocean
•Compete in existing market space•Beat the competition•Exploit existing demand•Make the value/cost trade-off•Align the whole system of a company’s activities with its strategic choice of differentiation or low cost
Blue Ocean
•Create uncontested market space•Make the competition irrelevant•Create and capture new demand•Break the value/cost trade-off•Align the whole system of a company’s activities in pursuit of differentiation and low cost
• Figuring out our Hedgehog (again) is on going process and takes time; not something you can do 2 hours in a coffee shop.
• Started this process in January 2008, then again in 2011 – Took key people out of the business for 2 days for planning session
• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats)• 4-5 months ago had key staff read Good to Great together and discuss
in weekly Managers Meetings• Great @ and Profitable @ - Discovered.• Hit a mental wall. What am I truly passionate about?• Kept searching and constant reflection• My Turning point
• 4 months ago• Saw an inspiring video to lead
me to change (Simon Sinek, Author of Start with Why)
• One of my mentors introduced me to someone that had a similar challenge of:
• Competing in a Red Ocean• Figuring out what makes
money• Stepping outside of the
competition
Create a movement, not a mission statement
•People Buy Based On Why, Not What or How
Those That Led With Why Compared To Competitors Who Didn’t
VS.
VS.
VS.
Most Airlines
Samuel P. Langley
• If you don’t know what your why is, how will you get those to buy in or develop loyalty?
• Sell to those who believe as you believe (Your Why)
• Goal to hire people who believe as you believe – will get more committed Team
Why?Why?• How will your why help others?• What is your purpose or reason for
existing
To help our clients build a great ecommerce business and creating great experiences for their customers
HowHowBy Outsourcing The Experience of Servicing Their Customers, Our Clients Can Focus on Their Why. This allows them to become great.
WhatWhatSurvey Customers about their package, Branded materials, Technology, Automation, etc.
Jack Welch/GE: If you can’t be number 1 or 2 (best in the world at), stop doing it.
Who?Who?• Who will you bring on to
build an organization based on your why?
• What values does your company have to attract the right kind of TEAM?
• What is your culture like?Good to Great: First Who, Then What
Communicating Your Why
Communicating Your Why
• This is the beginning• Know your Why and
following through takes discipline – Lettuce Test
• Do your people know Why?• Do you have people who
believe in the Why?• Story about an experience
where they didn’t
• If your people don’t know the why, how do you expect them to take care of your client properly?
• Giving your people the ability to think and act based on your why
Why Vs. How PeopleWhy Vs. How People
• Primarily Two Types of people in Organizations – Why and How People
• Fewer Why People• Why people need How
people – Many ‘Why’ fail in life – why?
• ‘How’ people get things done• Walt & Roy Disney
Companies That Had Lost Sense of Their Why
Help Them With Their Business
Start With Why
Attract Clients That Value Your
Why
Attract or Hire People Who Believe In The Why
Build A Great Relationship With Your
Client
Creating Raving Fans
Creating Raving Fans
Get Referrals and Grow
Your Business
Get Referrals and Grow
Your Business
No Competition as long as your client believes in Your Why
No Competition as long as your client believes in Your Why
Internet:Video of Simon Sinek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4Good to Great: http://www.jimcollins.com/media_topics/hedgehog-concept.html#audio=79
Stephanie DownsWhere to Go From Here?
Why Want to Be An Entrepreneur?
“Be my own boss!”
“Do things MY way!”
“More flexible schedule.”
“Achievement and self fulfillment.”
My Journey
1999 2003 2006 2008 2009 2012
Exit PlanningExit Planning
Partial ExitPartial Exit
Full ExitFull Exit
How To Exit
• Decide on the End Goal
• Run the Numbers
• Map Out the Journey
Ways to Exit
• Shut It Down
Ways to Exit
• Shut It Down
• Sell the Business
Ways to Exit: Selling
• Your #2
• Employees
• Family / Friend
• Outside Party
Ways to Exit
• Shut It Down
• Sell the Business
• Replace Yourself
Ways to Exit: Replace Yourself
• It Is Possible
• But Be Selective
• Won’t Happen Over Night
• Set Milestones
• Pay on Performance