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Business Tips, Lessons, Local Business Owners
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2013
OCT
01
a
North Loop1445 N. Loop West Suite 1000Houston, TX 77008(713) 861-3231
ChaNNeLview 15201 East Frwy. Suite 225Channelview, TX 77530(281) 457-2847
Katy20065 Katy Frwy.Katy, Texas 77450(281) 994-5050
Sugar LaNd16126 Southwest Frwy. Suite 200Sugar Land, TX 77478(281) 207-2770
Med CeNter/aStrodoMe2201 West Holcombe Suite 220Houston, TX 77030(713) 664-3400
LexiNgtoN11767 Katy Frwy. Suite 505Houston, TX 77079(281) 679-9340
FM 1960/BaMMeL112 Bammel Westfield Rd.Houston, TX 77090(281) 893-8835
La porte400 W Fairmont Pkwy.La Porte, TX 77571(281) 471-0750
daLLaS4925 McKinney Ave.Dallas, TX 75205(214) 528-9990
hoNoLuLu/uNioN pLaza1136 Union MallHonolulu, HI 96813(808) 536-3405
extended hoursSe habla español.
State of the Art, Lifetime Dental Excellence
General Dentistry and All Specialties providedin office for your convenience!
Visit us online at: www.gMSdent.com www.facebook.com/GMSDentalNorthLoop610
•Orthodontics Braces, Invisalign•Endodontics•OralSurgery•Implants•Periodontics
•CosmeticCare Porcelain Veneers, Bonding & Bleaching•PhilipsZOOM! One-Hour Teeth Whitening Process
Class of 2013
Awards Ceremony
Beth Wolff John BeddowAlex Lopez Negrete
Tony ChaseJohnny Carrabba Bill Sherrill
MainStreetChamber presents
Wednesday, October 9, 2013Bayou City Event Center
5:30pm to 9:00pm
A special thank you to our sponsors...
Save the Date
It will be Legendary
4
Grant Sadler
“Opportunity doesn’t knock often; so you have to create your own.” ―Grant Sadler
“Our most significant opportunities will be found in times of greatest difficulty.”
― Thomas S. Monson
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the
opportunity in every difficulty.” ― Winston Churchill
We are now on number six of my Key Take Away Points for Business Success,
Create Opportunities! Opportunity doesn’t knock often; so you have to create
your own. Experience has taught me that if you are risk adverse, opportunity
may pass you by. I strive to always be observant and a quick learner. From the
peach orchards of Bakersfield, California to the tenth floor of our North Loop
Corporate Office here in Houston, I’ve learned to pay attention.
I learned about hard work in the peach orchards and I fell in love with the end
results, a pay day. When my stockbroker father took me to my first “work”
cocktail party, I realized that you could mix business and pleasure and get
the same results. So when the idea of taking GMS Dental to a Houston event
known as the Bridal Extravaganza first dawned on me, I was acutely aware of its
potential for success.
I was having lunch at a Rotary Club meeting and was seated next to this nice
lady that started to share with me what she did for a living. She said that she
had a Bridal Extravaganza and I thought that she meant that she had a store
called by that name:
Me: Oh a Bridal Store?
Her: No, no – it’s an event.
Me: Oh, it’s a wedding?
Her: No, no – it’s an event attended by 8,000 brides and another 10,000 from
their wedding parties to consider vendors offering cakes, dresses, photography,
venues and anything you need for a wedding.
Create Opportunities!
COntInuEdOnnExtPagE
Grant Sadler, PresidentgrOuPManagEMEntSErvICES
When I learned that 18,000 attendees come planning weddings and selecting
services; some two years early, some one year early, some six months before
the wedding and some multiple times I thought; what a market! 18,000
women at the George R. Brown Convention Center looking to spend dollars
on appearance and beauty, what an opportunity! I stated “Holy, Moly I would
like to participate in that”! When she inquired what business I was in and I
explained the dental business, she wasn’t too excited about a booth in which
we would be performing fillings, root canals, bridges and the like. However,
when I explained the concept on doing Zoom One Hour Teeth Whitening
on site at the event, she saw the same opportunity that I did. “Come to the
Bridal Extravaganza smiling one shade of brightness and go out another”! She
exclaimed, “You’re in – you have a booth”!
But I didn’t want any old booth to pass out brochures; I wanted to actually
do teeth whitening on site. She asked me if we could really do that and I said
of course. So we put the plan together, placed four dental chairs in a booth
that was 20 feet by 30 feet and commandeered another two regular booths
for promotion in the Red Carpet area of the extravaganza. When I described
to our staff that we were going to do, some said we were crazy and I replied
“Probably so, but, we’re going to do it and make it a hit!” We are now the
exclusive dental provider providing on site teeth whitening at the Bridal
Extravaganza of over 500 vendors, and we have done this in five consecutive
events so far.
ZOOM is manufactured by Phillips, so I called them and told them that
we were doing a big show and wanted them to
participate. Phillips decided to share in the costs
as it would be expensive since we have a huge booth
and employ a doctor and two dental assistants and
about five or six staff running the show. Phillips
5
got so excited that they sent two employees to be on-site and provided promotional
items like whitening pens, which we give out at the show. The Bridal Extravaganza
has several fashion shows during the event and the models throw out coupons to
the audience for our whitening pens. Then Women’s Insight, www.womensinsite.
com, got all excited about it and we created a video about Zoom One Hour Teen
Whitening that is available for viewing on their website, which we used to promote
the event. Another promotion called the Bridal Boot Camp; champagne “Zoom
Party” for an entire wedding party was also birthed as a result of GMS creating this
opportunity.
The Bridal Extravaganza has become a regular feature of our delivery system twice
a year. It creates business that keeps on giving year round. The participants that
cannot take advantage of the special during the Bridal Extravaganza, can pre-pay
for whitening as part of their package at the event and have the procedure done at
one of our 8 GMS Dental Centers in Houston subsequent to the event. Since we
gather wedding dates at the event, we now send a reminder two months before their
wedding to those who did not purchase the special at the event. We have been at
it long enough, that people are coming to the show to look for us. Now we pre-sell
some of the 40 teeth whitening slots for the convention before it even starts.
We opened an entirely new “niche,” and started another revenue stream that
keeps giving even when the Bridal Extravaganza is over. Now that’s creating
opportunities!
-Grant Sadler, PresidentgrOuPManagEMEntSErvICES
6
continued
Create Opportunities!
Grant Sadler
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Bertrand McHenry
Many budding entrepreneurs feel that the larger the size of their network, the greater their odds of success. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I love dogs, always have! I’ve loved dogs ever since I was a boy and on certain days my dogs were sometimes the only people who understood me! So, imagine me going to the local dog shelter and picking out a couple of cute puppies today bringing them home, feeding them, playing with them, cleaning up their messes, training them and then next week repeating that trip with the same results…week after week. I’d have a real situation on my hands after awhile…not to mention an unhappy wife! These puppies require and deserve attention and love. Because they require such devotion and attention it would be almost impossible to continue to bring another two into our house every single week!Just like dogs, we need to nurture and give time and attention to our networks. The higher the number of connections we have, the less time we have to tend to those relationships. Thus, we need to determine the optimum number of connections we can comfortably handle.
We have a limited capacity for relationships. While the numbers may vary a bit, research from University College, London tells us that our cognitive capacity is limited to handle no more than 150 to 250 relationships. To manage more connections than that, we need to hire help or even build an organization staffed with adequate people. To continue my analogy with dogs, we’d need to go from our home to an outright kennel with full staff!Don’t acquire more connections than you can cultivate. Research shows that this superficial “friending” with everyone we went to high school with to the person we bumped into on the street becomes unmanageable and stressful. Having said that, the newest research tells us that those of us who have the deepest connections with a select few have a greater chance of developing systematic streams of personally recommended business.
In a work environment where people can get away with opportunistic behavior without serious legal or reputational consequences, research shows that having large networks is actually calling for disaster. In such environments, you need to work with people you know and trust very well. Incidentally, this is why businesspeople in emerging markets often operate in close hard-to-break-into groups. These cliques enforce rules among members that weak legal institutions in their countries cannot. That said, if you can trust your connections to make good on your agreements, you have a bit more room for larger networks.
Puppy Farm or Well Trained Pack?
10
BertrandMcHenryPresident/Owner
referralInstituteHouston
Here is what you can do to grow your professional network effectively:Sow your seeds strategically. Don’t spread yourself too thin or spend all your time with a few close buddies. The relationships that work best in the entrepreneurial context are ones that are close, but not too close, according to a recent study in the Journal of Business Venturing. In fact recent studies show that those with the deepest relationships and who are widely connected enough to have something to being to the table are the most successful. So just like designing a wholesome breeding kennel with a wide variety of breeds, you need a network with diverse groups of friends.
Think cross breeding. Your network is actually composed of 3 basic networks that span work, school, and social. Every one of us has an Information Network, a Support Network, and a Referral Network, and there are numerous sub sets of these 3. You are probably at the core of some networks and at the fringes of others. You are at the core if you are the main person who others in your network interact through. While this has its advantages, the ability to bring people together across various networks is a more important skill for entrepreneurs. The more you can act as a bridge for your connections across various networks, the better your chances of enlisting their help. You’ll be able to recognize problems or opportunities in one network to help people in other networks.
Think variety, not quantity. We like to network with those who have something unique to offer -- knowledge, skills or entertainment. The first step in building your network is to identify your unique skills and find people who are different, but complementary. You do not want your contacts to be so similar that all the information and resources you get are redundant or so different that you have nothing in common.
It’s also important to pay attention to other people’s needs and know how to manage the impression you leave on others. Focus on managing key relationships yourself and let word-of-mouth from those connections keep you in good standing with a broader network. If you try to cultivate too many connections directly, you will be hard pressed to manage even a few relationships. Learn to develop a strong well trained hunting pack, not a litter!
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Apparel
Recognition Branding
Corporate IdentityCompany Stores
Popular Promotional Products
Tradeshow Giveaways
www.sheri.halocatalog.com
rod “tHe Storyteller” WHite
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Community InvolvementEarly in my career, I discovered the importance of businesses getting involved in the community. I was a Financial Manager in Indianapolis Indiana… The first thing I volunteered to do was participate in the March of Dimes walk-a-thon. What a great cause! I toured the local Children’s Hospital and learned the story about babies born prematurely and what a struggle it could be for them and for their families. I learned how important it would be to put together a company walk team and did just that! We participated for years and raised a lot of money helping those babies and their families. The walk-a-thon was not enough.
I got involved with our local food bank. Gleaners Food Bank of Greater Indianapolis and we raised a lot of money and collected a lot of food… but that was not enough. We began to hold “blood drives” twice per year and of course, the success was over-whelming! I became involved in several more events over the years.
What was most memorable was the look on the faces and the expression of gratitude from many of the families and individuals that this community effort afforded. In addition, I made some life-long business and personal relationships along the way.
There are many community organizations for you to choose that offer a chance to help multiple groups. Including but not limited to The Exchange, Rotary or Kiwanis clubs, March of Dimes or even your Local Food Bank. It does not matter which you choose as long as you remember that being part of the community as a business owner also brings plenty of opportunity to give back!
I chose to join the Exchange Club of Sugar Land Texas where I discovered the Santa’s Exchange as well as Child Advocates. There is nothing more heartwarming than bringing a smile to the faces of those that would not normally have much reason to smile. For more information regarding The Exchange Club of Sugar Land, go to www.ecsl.org en
— Rod “The Storyteller” White President at RW & Associates LLC
A national membership organization dedicated to the advancement and prosperity of small business.
FrEELifetime MembershipFrEEMembership CertificateFrEEMember Log for your websiteFrEEAdmission to networking eventsFrEEPromotion of your businessFrEEAdvertising on chapter website
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
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Connect with us on
dirk CuMMinS
By the nature of my job, I am required to attend many networking events each week.
While attending these events I am able to observe many different ways in which
people network. Networking is an integral part of most successful business owners’
job description and some do it very, very well. Others seem to be struggling with
everything from how to interject themselves in an ongoing conversation to just
introducing themselves to a fellow networker. As a result of the need to be successful in
our networking endeavors, many books have been written on the subject; most are just
rephrasing each other’s platitudes. Networking is a simple process and converting the
contacts you meet into business relationships is a simple process. But please reread the
last sentence, the operative word is not simple, it is PROCESS.
I am going to share with you 7 tips to networking. I gleaned this information
from an article written by Colleen DeBaise who is a special projects director at
Entrepreneur.com. You can read Colleen’s article at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/
blog/223468#ixzz2f9Tu5djcc.
1. Resist the urge to arrive late. It’s almost counter-intuitive, but showing up early
at a networking event is a much better strategy than getting there on the later side. As a
first attendee, you’ll notice that it’s calmer and quieter – and people won’t have settled
into groups yet. It’s easier to find other people who don’t have conversation partners
yet.
2. Ask easy questions. Don’t wait around the edges of the room, waiting for someone
to approach you. To get the conversation started, simply walk up to a person or a group,
and say, “May I join you” or “What brings you to this event?” Don’t forget to listen
intently to their replies. If you’re not a natural extrovert, you’re probably a very good
listener – and listening can be an excellent way to get to know a person.
3. Ditch the sales pitch. Remember, networking is all about relationship building.
Keep your exchange fun, light and informal – you don’t need to do the hard sell within
minutes of meeting a person. The idea is to get the conversation started. People are
more apt to do business with – or partner with – people whose company they enjoy.
If a potential customer does ask you about your product or service, be ready with an
easy description of your company. Before the event, create a mental list of recent ac-
complishments, such as a new client you’ve landed or project you’ve completed. That
way, you can easily pull an item off that list and into the conversation.
7 Tips to Networking
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dirkCummins, President of MainStreetChamber
Dirk is an advocate of the MainStreetChamber philosophy of “Give First and Expect Nothing In Return”. Dirk, a serial entrepreneur, reaches out to small businesses every day to help them grow their business by creating revenue where
dirk CuMMinS
4. Share your passion. Win people over with your enthusiasm for your
product or service. Leave a lasting impression by telling a story about why you
were inspired to create your company. Talking about what you enjoy is often
contagious, too. When you get other people to share their passion, it creates a
memorable two-way conversation.
5. Smile. It’s a simple – but often overlooked – rule of engagement. By
smiling, you’ll put your nervous self at ease, and you’ll also come across as
warm and inviting to others. Remember to smile before you enter the room,
or before you start your next conversation. And if you’re really dreading the
event? Check the negative attitude at the door.
6. Don’t hijack the conversation. Some people who dislike networking
may overcompensate by commandeering the discussion. Don’t forget: The
most successful networkers (think of those you’ve met) are good at making
other people feel special. Look people in the eye, repeat their name, listen
to what they have to say, and suggest topics that are easy to discuss. Be a
conversationalist, not a talker.
7. Remember to follow up. It’s often said that networking is where the
conversation begins, not ends. If you’ve had a great exchange, ask your
conversation partner the best way to stay in touch. Some people like
email or phone; others prefer social networks like LinkedIn. Get in touch
within 48 hours of the event to show you’re interested and available, and
reference something you discussed, so your contact
remembers you.
Please remember, Step 7 is the most important step
and the step that most people fail to take.
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dirkCummins, President of MainStreetChamber
Dirk is an advocate of the MainStreetChamber philosophy of “Give First and Expect Nothing In Return”. Dirk, a serial entrepreneur, reaches out to small businesses every day to help them grow their business by creating revenue where 17
We Fix Computers
[email protected] / 832-368-4160 “Avoid the scare with Awesome Care!” Roy Cohen — General Technician
KathrynCrawfordWheatauthor,Speaker,Blogger&CreatorofWoman’sInsite
www.womansinsite.com
Junk Jiggling
Okay Gentlemen, this is definitely one for deep in the Man Cave. It’s something that has women everywhere baffled. Something that we totally do NOT relate to and can’t even begin to wrap our brains around. It’s a little personal so if you blush easily, stop reading now!
Here goes: What we want to try to understand is WHY some men, not all, but SOME men have a habit of touching, jiggling, lifting your leg and doing a little jump, putting your hand in your pocket and getting busy, re-arranging, grazing past, and even out-right grabbing their junk in public.
They do it right in front of us and sometimes do it repeatedly. What exactly are you doing? Are you uncomfortable? Has there been movement and you must adjust? Do you need medicine? Are you checking to see if it’s all still there? Do you just want us to look that direction? What is going on down there?
Please explain this to us. It’s quite unnerving to see and we really wish you would refrain from this activity in front of us. Please keep it in the Man Cave!
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MSC’s Blog Spotlight of the Month
What does a leader look like, sound like, and do? There is no one correct mold.
Great leaders come in all shapes, sizes, voices and styles. However, great leaders
share a common outcome – they oversee getting important things done!
An effective leader creates clarity about where the business is headed and
how each team member can contribute to the cause. Such clarity helps reduce
confusion and wasted actions and energy. Clarity also helps your employees to
make better decisions within established boundaries.
Leaders motivate individuals to work together optimally as a team for a
common cause or vision. Leadership is about communicating, not shouting out
commands. You cannot coerce people to follow you. Command-and-control
leadership never earns the hearts, minds, and will of others.
Real leadership is influence, the ability to create the desire within others to
follow you and your cause. Proof of leadership is found in the loyalty and
commitment level of your staff. Are your employees eagerly and energetically
following you and your vision?
Leaders create the right environment for their team to succeed. You cannot
succeed on your own. You need energized and committed employees as much
as they need an effective leader. It’s a partnership in pursuit of a common cause.
It’s a symbiotic relationship – leaders need dedicated staff in order to realize
their vision.
A company without a leader is like a sports team without a head coach and
game plan. Both scenarios will result in players (employees) acting selfishly;
working without purpose and accountability; making repeated mistakes; posting
lackluster performance; and most likely losing the game.
Your business needs a leader. Oversee the game plan and let your employees
execute. Otherwise, you will lose vision of the whole field. Focus on creating
clarity and conditions for success for your team to thrive.
-Phil Lloyd President/CEO The Growth Coach
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The Essence of a Leader
PHil lloyd
www.gmsdent.comwww.referralinstitutehouston.com
22
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* For more informa-tion please visit each chapter’s website for up-to-date info about these events!____________________
upcoming events
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MSC SUGARLANDRod “The Storyteller” White, President(281) [email protected]/chapters/sugarland
MSC HoUSToNBertrand McHenry, Interim President(281) 401-9852bertrand@referralinstitutehouston.comwww.mainstreetchamber.org/chapters/houston
MSC HoUSToN BAyBertrand McHenry, President(281) 401-9852bertrand@referralinstitutehouston.comwww.mainstreetchamber.org/chapters/houstonbay
MSC PEARLANDPhil Lloyd, President(832) [email protected]/chapters/pearland
