Larry Genkin is the CEO of GSG WorldMedia — and the publisher of www.socialmediamags.com

He spoke to us live at Small Biz Fight Club and talked about some real key aspects of life and living that helped him get to where he is today.

Some of the ideas he talked about were …

1. Tenacity – stay the course, if you fail, get up and get with it. Keep going till you succeed.
2. Lean on friends and leverage the power of friendship.
3. Listen to your wife – he did not say it directly but kept alluding to how she weighed in on business decisions.
4. Focus on only 10 prospects at a time and close a higher percentage.
5. Take time to think about the effectiveness of your marketing strategy to these 10 prospects. Make them count.
6. Keep innovating – he designed a new approach to publishing and is using it now to win big time!
7. Find ways to leverage resources and empower people.

Open Invitation:
His magazine reaches about 14.5 million people per month – through the Office Depot channel.  If you have something valuable to say to business people; reach out to him and tell him about it.  He wants to hear from you and will give you access.  Here is his email address — lgenkin@gsgworldmedia.com

I love something he said … “Its a social world – we just live in it”

Listen to the recordings here…

- On my Podcast – http://podcast.pauldsouza.com/

- On my iPhone App — http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/follow-paul/id401287618?mt=8

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We were talking about the 12 Steps to Success and diving deeper into the process. On Small Biz Fight Club yesterday, I worked through the process with a couple of business owners and talked through a few real-life situations. Listen to the recording and see how you can leverage this process to take your life and your business to the next level.

Check out what Ian Liddell talks about his Finance Leasing business and how he his changing his areas of focus. He now works with Summit Vendor Finance and has a real good solution for business owners that want to lease their computers. In today’s business world leasing might make good business sense. You should reach out to Ian if you thin you need to consider that option.

By the way – here this the link to the Audio PodCast

When it comes to planning an Annual Business Strategy, it is very important to make sure you are address exiting and new markets. One thing we talked about is how important it is to make sure you are conducting “Business As Usual” while you make changes and address new markets and new strategies. I am a big believer in playing is safe and smart.

Keep doing what you are currently doing and bring in your base line of revenue while simultaneously assigning some of your resources and attention to new markets, new market segments and new activity to bring in the added growth. If you do not do this, you could very easily get into trouble and loose market share and revenue. Managing “Change” is very important.

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Look no more for a strategy to get you from a place of discomfort to financial and life success.  After all this is the goal right? That is why we do any of this. To live a good life, enjoy the ride and also save enough resources to take care of us and our children when we retire.  By the way, there is a number that is enough for retirement.  It varies for everyone, but at a minimum; I believe it is $2million capital at work – or CASH that is producing interest income that you can live off of.  That is if you life in the Midwest.  If you lived in NYC or any of the other high cost of living areas; that number will need to increase. More on all this later.

So here are the 12 steps …

1. FEEL YOUR DISCOMFORT:
   This is key – if you do not do this, and know exactly why your current situation does not work for you, you will not shift.  You will remain content and not change.
2. FIND YOUR PASSION:
   Get clear about what wakes you up, fires up your creative genius and offers you a platform to excel in and grow your business to succeed.
3. BUILD & MAINTAIN STABILITY:
   This is key – remember we are talking about growing your business, improving your sales and revenue.  Things take time, so make sure your current operations provide you the stability needed to play the game. Its not just about money.
4. DESIGN A WINNING STRATEGY:
   This is about finding a valuable market opportunity, a need that you provide a solution for.  You have to focus on “Valuable Opportunities” and once you do; design a strategy to go after this market segment and make some money.
5. BECOME THE EXPERT:
   You have to be an expert anymore.  Nobody has the time to waste dealing with someone who is an amateur – well if they do, they will NOT pay you top dollar and that is what we are shooting for.  We have financial goals to attain.
6. ACCESS FINANCIAL RESOURCES:
   You need money to roll-out your business strategy. Make sure you have enough of it.  Get smart about being frugal and do as much as you can with as little as possible.  But make sure you have enough.
7. LAUNCH YOUR BUSINESS:
   When you have everything you need to get started … get started!  All the steps so far have helped you get ready and prepare.  Now its time to make things happen.  Ask me about my thoughts on starting a new business … actually I would not.  Go buy one.
8. THE PRINCIPLE OF PURPOSE:
   This is the fundamental principle that suggests you get very clear about what is the Ultimate Sake for which you are acting?  What is the core sense of what you want to do in life? What do you want to accomplish? What is your purpose for living?
9. THE PRINCIPLE OF PROSPERITY:
   Every dream has a price tag!  Whatever your plans are for life? It has a price tag.  Get clear about how much money you need to fulfill on your ultimate goals in life that you are committed to accomplishing.
10. THE PRINCIPLE OF PROCESS:
    This is the principle that specifies the process you will follow to make the money to fulfill on your life’s goals.  Do you see how these principles will help you stay grounded and focused in your business activity?
11. THE PRINCIPLE OF PEOPLE:
    You cannot do anything without people – make sure they are good people.  These can be folks you work with, your clients, your partners and vendors.  Make sure you make powerful assessments and connect with the “Right” people.
12. THE PRINCIPLE OF PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP:
    This is the the force multiplier – help all these people that you have picked out carefully; live their dreams and fulfill their sense of purpose.  Once you show up as that resource in their lives … they will go the extra mile and reciprocate your care and concern.  Which in turn helps you increase your ability to act.

Join Small Biz Fight Club and learn how to put all this into action, so you can take your life and business to the next level and fulfill on your life goals.  We wish you only the very best.

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Really enjoyed this interview – Dr. Herb Greenberg started Caliper Corporation – that company that does personality assessments for employees – helping companies match the right talent with the right job.

Herb and my friend Patrick Sweeney who is the CEO wrote an award winning book Succeed On Your Terms.  After interviewing 200 leaders – they realized that these four traits exist in all great leaders – I find them absolutely right on target.  Check them out.

1. Definition of Self – you have got to know exactly who you are and what you want out of life.  What makes you successful?
2. Knowing yourSELF -  know your strengths and weakness.
3. Courage to take advantage of a Defining Moment – could be a bad or a good event or even a great idea.
4. Love the work you do – you cannot be at the top of your game, if you do not love what you do.

Thought I would also embed the video interview for you here.

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Over the last couple of months – we have been having a few conversations on Small Biz Fight Club (http://tinyurl.com/3qxrxwf) calls, on “WHY” we do anything at all in the market place.  We all have different goals and passions; dreams of a life we want to live.  Question is – how many of us are living our dreams? Are you? Are you on-track to live the life you have always wanted?

My invitation to you is this – have you figured out what that dream life will cost you?  Remember, very dream has a price tag.

Say you plan to live in Gainsville, State of Florida when you retire and live in a Condo – that has one price tag.  Now if you change that and say you want to live in the Wellington are in Florida – the real estate costs will be different and the cost of living will be different – so please take the initiative to plan your budgets and be clear about how much your dream life will really cost you.

In my opinion – I think the “minimum” amount of money we need to have in this country is about $2,000,000.  This is capital at work – which will produce about $80,000 in annual income that you can use for your living expenses.  Is that enough? Will $80K allow you the life-style you want? Or do you need to more?

The question is — you need to protect yourself for living in the future, when you cannot work everyday. I want more of us to work through this, so we can protect ourselves and our families.  Work through this for yourself and make sure you are on track to live your dreams and the life you have always wanted to live.  This is the magic of life.  This is authenticity and integrity.

Let’s make this a reality for you. I have even taken this further and am now coming up with a plan to help you get on track – where you will be confident you are on track to make your $2M within 5 years.  Not make the $2M necessarily, but get you on track to make it. I have started working with some business owners now and things are going well.

Ask me about my 2-in-5 program!

To your massive success!

Paul

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http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=107318

We made the news on the other day in West Virgina – I spoke at the West Virginia High Tech Center on the 8th of September and really enjoyed talking with the small business community. There is so much going on there, was really impressed by the level of commitment to change demonstrated by their leadership. From the heads of the different chambers of commerce to the United Way as well as the very cool West Virginia High Tech Consortium (WVHTC) http://wvhtf.org/ – Totally love what they are doing.

Check out the news piece they did on me. Click this image.

Speaking at the WVHT Center - September 8th 2011

Speaking at the WVHT Center - September 8th 2011

Being Interviewed at the WVHT Center - September 8th 2011

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As simple and as fundamental as this is — it is crucial.  The power of our words is that they convey ideas and intent. So being aware of what we say and why – is critical. Let me address the differences between these two words – Customers and Clients.

A customer is a person that completes one or more transactions with a business.  But is not vested in a long-term relationship with the business.

A client is a customer that is under the care, protection and guidance of an expert in a specific field.  You have a more obligation to give them the best possible care and protection – keeping their interests are heart.

The distinction here is for you to notice the change in your mood when you use these different terms.  You begin to show up differently to the people who are your clients.  Because now you are thinking on their behalf and helping them make decisions that are good for them.

To make this useful – let me suggest you take a 5 minutes right now and list 5 or 10 customers that you are currently doing business with; that you can start treating as clients.  Review their account history and everything you know about them today and see how else you could best serve them.  You might very well find additional things to do for them.

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D’Souza Group Launches New Program
It’s for Small Business Owners
SMALL BIZ FIGHT CLUB

Learn How to Start a Business and Close Deals

Cincinnati, OH, August 7, 2011 ­– The D’Souza Group proudly announces the launch of Small Biz Fight Club. This program helps small business owners and anyone interested in starting a business learn the bare-knuckle skills needed to close more deals in today’s market.

Small business owners learn to link their own personal narrative to their business strategy through this program. The main focus of the program is to put the power back in the small business owners’ hands. Business owners in this program have already benefited immensely.

“Using your advice and principals, I took a potentially bad situation and changed it into one that works best for me and the restaurant,” Executive Chef Jim Switzenberg said.  “It was a great night, thanks, Paul.”

This initial offer, launched on August 1, 2011, is a weekly teleconference held on Wednesdays at 8:00 PM EST. The teleconference is totally free to join.

“Your, “Stop Selling, Start Supplying Solutions” helped me produce $111,300 in business. Thank You!” said Rafael Pozos, sales manager at a hearing aid store.

This program focuses on personal development and helps business owners to compete more effectively in the market place. It inspires people to close more deals to increase their revenue and profits.

“Paul, thanks to your guidance suggesting I focus on the clients that I had the best relationships with, I have been able to design a new energy-saving solution for convenience stores and have a distribution channel that is presenting the offer to many more clients than I could ever do myself. Thank you!” said Ian Liddel, partner in an Equipment Leasing company.

The group plans to evolve and get more members for the program in the upcoming days. They also plan to offer seminars and other events, such as face-to-face meetings in different cities.

About The D’Souza Group

The D’Souza Group, founded by Paul D’Souza in 2007, helps people and companies increase the quality of their life and business by improving their go-to-market strategies, optimizing their sales processes, and enhancing their sales and business skills.

For more information, visit: http://www.pauldsouza.com

Media Contact:

Paul D’Souza
The D’Souza Group
10999 Reed Hartman Highway, #114 Cincinnati, OH 45242
ph: 513-204-3431
eMail: paul@pauldsouza.com

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With all the technology that is influencing our lives today; it is very easy to get caught up in the fascination of being able to use much of it to “improve our lives”. There is a lot of effort, new thinking and excitement going on with this regard. So given all this noise, we are beginning to notice that there is many a case where leveraging some of this new technology might not be the best approach you could take.

Here are some examples from my experience;

1. One of clients a $2M company that works with Pharmaceutical companies, helping them audit their clinical trials; had built a FaceBook page and was considering updating it.  During one of my initial visits with them, this came up -  and so I began to ask them about who had befriended them and if they were having meaningful conversations with prospects.  The answer was no and no. Their ideal clients were not on FaceBook looking for help auditing their Clinical Trials.  — My recommendation – get off FaceBook and focus on other avenues of communication that reach your clients.  We are considering some very creative approaches that will allow them to speak to their clients directly and much more powerfully.
2. Now take the case of another client that is a highish end restaurant – they should absolutely be on FaceBook and Twitter and YouTube and few other Social Media sites – because their clients are on all these sites and looking for something fun to do.  Unfortunately they are not yet there.
3. There are more – but let me talk to you about your website.  Most people (as much as 95%) of the companies I come in contact with, are NOT using their website as an active component to their sales and marketing strategy.  It should be, it should be integrated with your CRM application that triggers other technology solutions like drop marketing campaigns etc.

So what I suggest is – start with reviewing your business goals, then take a good hard look at your customers, where they hang out online or otherwise, learn what they are interested in and then / only then – begin to design a technology solution that supports your stated business objective.

Its time to be old fashion yet progressive.  Blessings.

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