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April
2008 Newsletter
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 When was your last technology
meltdown? How many times
have you wanted to
stomp on your computer, or throw your cell phone
out the window?
Do you ever get frustrated when trying to
purchase or use the latest technology?
Sometimes the products are too complicated to
figure out, or you need to buy a bunch of other things to make them work right.
Well, I do not have
a solution to ALL your technology problems, but I can tell you about one
innovator who is making the world of consumer electronics a little more
"user friendly". Jake Sigal is a client of mine
who recently started Myine Electronics, LLC (pronounced
"mine"). Jake creates consumer electronics with the
consumer in mind. Things that make sense and work!
Check out the recent article on Jake in the Free
Press, or the WJR Podcast or this blog
comment comparing Jake to the next Henry Ford (Click).
Before working for Delphi as a business
line manager for their Consumer Electronics XM Radio group,
Jake worked for a small consumer electronics startup in New England.
While working for ION Audio in New England, he invented the USB
turntable among other items.
In January 2008, Jake started Myine
Electronics. When I asked him who his ideal customer is, he
explained, "I have two customers: people who are not tech-savvy, and
people that don't have the time for instruction manuals. I focus on
finding the problem and solving it with an innovative and intuitive
approach. People just get it."
Jake bootstrapped his way to
developing prototypes and landing major licensing agreements. Many of his
partners are international technology and service providers.
If you have any interest in Jake's
business, or if you would like more info on what Jake is up to currently,
please contact me directly for more information. Jake is currently
raising funds to take his prototypes to production.
Ways to Support Metro
Detroit and Michigan:
1)
Visit Buy Michigan Now, and
register your business for FREE. You can also take the pledge to
Buy from Michigan first when making purchasing decisions. This
company's objectives include:
- Support entrepreneurs,
help our current industries grow, and attract new industries.
- Search for inspired
leadership and reward it with our votes.
- Believe in our own
potential and brag to others about all that this glorious state has
to offer.
- Encourage our children to
become creative, optimistic, and financially responsible.
- Harness all of our skills,
intellect, and passion to brighten our future.
2)
Visit Motor City Connect, and
register your business for FREE. Check out the calendar and find a
lunch meeting near you. This group meets LIVE at various Mongolian
BBQ's around Metro Detroit on Tuesdays from 11-1pm for great food and
networking.
3) Join your local chamber of commerce and support the
business owners in your area. I belong to Royal Oak's Chamber which
has a FREE coffee for members and guests the second Friday of each month
at various locations, plus after 5pm events at various restaurants once a
month. Visit The Greater Royal Oak Chamber
of Commerce website for more information on dates and locations
of all events.
There are hundreds of other great groups in the area that could be
mentioned. I encourage you to get involved, if you aren't already.
Together we can make a difference!
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Your Legal
Resource
FAVORITE READS OF OUR READERS
1) The Art
of the Start By: Guy
Kawasaki
When I decided to start my business, I needed help
developing a crisp and simple message. "The Art of the Start"
was a great tool to get my messaging set and had many pointers I use
today. The book tells you what to do, why you should do it, and how it
should be done. If you are thinking about starting
a business and you need to tell someone about it, go grab a
copy. (Jake Sigal, Principal, Myine Electronics, LLC)
2) Millionaire Mommie
I
LOVE, and I mean LOVE, this book! Kim Lavine candidly shares her
story and provides key resources for start up companies. It's truly the
entrepreneur's how-to manual, and I recommend it to all my
entrepreneurial consulting clients. A must read! (Denise Mahnick, 3Sixty Direct,
Product Development & Manufacturing Consultant)
In his usual
conversational, and sometimes irreverent, voice, Godin packs this book
with smart advice on how to zero in on the markets you want to reach in
a book that's packed with useful case studies and includes 14 trends to
watch.
It's all about establishing relationships with the customers
you want, as he has written about in some of his nine earlier books,
including the best-selling "The Tip" and "Purple Cow:
Free Prize inside."
www.RuthKlein.com)
4) The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity
By: Catherine Ponder
I read this book shortly after replaying the movie
"The Secret" about 47 times. It was amazing. I
instantly knew that either every teacher in "The Secret" read
this book or tapped into the same knowledge source as Catherine Ponder
back in 1962. Great stuff. You can be great too. (Terry Bean, Networked Inc.)
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PROCRASTINATION
IS NOT A FOUR LETTER
WORD
(Part 2 of 2 Part Series)
By: Alita Marlowe Bluford,
President of Marlowe & Associates
Last
month we looked at some of the reasons for procrastination. This
month we'll discover how to overcome procrastination and powerfully
handle the flood of information.
Did you know:
1. If you have moved
something forward in your planner 5 times, there is a greater than 90%
chance that it will not ever get done?
2. Perfectionists give every
task the same value?(The Agile Manager's Guide to
Getting Organized". 1997). It often takes
50% or more of the total effort to squeeze out the last 10% or so of
quality or whatever it is perfectionists want out of a situation.
3. Placing a check mark next
to a completed item generates chemicals that make your brain feel
happy?
Help is here!
1. Make an appointment with
yourself. Write it on your calendar in Ink!
2. Identify & define a small project
that you intended to organize. (ie. clear a pile of files off your desk.)
3. Determine how long you
are able to concentrate, and stay focused and productive without a
break. Set a time. (no more than 60 minutes) (also noticed the question
is NOT how long you think it
will take you to finish the task)
4. Put your telephone
on "Do Not Disturb".
Close your office door. Put up a Do Not Disturb Sign. Turn off your
cell phone, computer and fax machine.
5. Isolate your project.
Separate it from other visual distractions in the room if necessary.
(Put a white bed sheet over all but the piles you are attacking)
6. Pick up a piece of paper.
Ask yourself: Do I need this? How will I use
this? When will I need this? How often? What will
I think of when I go to look for it again? And for those of you
who are afraid to throw something away, what is the worse thing that
could happen if I pitched it and it was the wrong decision? Will
someone be harmed?
7. Make a decision. Use the OHIO Principle (Only Handle It
Once).
8. Use a "Ripening
Box" if you really can't decide or are too afraid to throw
something away. A ripening
box is a clear container with a hinged lid. Once you fill it, it
becomes a one way street - out bound.
One purpose of it is to calm fears about throwing away the wrong
thing, yet create a clean desk to allow for clear decision making, free
from visual clutter. So put the contents of your desk top into the
ripening box. Now you know where everything is. As you need something
that was formerly on your desk, know that it is now in the ripening
box. Retrieve it as needed and decide to place it in it's home.
(Remember, it doesn't go back into the ripening box) After 30 days, you
will have used the most important things in the box. Move the box to a
nearby closet and allow it to ripen.
9. Congratulate yourself for completing
the project. Smile and take a break!
For more tips on how to
handle the flood of information in your workplace call Alita at
800-852-9050, visit www.efficiencyconsultants.com, or send an email to alita@efficiencyconsultants.com. To subscribe to her efficiency
tips e-tips newsletter, please send an email to: info@efficiencyconsultants.com with "subscribe" in
the subject line.
_________________________________________________________________
Alita Marlowe Bluford is the President of Marlowe and
Associates, a six year old company based in Farmington Hills,
Michigan. Marlowe & Associates
specializes in the design and
development of programs and processes to enhance staffing, time management, information flow,
space efficiency, and inventory control - the facets of business that drain 160 hours
worth of profits from your bottom line each year. For more information visit www.efficiencyconsultants.com.
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10 Tips For Going Global
By: Beverly
Cornell, Iterotext Translation Services
So you have decided
that 2008 is the year you are going to take your business to the global
market and you need to know where to begin. Here are 10 business
tips that will help you get you started.
1. Make sure
that your company is solid in the local market you serve. Once you
are well established locally, then a "world, here I come"
mentality is important. This type of mind set and business
perspective is essential for the company's success. Ensure that your
international activities are integrated into your business plan and the entire
company has buy-in on these plans and how they will be executed.
2. Set a
budget for your international ventures. You will want to make sure
your finances are in order and that you are prepared to expand and create
a new division to your organization
3. Do your
homework. You will want to find which markets are open to your
services/products and who your competition will be. Be sure to do a
SWOT analysis
of the markets you want to enter.
4. Part of your research should include a visit to the
country you wish to do business in. There is nothing like
experiencing the culture and business market in person to realize the true
situation. Hitting the pavement at trade shows and face to face meetings
will have many rewards to helping you create and understand how business
deals work in that country/market.
5. Focus your efforts on one country/region
first. This targeted approach will help you utilize your resources
to their maximum benefit. Once you have established yourself in
that country, then add additional markets.
6. Find your "man on the ground" in your new
market. You will need a network of business contacts and
connections in the country you want to enter. These alliances will
help you to test your strategies. A trusted joint venture partner,
local distributor or an agent will help you achieve the success you
desire.
7. Know who you need, to help achieve what you want in
the new market. Your international experts in legal, financial,
marketing, and any industry specific experts will be essential.
8. Be aware of the local culture, customs and language
issues for each market. You should expect to translate and localize
all of your communication and documentation, including your business
cards, website and marketing materials. In addition, learning the
local language will garner respect and rapport from your international
employees and clients.
9. Understand the logistics for doing business
globally. This includes freight forwarders, local regulations and
customs issues, currency fluctuations, tax implications and any
immigration concerns.
10. Be committed to your international ventures.
It may take some time for your business to get traction in the new
market. Your patience is imperative to your
success.
Cheers to your courage and vision to take your business
global! For more information, you may contact Beverly at Iterotext
at 248-649-5551, or visit her website
noted below.
______________________________________________________________________
Beverly Cornell is the Director of Marketing and Sales for
Iterotext Translation Services. She serves as the Chair of the
Marketing Subcommittee at Automation Alley and is a member of the
International Business Center Advisory Council, Marketing and Sales
Executives of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Club and the International
Visitor's Council. She is the host of a weekly podcast and author
of a blog at www.globalbusinessperspectives.com
and often speaks to business groups around the
Detroit Region on the power of networking and networking etiquette, as
well as how globalization affects all of us.
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