Don’t Say You Won’t

Posted on by Jeremy Overton Posted in Personal

On telling people no…

Hooters has an interesting way of telling people not to sit in unused areas of their restaurant. Rather than telling them no, they tell them there is a cost. It’s rather tongue in cheek, but I have seen people sit past the sign AND tip the $100.00.

Why?

Because someone told them it was an option.

I met with the owner of a retail shop a few weeks ago and she told me she was reluctant about having a website or any type of social media presence because people might suddenly begin calling her and asking her to ship products. Of course, I questioned her, and she responded by saying, “I won’t ship. It’s too much trouble, and I don’t always have what they want. I hate telling the customer no.”

It’s okay to say “we don’t” but there’s never a good reason to say “we won’t.”

Shouldn’t we all take the Hooters “Mandatory $100.00 Tip” approach in our businesses?

Instead of “we won’t ship” how about “we ship, but there is a $20.00 handling fee.” It doesn’t work for everyone, but it may work for you.

My friend in the construction business once told me that his company made close to half of their profits each year on over-bidding on jobs they didn’t want in the first place. “We learned to bid EVERYTHING. If we didn’t want it, we’d ask “why?” and then bid the job the way we would have to have it to make a profit. Often, we’d build a 10% cushion on top of that, just for the pain in the ass.”

If you knew you had a global marketplace, what premium product or service would you offer?

What high-margin product could you manufacture if someone placed the order?

Instead of asking what if, today you can throw it at the wall and see what sticks.

It’s the only way to innovate… it’s the best way to stay sharp and stay ahead in your industry.

You’re smart enough that you have something to teach someone. Something valuable that they would compensate you for. Let your customers know what it is and what it costs… make sure it passes the four filters, then float it and see if anyone wants to buy.

If you don’t, they won’t.


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Do I need help? – The 7 Phases of “Stuck”

Posted on by Jeremy Overton Posted in Business, Concepts I understood but didn't know what they were called, Personal, Relationships

It’s hard to admit that we need help sometimes. The reality is that some of the highest paid and most successful people in the world not only ask for help on a regular basis, but they also pay for it! If you’re wondering “do I need help?” then you’re in the right place.

Phases of “Stuck”

I’ve been to therapy. I know what it’s like. When I first met with a counselor I was doing some recon work. A close friend of mine had sent her daughter to a counselor / therapist after a bad relationship and I went in to meet the lady to make sure she wasn’t a man-hater. It was the best hundred bucks I had spent in years. The lady was an incredible conversation. She was an avid reader, she hooked me up with the best books I’d ever read… Suddenly, I was shaking off disappointment at work, working out more and sleeping better, but there was one problem… I didn’t want anyone to find out about it.

“Can I call you my ‘coach’?” I asked.

“Sure, but what does it matter?” she replied.

I went on to explain that I was a little nervous about telling people that I was seeing her. They just wouldn’t understand. As usual, we explored that topic and I quickly realized that my fears were unfounded, but I’ve still encountered people who seem a bit nervous when I tell them that I enjoy visiting with my therapist. They immediately assume that something is wrong with my marriage, or worse. I’m sure there are others who avoid getting the help that they want or need because of fear of embarrassment.

I’ve created this info graphic to help spread awareness that there really is help out there for everyone, and that no one should be embarrassed about seeking it out.

 

 

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The Coaching Continuum

It’s amazing to me how much more willing people are to pay for help when they feel like they’re in some sort of a downward spiral emotionally. Think about it… we tend to put up with more crap when things are going well. Every week I meet with entrepreneurs who are putting up with less than desirable relationships, employees who are unappreciative and schedules that are far more demanding than they ever imagined. They know something isn’t right, but it’s not like being sick and knowing you need to go to a doctor. It’s hard to know who is best equipped to help you when you have what I’ve always referred to as “enviable issues.” It doesn’t matter how successful you are financially, it can get pretty lonely when you’re feeling stuck.

I’m a big fan of maintaining an ever-increasing positive trajectory in life. Just because you feel like you’re heading in the right direction doesn’t mean that you can’t get there faster with a little help. I frequently visit with my mentors, gurus, peer support groups, a psychiatrist who specializes in neuro-vitality and of course, my trusty therapist.

I consider it a necessary investment in my business, and you should too.

If you’ve thought about asking for help, no matter what your level of success or failure, take a look at each of these levels and self-assess. As you begin to think about the obstacles that are keeping you from making progress on a different level, you’ll have a clearer picture of what kind of help you should be seeking.

 

Getting out of a Partnership: 4 Lessons From the Rattlesnake

Posted on by Jeremy Overton Posted in Business, Personal

What can Rattlesnakes teach us about getting out of a partnership?

A good friend of mine, Sean Fisher, has always joked about what he calls his “rattlesnake theory” when it comes to relationships.

Sometimes you get into a situation where you feel like you’re holding a rattlesnake. You don’t know what to do because you don’t want to keep holding onto it, but you can’t just throw it down and try to run away, either.

With the Rattlesnake, this one is incredibly obvious, but when your business partner puts you in a rattlesnake situation, it’s actually quite the opposite. It’s important to realize the difference between complaining, cursing and screaming versus calmly discussing, strategizing and gaming potential options.

It does no good to get angry when you’re holding a rattlesnake.

Avoid anyone who asks anything about your situation that resembles, “why don’t we just kill the rattlesnake?”

People who are mad at the rattlesnake won’t do you any good.

You may be tempted to start taking on more and more responsibility in an effort to persuade your partner to fall into line. This is a natural response for most of us, but it will only lead to more stress in the long run. Overcompensating for an inept or out of touch business partner is a long road to increased turmoil and animosity. Much like holding onto a rattlesnake too tightly and wasting valuable energy.

Squeezing a rattlesnake too tightly will wear you out and leave you exhausted . . .
and still holding a rattlesnake.

If you decided to throw down and run, where would you go? When we get into a “rattlesnake situation,” either in a partnership or a relationship, we tend to focus on the beast rather than on our own safety and well being. Before you take a next move, take time to look around at your options, exploring worst case scenarios.

Focusing on the rattlesnake won’t make it go away.

More often than not, you’ll find out that the level of anxiety, frustration and desperation you’re feeling are excessive when you ask yourself, “how badly could this go?” I mean, it’s bad, but you’re not really holding a rattlesnake, are you? When you think about where you stand and start to calmly move toward getting some help and imagining ideal results instead of possible scenarios, your path to freedom will become more clear to you.

Unlike the rattlesnake, your partner will probably be open to some level of compromise if you are able to gather your thoughts and present them in a calm and organized way.

Hopefully this puts things into perspective.

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