Turn that frown upside down!

It's sad. Very sad. Today is the first day back to work after a long holiday weekend for many people. Their feelings were being expressed on many sites ... "I hate being here." and "I hate having to be back in the office." and "Wish I didn't have to be at work today."

I was there once. But not any more. I recommend that you give some serious thought about what you do and why. If your feelings are similar to those listed above, start now to discover what would make you say, "I can't wait for Monday morning!" or "What I do pays my bills but it's not work because I love doing what I do." or "I enjoy every minute I'm 'working'."

During the holiday season, think about what you want to do, then figure out how to get paid for it. Give yourself the gift of enjoying every day for the rest of your life. Do you want abundance? Abundance comes in all forms - free time, ways to help others, ability to share, and of course money. If you don't know how, you can work with a fantastic life/business coach to help you figure it out. She's my coach and a living example of doing what you love - her program is fantastic and extremely affordable!

Click here, and you'll soon turn that frown upside down! Now THAT'S something to be thankful for!

Thankful for the peace of mind

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we think about all we have to be thankful for, including the basics of food, shelter and clothing. But there are many other items for which we're all grateful, such as the contents of our homes and (even in these economic times) financial well-being.


If you aren't the one traveling, but hosting the family dinner instead, we're suggesting one more task as you prepare for the holiday. Take pictures!

While you have the camera and your Thanksgiving decorations out, set aside some time to photograph your belongings. What would happen if you suffered from a fire, theft or natural disaster? The contents of your home will be damaged or non-existent, and without a thorough inventory, you could face a financial set-back.

For those of you who do have an inventory, this is a great time to update it.

This photographic record of your belongings is a great start to creating a document that will save you time, emotional turmoil and financial loss. You will be truly thankful for it when it is needed. And, of course, thankful for the peace of mind it gives you if you don't need it!

It's not just what they want, but what they deserve

Every business owner knows that the best way to serve customers is to listen to what they want. This is especially true in the service industries. Why? You could have a great product and many will still buy it even if your service is lousy (but this is an entirely different post). When you offer a service, it is the product AND service wrapped up into one.

So, we are continually asking customers about our service ... pricing, follow-up, renewal options, add-on services, etc. We've learned a lot, and many suggestions are now incorporated into our service options. Some customers have even told us to raise our prices (we haven't) and a few (3 actually) have even paid us more than their invoice! That amazes me.

Back to listening to our customers ... Soon we'll be announcing an add-on service some have been asking for. We know it's not for everyone, but that's OK. When people ask, and you can provide, why not? It's all about giving the type of service your customers want. More importantly, what they deserve.

Lost and probably forgotten

Many of you will be packing suitcases and visiting family during this busiest travel holiday of the year.


If you are flying, what will happen if your luggage doesn't arrive? You'll have to file a claim with the airline, and you will be required to list what was lost. It's not easy to remember what you packed, so make a list while placing each item in your suitcase. Take a photo to have additional proof.

Have a great flight - and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Know your limit

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and "know your limit" could easily refer to how much you're going to eat come next Thursday. But the limit I'm referring to is the limit(s) on your contents insurance.

Yesterday's post covered the 3 most common questions/misunderstandings regarding insurance coverage. It seems that the limits hit a nerve, creating questions. Let's say your contents insurance is for $100,000. You know this is plenty to cover your linens, clothes, furniture, electronics, appliances, dishes ... everything in your house. Using jewelry (a common limit is $1600) as an example, even if all of your items total less than $100,000 INCLUDING jewelry, you're still going to receive only $1600 at the most. The same goes for each category that has limits (firearms, cash, etc.). Think of each category as a pocket. When the pocket is empty, even if you have more in another pocket, that specific limit as been maxed out and you can't 'borrow' from another pocket.

I hope this helps clear things up. If not, call your insurance agent. Also, take the time to add up the value of your jewelry; then, check your insurance policy and see if the amount of your limit will cover all of your necklaces, watches, rings, earrings, and bracelets. A rider is very inexpensive compared to what you face to lose.

Short and sweet - 3 things you need to know

Do you understand your insurance policy? Really? I'm guessing most don't even read them, let alone understand them. We have many discussions about insurance when introducing and providing our personal property inventory service. Here are the 3 areas that cause the greatest misunderstanding:

1. You DO need an inventory even though you have insurance. You'll have difficulty remembering everything you own, especially under the emotional turmoil of having just endured a fire, theft or natural disaster.
2. They won't just send you a check! You'll need to list (down to the number of pairs of socks) on your claim everything you want reimbursed for.
3. Everything is probably NOT covered. You might be well covered, but be sure to review your policy to see what limits you face. Jewelry, for example, normally is limited to around $1600; cash between $200 and $500 and firearms, around $2000. Of course, all policies are different, and limits vary. Know what yours are, then purchase riders to cover the rest.

Put your game face on!

Global Entrepreneurship Week began with the concept of planting the seeds for an entrepreneurial mindset and business ownership within our youth, worldwide. It is evolving beyond that, simply because the global economy demands it. It's also an excellent time to revisit how you play the game. Those of you who are already business owners will likely agree:

Just like the game of football, you must practice entrepreneurship. Your game face must be on, with your best plays ready to run. Why? Because when opportunity is ready, or the market takes an unexpected turn, you must be ready for it.

The November 15th NFL game between the Colts and Patriots illustrates what being ready really means. The Patriots had been leading for about leading for about 45 minutes of the 60-minute game.. With just 3 minutes to go, they were still "comfortably" ahead by 13 points. But the game was not over. A common turn of events -- for the Colts, anyway -- occurred in the closing minutes. The "Comeback Kid" and his posse, remembered that they still had 3 minutes left to play the game. Needless to say, at game's end, the Colts were ahead by one point -- i.e.: they won the game.

What do the Colts do that you can apply to your entrepreneurship game?

1. The head coach leads a coaching staff that functions well as a team. They have excellent leadership.
2. The players know their roles and they play well together. They know what teamwork means.
3. When conditions shift, they adjust. Player injuries could have devastated the defense; it didn't. Being down by 17 points could have stalled their momentum; it didn't.
4. Everyone clearly understands the overarching objective: Win games. It does not have to be brilliant or particularly pretty every time. Just win.
5. Every player knew exactly what the measurable goal was on 11/15/2009... With 3:04 to go -- score 14 points. Two touchdowns and two extra points successfully kicked equaled a win.
6. Every stakeholder dressed in Colts Blue knows what to do when the going gets tough. Do you?

Give this some thought...

Do you have a Plan B, or even a Plan C?

Take a look at how you operate.

• Have you planned for the Best Case, Status Quo, and Worst Case scenarios?  
• What can you to do to mitigate risk, on as many fronts as possible?
• Are there factors that could shift your fate? Have you put anything in place to control any of them?

Expecting the best is great for morale. Planning for the worst is good business.

When fuel prices skyrocketed in 2007 and 2008, one of my clients was hit hard by it. Her equipment and trucks primarily used diesel. Yet, it had not occurred to her, during the initial spikes in 2005 and 2006, to secure a fuel supply contract at a fixed price. Had we been working together sooner, I could have advised her to rein in that cost factor. That is one advantage of working with DMMI Associates LLC early in your business life cycle: We can identify conditions and actions that can save you tangible cash dollars, in the short-term and long-term.

Remember: You can always shift the game in your favor. You merely have to be prepared and keep your Game Face on.

________________________________________________

Guest blogger Sändra K Connor is known as “thinkVAULTer” on twitter. She is the owner of DMMI Associates, LLC and known as the Infopreneur. Sändra specializes in helping small business owners to grow their businesses – from startup or from here-and-now to the next level.

Email Sändra ~ DMMI Business Tips Blog

Another story of "I didn't know"

We walked out of her house, living our goal and purpose!

When we started our personal property inventory business, one of our criteria was to offer a service that would enable us to help people. Our most recent customer helped fulfill that goal. While documenting her jewelry, we discussed limits on her insurance policy. She, like the majority of others we talk to, didn't realize there is such a thing for jewerly - or any other item, for that matter.

We noted that fine costume jewelry pieces can easily cost $200 or more, whether purchased at Kohl's or Macy's. When you have a $1600 limit (the average) on your homeowners policy, you can see that less than 8 items will max out that coverage except for jewelry pieces that have been appraised and placed on a rider. (This is the time you pause and think about how many pieces of jewelry you own.)

We are pleased we were able to offer a little education, and feel great knowing she'll now have proper insurance coverage (she's calling her agent). And this means that she'll be able to replace each of her beautiful pieces if she would suffer a loss due to fire, theft or natural disaster.

4 babies, 2 phones and 1 great sales rep

As small business owners, we always pay special attention to the type of customer service we receive when purchasing products or services. You see, with our personal property inventory service, we believe (and our surveys support our belief) that we provide more than expected - and we will always do that. No matter what it takes. It's nice to be the recipient of this special care, too.

Today we visited Verizon's store at the Metropolis Mall in Plainfield and met Brian, the ultimate in customer service. He was more than just helpful - he was over-the-top-helpful. He asked questions regarding what we wanted our phones "to do". Then he listened. And then he didn't sell us what we didn't need. He also reviewed our calling patterns and found a better & less expensive plan for us. There was never one second we felt pressured. (We walked out with 2 new Blackberries.)

WAS THIS A GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OR WHAT!?!

Are you ready for a new phone or other Verizon wireless product(s)? Go see him, please.Enjoy a great shopping experience. His name is Brian Scott, a 2008 Winner's Circle recipient. I'm sure you'll be just as pleased as we are.

Oh! One other reason to buy from him - he, his wife and 2-year-old-son are welcoming quads (3 boys, 1 girl) into the family around Thanksgiving. He could use some big bucks! Can you imagine HIS cell phone bill in about 12 years?

The clock is ticking

I planned to do it. It's on my to-do list. I promised myself this year I would get it done...

These are only some of the comments we hear when talking about a home or business inventory. It's a task people know they need, but just don't seem to get it completed (or even started, for that matter).

There are only a few more weeks remaining in 2009. Have you documented your inventory yet? Will another year come and go without this important information? This project just never makes it to the top of your list; by now you realize that you're never going to get to it.

You can still check it off your list, though. Call an inventory service provider near you; most likely they can get it done before your year-end deadline. 

The clock is ticking!

Why it's great to be first

First in line. First to apply. First to receive a settlement. These are very important reasons to have a personal property inventory for your home and business. The ability to be first!

When some insurance companies closed their doors after hurricanes Rita and Katrina, two things happened. 1 - The policyholders received a settlement. 2 - They didn't. The father of a woman who lived in Louisiana told us she had an inventory of their belongings, and when they evacuated, she took it with her. As soon as she was able (just a couple weeks), she sent the inventory to her insurance company and the claims process began. A friend of hers did not have a portfolio of her contents. By the time she pulled all the information together - from memory - that she needed to file her claim, the insurance company had folded. Gone. Doors closed. She received nothing.

BE FIRST! - A very small, but compelling reason to have an inventory.

The big question of the day

Picture yourself sitting in the middle of your kitchen floor, digging through the wet, slushy muck left behind by the fire department. You're looking at a melted pile of plastic, attempting to determine what it was.  OR

Picture yourself coming up from the basement after a torndo into bright sunshine - and nothing left but splinters of wood and a few personal items blown throughout the back yard.  OR

Picture yourself walking into the house, remembering how neat and clean it was when you left but now in total disarray - drawers left open, mattresses thrown off the bed, jewelry drawer empty, artwork no longer hanging on the wall, and many other items missing.

Now, the big question of the day is this ... what's it worth to you to have a document that you can refer to when it's time to file the claim?

A 2nd question ... NOW what's on your agenda for the weekend? 

Three reasons she experienced a loss

A very casual "and what do you do?" conversation with a stranger earlier this week turned into a serious discussion - and quite educational for the others at the table. When learning that we provide personal property inventory services, she stated, "I wish I knew you 2 years ago!"

She was burglarized, and experienced a huge financial loss. There are 3 reasons for her loss. First, the inability to remember everything that was missing/stolen. Second, she didn't realize that there is a jewelry limit in all insurance policies. Her policy's limit was $1000, which means that the most she received on jewelry not covered on a rider was $1000. And third, the value of her gold jewelry that WAS appraised had increased by over 50% since the last appraisal years ago.

So, what does that mean? The price of gold has been climbing for quite some time, and her appraised value was less than 1/2 of what her jewelry was worth. Therefore, she her insurance claim provided less than 1/2 of what she needed to replace it, resulting in either a huge out-of-pocket expense or just do without.

The Insurance Institute of America recommends having your jewelry appraisals updated every two years. When is the last time you had yours appraised? It's worth the time and money to do this. You'll be happy you did if you experience a burglary, fire or natural disaster.

Remember, the responsibility to prove ownership and value is on you, the policyholder.

A bases loaded home run!

I remember going to Cleveland Indians games in the summer with my Dad when I was in grade school - still have the photo of me in my Chief Wahoo t-shirt and cotton candy all over my face. I loved it when someone hit a home run - to me, the most exciting thing to happen in the ball park. I used to think baseball was boring unless there were a bunch of runs being scored.

Fast forward a few years (OK, a few decades) when, tired of hearing me whine about a "boring" shut-out, my son Brian explained the defense to me. All those years prior, I just thought men stood in a set spot and would catch a ball if it came their way. After my baseball lesson - many lessons, actually - I must say I never looked at the sport the same way again. I am now a fan of baseball - both offense and defense. Understanding the thought process that goes into where a player "stands" when on the field puts the entire game in a different context. For example, there are bunt coverages depending on if, who and where players are on the bases; and most baseball fans know of the Barry Bonds Shift. Everything they do - even where they stand - is how they prepare for each batter.

I see a home inventory as your defense in the game of life - maybe the boring part, but extremely vital, nonetheless. Preparing for what is apt to happen will help you win if you have a fire, theft or natural disaster. It will help you receive a maximized claim, faster and with less hassle. And the defense (home inventory) will very quickly turn into your offense - your out of the park home run - your bases loaded home run - when you need it.

It's like frosting on the cake

Do you use a cake mix instead of baking from scratch? Do you start with a blank page when starting a document rather than using a template? Most likely you use the cake mix and the template as a shortcut to achieve the final product. Just as good, and often much better than doing it without help.

The same thought process can be used when starting a business. Time is of the essence, and shortening that long, low-to-no-revenue start-up period can be greatly reduced when purchasing a franchise or turnkey package. Often the purchase price of this already-created business is less than what it would cost to start your own - less in time and in money.

Some of the common cost savers are replicated websites and other marketing materials, printing costs, the cost of equipment, even office supplies. Additionally, learning from someone who already spent the time gaining the knowledge through trial and error is of extremely high value. Receiving step-by-step instruction and training is beyond placing a dollar figure to it.

If you're considering starting your own business, consider a franchise or a turnkey business package. The time you save and knowlege you'll gain is frosting on the cake!