We Give You The World!
by Charlotte L. Hanna
How comfortable are you with the state of your being? Deep question, isn’t it? How comfortable are you with the state of your business may be a more familiar question to entrepreneurs, but they really do go hand in hand. Never be uncomfortable about being YOU – it will keep you genuine.
However, if you are too content in the state you are presently in, you’ll cease to grow – and when you cease to grow, you die.
by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/Director of PMR/CMBS Global
I remember, as a child, being encouraged to use my imagination. Consequently, I would build something out of anything. Little “fairy houses” out of twigs and moss, furnishings of stones and rugs of dandelion flowers, it didn’t matter – whatever was available – I could say it was whatever I imagined it to be. It was fun, it was mine and I could call it whatever I wanted to call it, make it look however I wished and do with it as I pleased!
While that perspective works for a child building houses for imaginary fairies, it is definitely not acceptable for one determined to build a business. Left to their imagination, a child may build something that matters only to them and their imaginary friends without much concern for how long it will last. Many of us remember spending what seemed like hours on sandcastles, regardless of the knowledge that they would soon be washed away. Of course, in the world of business, nothing should ever be left to the imagination if it is to survive and flourish. Big ideas are much like those sandcastles, easily eroded away or entirely erased by the next wave of distraction. Trying to build on big ideas leaves us with the same barren results as those sandcastles did. [Read more...]
By Charlotte L. Hanna CMO & Director of PMR / CMBS Global
I love a GREAT roller coaster! I can’t do the spinning rides at theme parks, but I really enjoy the roller coasters and the bigger the ‘ups and downs’ – the better. Whether it’s the thrill, the love of speed or the powerful feeling of conquering fear – whatever the reason – people love roller coasters, making them the world's most popular amusement park ride. And while they may make for an exciting day at the park, roller coaster rides in business are less than amusing and in fact, can be cause for failure.
Surviving The Ups and Downs
Every business goes through its ups and downs. Experiencing some highs and some lows are part of the forecast when it comes to the climate of any business today, but this can be particularly true for the small business owner. The little guys often find themselves waiting a long time to enjoy the ride of a consistently thriving business, eating an awful lot of dust, receiving little or no respect, getting pushed further and further toward the back of the line. Just as one must wait patiently in line to board any good roller coaster ride, being patient can also be key to surviving the ups and downs of small business ownership and like a great roller coaster experience, it will all be worthwhile, eventually. Unlike the line at the theme parks, in business, you can choose to simply maintain and hold your place in the line – or you can actually determine to advance to the front of that line. [Again, not recommended at theme parks!]
by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/CMBS Global
Something amazing happened to me overnight. When I got on the
bathroom scales this morning, I had lost weight! That alone was amazing, but what really made this overnight success truly something to shout out loud about for me was that I had finally reached a goal. You see, this is the first time in too many years that I am under “a certain poundage” and though I had set this as a goal, I had not really put much effort into getting here. I wanted to see results, but the ugly truth is that I had been a slacker.
I know better than to “just hope it will happen”, but I also had a lot of distractions over the past weeks and just allowed myself to slip into a bit of a rut with my efforts to lose weight. I even cheated – (Dairy Queen has an amazing Blizzard called Georgia Mud Fudge). So, not only were my efforts slacking, but also I allowed other things to cause me to stray off the path that would have assured me quicker results. [Read more...]
by Charlotte L. Hanna CMO/CMBS GLOBAL
A sound and firm foundation is crucial to any structure. Whether building a house or a business, the first level is always what the rest of the structure relies upon for support. The ability to remain standing in the midst of a variety of storms, the ability to remain strong and unshaken, will depend on how well the foundation was constructed.
A strong, well-laid foundation has never been more needed than it is today, both in the physical and business realms. Catastrophic weather conditions have rocked the earth and catastrophic financial conditions have rocked our economy over the past several years. People have lost what they could see and touch and hold with their own hands, as well as the investments they had made in a future yet to come.
Now is the time to consider all of your options, while there are still some options to be considered. But don’t let a cracked foundation cause you to move on or abandon your efforts – take a closer look and see if repairing the structural damage may be more cost effective in today’s market. [Read more...]
By Charlotte L. Hanna CCO CMBS Global
Marley and me, the 2008 movie about a loveable puppy (growing into a large dog) that provided his owner, a newspaper writer, plenty of rich material for his newspaper column, is full of life lessons. It contains a few business lessons, as well.
Growth must be managed to avoid the cleaning up of a lot of messes. Marley was cute and fun as a puppy, but as he grew, he gained no self-discipline. While his owner may have been able to profit from the storylines Marley’s antics provided, there were many losses and costs involved, as well, such as the destruction of possessions and the family’s home.
Like Marley, you should expect your business to grow. But with growth, comes increasing responsibility. A miss-managed business can create havoc, providing negative impact on those who work with you and for you, resulting in the ruination of productivity, profits, and those relationships so vital to the health of your business. A little training could have benefited Marley’s family and saved some major out-of-pocket costs. Likewise, the right training can benefit you and your employees, giving you the needed edge to run your business more efficiently and prevent potential unforeseen financial loss. [Read more...]
by Charlotte L. Hanna, CCO CMBS GLOBAL
The other day, I was busily typing away at my computer when the front doorbell rang. My young neighbor boy was anxious to tell me that our dog had chased a baby robin into our backyard pond. He thought I would want to know.
I was busy, and I admit that I really didn’t want to know because now I felt obligated to deal with the situation. I had better things to do. But, I went to call the dog into the house and figured the neighbor boy would probably be watching to see if I would act on his news.
When I found the baby bird, it was unmoving atop the chilly water, looking right at me with huge, terrified eyes. I could not ignore its dilemma and impending doom. Scooping it up, I could only hope that I was not too late, as it appeared to be fading fast. I gently began rubbing its tiny breast. I imagined that I was doing some type of bird CPR. Its little beak opened wide, as though it was trying to take in air. I wondered if its tiny lungs were already too full of water. I really had no idea what to do for this bird. In only a minute or two, the beak ceased to open and the little eyes closed. [Read more...]
