The First Day of Autumn.

It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . I LOVE FALL! I used to run cross country - I love the smell in the air, the look of the trees, the wood stoves firing up. I get nostalgic for those times. But what is nature really telling us at this time of the year?

• Things die. Leaves are falling to the ground. Tilled my garden under for the winter.
• Things hibernate. Grass is turning light brown for the winter, but will come back in Spring.
• Things turn cold. Left the bedroom windows open last night. We FROZE!
• Time to pack things away. That incredible teal floral hawaiian swimsuit I bought thankfully goes away until next summer.
• Time to get ready for different weather. Having my famous wood stove cleaned as I type - wood is being delivered this week.
• Time for my favorite foods to appear. Macoun apples are MY favorite. By the way - looking for them - some help here would be appreciated.
• Get busy. Squirrels are losing their friggin' minds collecting thousands of acorns that have fallen on the ground.

How does this align with business? You career? Your life?

• Things die. Mourn their loss (a project, a system, a job) and MOVE ON. Right Now. It's never coming back.
• Things hibernate. A stream of business has gone away - look for others - don't fret! Take Action.
• Things turn cold. That's life - sometimes people or businesses give you the cold shoulder - find where the warmth lives.
• Time to pack things away. Things that haven't been working now might need to be put away for awhile. Work on new and interesting stuff.
• Time to get ready for different weather. Change your game - start targeting people instead of waiting for them to come to you.
• Time for my favorite foods to appear. New things appear on a regular timetable - what happens in your industry at this time? Take advantage of it - be prepared.

And finally . . .

GET BUSY! Stand up, get out, and start collecting the thousands of acorns that have fallen on the ground.

Just one might change your life.

Buffett Predicts Bright Economic Future.

Famed investor Warren Buffett declared that the country and world will not fall back into the grips of the recession. "I am a huge bull on this country. We are not going to have a double-dip recession at all," said Buffett, chairman of Omaha, Neb.-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. "I see our businesses coming back across the board."

Buffett said the same things that worked for the country through a century of two world wars, a depression and more – all while increasing the standard of living – will work again. He said banks are lending money again, businesses are hiring employees and he expects the economy to come back stronger than ever.

"This country works," Buffett said during a question-and-answer session via video at the Montana Economic Development Summit. "The best is yet to come."

By Matt Gouras at The Huffington Post

I Miss Kinko's and Mailboxes Etc.

This happens all the time. Larger companies catch, chew, and swallow smaller companies. It's the 'circle of life'. But there have been two not-so recent purchases/migrations of companies that are slowly building a slow burn in the back of my neck lately. Who are they you might ask? FedEx Office and The UPS Store*.

First off - the real haven for any small business was Kinkos and Mailboxes Etc. Why?

• Service. Kinkos had a familial atmosphere where all employees had fun. Mailboxes Etc. was a franchise and usually run by people who were using it as their retirement nest egg. They were having fun.
• Convienence. Both were close to my Stamford and home offices. If I needed something duplicated, bound or sent, it happened immediately. They also had incredible hours, where I could access their services when I needed them.
• Products. They delivered what they promised. All with a real smile.

Over the past few years, both companies were subjugated by the competition and turned into zombie clones of their former self (okay . . . a bit harsh). Let me explain:

• No Service. Where Kinko's had between 5-8 people on staff at any one time cheerfully helping myriads of small business people just like me with their office issues, Fed-Ex Office has no more than 2 people on the floor at any one time (and one squirrelly manager skittering in the background running back to their office as soon as a long line forms of customers). The worker at UPS Office is on a potent mix of prescription drugs and the cheapest liquor one can purchase, all fueled by a steady stream of Hot Pockets. He cannot pay attention and loses his train of thought frequently (this is a local occurrence, but has happened to me at other UPS locations).
• No Convenience. Store hours have been truncated severely. Most FedEx Office locations are no longer 24 hours (a real problem when you need business documents for a morning meeting). Even the UPS Store has cut their available hours over the weekend.
• No Products. FedEx Office eliminated many of their offerings and every location looks like a mere shadow of what it used to be. There is an increased focus on shipping and not on duplication/printing. The UPS Store still has most services, but its mailing and office supplies have been cut to the bone.

Finally - I really feel for the employees at these locations. They walk around like zombies with no apparent smile or enthusiasm. This is a clear example of poor management coupled with a very oppressive 'corporate-mandate' rule structure (you must do this, don't do that - no ability to make your own decisions).

I love when I find perfectly run, service-oriented tools that I can use for my business. It's sad when I see corporate greed snatch up these same icons of good service and turn them into awful places to work and shop.

I'd love your comments, viewpoint, and experiences on this topic!

*There are still a minimal amount of locations for Mailboxes Etc. - but for all intents and purposes, they are The UPS Store to me.

Push Yourself Just A Little Bit & You'll See Incredible Results.

A great business story presented by my BNI sales team: What's the boiling point of water? 212° Fahrenheit.

What do you get when water boils at 212°? Steam.

What does steam do? It moves huge locomotives. It turns powerful turbines. It heats millions of homes.

What is water at 211° Fahrenheit? Warm water. (okay . . . very warm water)

But not STEAM.

How many times do you stop at 211° in your life? In your career? In your business?

All you have to do is to just push yourself a little bit and you will produce STEAM in your life, career and business. What could you accomplish with increased energy, ideas, contacts, opportunities or prospects in your life?

Make the choice: Warm Water or Steam?

How To Get Clients.

I've been busy the last few weeks. In addition to coaching a full practice of clients, my action team meetings started this week (say goodbye to Monday nights). So the production end of my business is 'full-steam ahead'.

But I also got up early every morning over the past two weeks (4:30 AM) to attend various networking/sales meetings to spread the word of the Rich Gee Group.

And I gave a major presentation Thursday to a business group (50+ executives) about how to market themselves. It was a big hit for me - most attendees gave me a 4 to 5 rating (on a scale of 1-5).

So the 'development' end of my business was in full gear too. What did it deliver? I received an avalanche of interest in my coaching and my phone has been off the hook. In addition, my site numbers are through the roof and I have a pack of new business cards that can choke a horse (all to enter today into my contact list for eBlasts).

Why am I telling you all this? Not to brag (even though it is bragging . . . ). But to illustrate HOW TO GET CLIENTS.

Get out there and SHAKE HANDS. Get out there and be visible. Get out there and BE A BILLBOARD.

You are the product - get others to meet you, talk with you, experience you. "Take you out for a test drive" as I call it.

Don't hover over your laptop all day. Get OUT and MEET people. It's that easy.

Events To Catch Rich Speaking . . .

This year, the fourth quarter has come fast and furious to the Rich Gee Group. Here is a cross-section of all the events and meetings where Rich will keynote or present: Fairchester Business Group - Complete (we had a BALL!) "Market Yourself to Success: Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Thursday, August 19 - 7:30 to 9:30 AM http://www.fairchesterbusinessresource.org/

American Marketing Association - Complete (knocked it out of the park!) "Brand Yourself In Today's Job Market - Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Wednesday, September 8 - 6 to 8 PM http://www.americantowns.com/ct/norwalk/news/ama-fairfield-county-chapter-proudly-presents-toot-your-own-horn-911810

Westport Library - Complete (a packed house of energized jobseekers!) October 5 - 8 AM "Jobseeker Special: Take Action!" http://www.westportlibrary.org/events/2010/10/jobseeker_special_jobseeker_sp.html

Wilton Public Library - Complete (capacity crowd of businesspeople who want to learn!) "The Message is the Medium - New Ways to Connect with Customers: LinkedIn" Tuesday, November 9 - 8 to 9:30 AM http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/

International Coaching Federation - Connecticut Chapter "Market Yourself To Success: Toot Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" Friday, November 12 Doubletree Inn - Norwalk

Bethel Public Library "Get Tough: The Best Jobs Are Never Advertised" with Margo Meeker! Tuesday, November 16  - 7 to 9:00 PM http://www.bethellibrary.org/

Wilton Public Libraray "The Message is the Medium - New Ways to Connect with Customers: Wordpress Blogs" Tuesday, November 23 - 8 to 9:30 AM http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/

How To Be The BEST At What You Do.

All you have to do is watch this video:

What can you do RIGHT NOW to add this kind of focus and customer service to what you do?

Make It Happen. NOW.

A Powerful Thought For Friday.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."

- Walt Disney

Do You Give Unbelievable Customer Service?

As many of you probably know, I took my family to Walt Disney World over the past two weeks. We had a BALL! In the middle of all the excitement and relaxation, my business mind was constantly going. I am very observant when it comes to viewing high level operational, organizational and customer service processes. And candidly, I saw a bunch of them:

• When we returned to our room (we stayed on-site) we found the room attended to by our maid, but the TV was left on. How strange! Then we turn to one of the beds and find my son's stuffed character Stitch sitting upright on the bed with the TV remote in his hand. It blew us away and we doubled her tip at the end of our trip.
• Our son had a broken arm (not bad, but it is in a cast) - and during our entire stay, whenever we had an interaction with a Disney cast member (that's what they call them, not employees) they would inquire with my son and then go out of their way to make the situation that much more special. They would give him stickers, or a better table, or faster service.
• The grounds were immaculate. No trash, nothing. They were even replacing old bushes with new grass around the resort walkway. In 100 degree heat. They were also repainting the main convention building even though for the life of me tell where it actually needed painting. It looked fine to me.
• Finally, at the resort's pool, the lifeguards were not only plentiful (9-10 on duty at any one time and this was not a big pool), but when some were on, the others jumped into the pool and got the guests to have a tug of war or a marco polo contest. They were even challenging the guests to volleyball!

Now that is customer service and attention to your clients needs.

What do you do currently that goes above and beyond your current customer service?

Are You Losing Your Game? Time To 'Adjust' It.

From Greg Couch in Paris:

"Venus Williams just keeps letting this happen to her, and she throws up her hands as if there is nothing she can do about it.

She had been playing her best tennis in years, and had a shot at moving to No. 1 in the world rankings, where she has spent just 11 weeks in her long career. And then she had an off day Sunday. Now, she's gone. Williams lost 6-4, 6-3 to Nadia Petrova in the fourth round at Roland Garros. It's clear now why Williams has never won the French Open, and never will. It's not about a lack of ability or comfort on clay.

It's unbelievable that someone who has been so great for so long would allow herself to play for all these years without a safety net. She has no adjustments to make, no alterations.

On hot days, the red clay is fast and on cold days it's slow. On wet days, even stickier. On Sunday, it was raining and windy, too. Nothing stays the same, and even on the best of days, you can't just impose physical strength on your opponent, the way Williams plays. The ball slows down when it bounces in this dirt, and gives players a chance to catch up to the power.

Sometimes it happens? Then why not be ready for it? Don't you have to make adjustments?"

Greg is spot on with Venus. Now here's the kicker . . . he sounds like me when I first talk to my clients. Things have been going so well for so long, then all of a sudden, everything falls apart. It's like their career or business just had a 4-6, 3-6 game and they don't know what to do. They've been playing their power game all along and the whole world around them has changed.

And it hits you smack in the center of your face just like a tennis ball. You suddenly realize that you no longer are employed, you're handling multiple positions that have been eliminated, or a majority of your clientele have disappeared. How do you fix this?

It's called FLEXIBILITY. LIMBERNESS. AGILITY. React to external conditions as they change (and you can bet your bottom dollar they will) and take steps to be flexible, limber and agile.

Here are some tips:

• Keep your eyes open. Major career or business changing events usually don't happen in an instant. There are predictors and subtle changes that should be alerting you. People just don't listen or they obstinately keep their eyes closed to the problem(s). When you see something begin to happen, take some time out to look out on the horizon. What is changing? For the better? For the worse? Who's leaving the company? What projects are being cut? Who is disappearing from certain projects?
• Set goals. It's that easy. Most executives and business-owners don't have goals. They just trundle along with no targets to hit. You're asking for trouble. Businesses - look at your last 12 months gross revenue, pick your three best months, average them and that is your current target for each month. If you want to be agressive, raise it by 5%. Executives - How is your project/department progressing? Are you hitting your deadlines? Are you receiving increases when you hit something out of the park (great review)?
• Have a plan in case things change. If the environment is going south, have a backup plan. Businesses - What is another customer base you can tap into? Why aren't you hitting them already? Executives - Is your resume up to date? Are you actively having lunch with colleagues outside of your company to survey the marketplace?

If you begin to attempt just one of these tips and MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, you'll find that you'll be winning the matches, rather than going home a loser.

Gasoline, Hybrid, & Electric Cars Are Not The Answer.

Am I not getting this? I follow this news track often because I am very interested in this country's future energy needs. What I keep seeing is a concerted (and in my opinion, a highly misguided and uninformed) focus on alternative energy vehicles that still require energy from dirty energy sources. Let me explain:

Gasoline - This is a no brainer. Don't even add what's happening in the Gulf right now. Our attention to gasoline puts this country at risk by forcing us to do business with unstable countries. This should stop.

Hybrids - Great idea, but it still uses gasoline. And if you ever drove one, the pickup is not quite what you'd expect. And at the end of the day, the mileage is still equal (or surpassed) to a VW Polo Diesel (check it out). Also - just wait when you need to replace your batteries - there will be a lot of angry people out there.

Electric Cars - All I read today focuses on the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt. Where will the electricity come from? The air? No - it will come from Oil, Coal, and Nuclear - all three are very dirty. And you have to plug them in everywhere since they only get 100 miles per charge.

So where do we go from here? I have three words: Honda FCX Clarity - the most important car since the car was invented.

Check out this video:

No Oil. No Gasoline. No Electricity. It runs on Hydrogen - the most abundant element in the universe and it spits out water vapor. How do we do it?

This should be Our Five Year Plan:

Step 1: Government subsidies (Manhattan Project) to help automakers retool to produce hydrogen cars. Begin to incrementally tax gasoline to painfully move the public to hydrogen. Trucks can still use diesel (or natural gas) - we can focus on them in the second round. Step 2: All gas stations are refitted not to dispense gasoline, but to dispense liquid hydrogen. Step 3: State rebates to help owners purchase and own new hydrogen cars (you can probably throw in federal too). Step 4: Convert all refining stations that turn petroleum into gasoline into refining stations that turn water/seawater into hydrogen. Same energy expended - different results. Step 5: Leverage the existing distribution system for gasoline to now carry hydrogen. Step 6: Slowly wean the American public off gasoline - still have it around - just for antique cars - and keep it really expensive.

It's that easy - or am I missing something in my logic?

I know it will be a hard 5 years - but no harder than the trillions we have spent on wars to keep the oil flowing.

Hard Time Getting Started On Monday? Try This.

Whenever I have a dip in energy or productivity, I watch 30 to 60 seconds of this video. It works.

The Coolest Way To Get A Job. BY FAR.

Honesty from Clay Bennett.

Check out more Clay here.

Smart Things People Do At Work - Acknowledgement.

The number one reason why people enjoy and stay at their jobs is not money. Of course you do work FOR the money, but when employees are asked about what motivates them about work - acknowledgement tops the list every time. Quick question: Do you regularly and specifically acknowledge your direct reports?

Regularly: Not once a year - a more frequent basis would suffice. Specifically: Not a generalized statement: "You're doing a great job!" But a more specific one: "The way you handled the meeting today - you've come a long way. I'm so proud of you!".

When it comes to acknowledgement, do these four things:

1. Gratitude: Show real gratitude and insert it into your acknowledgement.
2. Honesty: Be sincere. No joking. Don't be flippant.
3. Focused: Get them alone, or catch them off-guard — "I need to speak to you . . . "
4. Enthusiastic: Don't make it sound like they are being fired. Smile. Make them feel the energy!

And don't go around the table or office and acknowledge everyone at the same time — that defeats the purpose.

If you regularly and specifically acknowledge your direct reports, you'll find that you will have a more energized and determined team. And how much does it cost? NOTHING. Start doing it today.

Everyone For Themselves OR The Sinking Boat Syndrome.

Years ago (I'm talking 1970's - 80's), there was a common bond that held groups together. Things like citizenship, affiliations, or just plain ethics. Today, all I see in the media, business, and life is a habitual replaying of a sinking ship - everyone for themselves - and screw the rest.

We as a nation have to come to grips with reality - our family has been spending too much for too long - and the credit card is due. We can't flip the balance to another card - we have to begin paying down our balance or face bankruptcy, foreclosure and ruin. This is prevalent at the national, state, and local levels. Folks - there are three choices (and only three choices) when it comes to this situation:

• Increase money coming in (raise taxes).
• Decrease money going out (reduce benefits).
• Cut services (employees, depth & breadth of programs).

That's it. It's that simple. Unfortunately both political parties cannot bring themselves to make these hard changes. Why? Because they fear for their political lives AND hope that someone will come along with another credit card to help them bounce the balance.

From a business perspective, there are many managers out there that manage to save their own skin - and no one else's. They are risk-averse and toe the company line like a deer in the headlights. No innovation, no risk, no ideas - and they change direction as often as the wind blows to ensure that they maintain their bonuses and status quo. In business there are three states also:

• Growing
• Flat
• Shrinking

But I maintain that there are two - you are either growing or shrinking - up or down - because flat is not an option for long if you want a healthy company. To grow is to take risks, compete, try new things, grow successful programs . . . think different. I only see this happening in a smattering of large companies and many startups (who will probably eat the lunch of the big fish very soon  . . . Google?).

And this affects our homes, neighbors, friendships too. We are too busy, too unfocused to help one another. It's time we begin to reach out and personally help one another - that's why we are on this earth. Think about it.

I heard that many people are leaving the U.S. because they feel that the government, our states, and our cities are dysfunctional.Why not stay and try to fix it? They are more interested in saving their bank accounts so they can buy another boat.

Bottom line - stop thinking like you're on a sinking ship - because if you do - EVERYONE GOES DOWN. Trust me.

You Have To Listen - My Favorite Podcasts!

I began listening to the Radiolab Podcast about six months ago and I am riveted to every episode. RIVETED. Radiolab believes your ears are a portal to another world. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and human experience. Big questions are investigated, tinkered with, and encouraged to grow. Bring your curiosity, and we'll feed it with possibility.

In late 2001, Jad Abumrad was asked to host a showcase of documentary radio. He called it Radiolab. For a few years, Jad picked pieces that he liked and played them on Sunday nights. Every so often, Jad would make his own story ... or conduct his own investigation...and include it in his show. More and more, Radiolab featured Jad's original work, and played fewer and fewer of his favorite documentaries from around the world.

Then one day in November of 2003, Jad was having breakfast with his friend Robert Krulwich. As Jad aired more of his own work, Robert was becoming impressed with how different and wonderful the show was sounding. On this November morning, Robert and Jad were discussing the mystery of how memory works, when one of them came up with the idea of taking that conversation into the recording studio.

Whether that idea came from Jad or Robert may be lost to the still-unsolved mystery of how memory works. But they went ahead and talked to some scientists, and Jad embroidered and illustrated the resulting conversations with sounds and music. Before long, Robert and Jad decided to team up and re-launch Radiolab in its current form.

Some great episodes: The Placebo Effect - My Favorite! Numbers - For Anyone Confused or Attracted To Numbers! Limits - Testing the Limits of Human Endurance Afterlife - What happens at the moment when we slip from life...to the other side?

Radiolab is heard around the country on over 200 stations. Check it out!

I Haven't Been Sick In 6 Months.

Sounds crazy, but it's true. Let me be candid — I can't get sick. I have 25 clients that need me everyday, I do workshops all over the country, and I am in the middle of writing a new book. Combine that with running a full-tilt business — financials, taxes, marketing, miscellaneous — and you have a recipe for disaster — if I fall ill.

That's when I met Susan Nisinzweig. She turned me onto nutritional supplements that have revved up my immune system that rivals my health when I was 20 years old. I've always taken vitamins and I try to eat well - salads, grains, fruits, vegetables, etc. But she introduced a vitamin pack that makes me feel indestructable (like Superman) when I am out and about meeting people. It's a bit expensive, but weigh that against 1-5 days down with the flu. I choose my Optimal Support Packets EVERYTIME.

Look, I shake a lot of hands, meet a lot of people, I have children (who are flu petri dishes all their own) - so I frequently got sick. Now that I take her Optimal Support Packets - I don't. It's that easy.

Here's the kicker - when you take a vitamins on a daily basis - you expel them when you urinate. When I used GNC Mega Men vitamins, my pee looked like Prestone anti-freeze. Not with Mannatech vitamins - I know my body is absorbing all the nutrients.

I know this sounds like a commercial - SORRY - but it is. When I run into something that WORKS - I want to scream it from the rooftops.

So check it out, you'll thank me.

The Most Important (financial) Book You'll Buy This Year.

I read LOTS of books. And it's funny - a lot of people are amazed at the number of books I read. I don't think I read a lot - but many people I meet think I'm crazy about spending time reading books. Candidly, I feel that it's a clear sign of the 'dumbing down' of America. People are 'shamed' into not reading - you should see the faces of people when I mention I read 3-5 books at a time and finish 100-150 books a year. "Don't you have better things to do with your time?" Candidly, I don't. And you should be reading too - start with this timely and powerful tome.

You need to get Enough - True Measures of Money, Business and Life by John Bogle. Why? Let William Bernstein tell you:

"If you are wondering about the cause of the current market crisis, then you haven't been reading enough of Jack Bogle.

Because he certainly knows not only where, but why and how. For decades Jack has been communicating his disquiet in previous books, speeches, and public testimony. Years from now, when historians and investors dissect the economic and market meltdowns of 2008, they'll consult this slim, well-written volume.

In order to understand the intellectual and moral platform from which he surveys the economic wreckage, you need to know a little of his story. Bogle founded one of the world's great investment companies, the Vanguard Group. Most men in his situation would have levered such success into a multi-billion-dollar net worth; instead, he "mutualized" Vanguard, converting it, in effect, into a nonprofit organization whose only goal was to benefit its fund holders. From an ethical perspective, Vanguard is the only "investment company" worthy of that name. (As opposed to most financial firms, which are in fact "marketing companies" whose main purpose is to milk unwitting investors of fees and commissions.)

The answer to the conundrum of 2008 lies in the book’s title, "Enough," which is the punch line from a delightful Kurt Vonnegut/Joseph Heller story. Simply put, our nation has been suffering from decades of unchecked financial excess, for which we are now paying the piper: excess in investment company fees; excess in financial speculation masquerading as diversification and innovation; excess in the salaries of top executives; excess in salesmanship; and most importantly, excess in the role played by the financial industry in our national economy and national life."

Go out today and get it - it will change how you think about business, your career, money and your life.

Stupid Things People Do At The Office – You Speak & Don't Listen.

This is a fast one - so keep up with me . . . Most bosses speak more than they listen. They think they know everything. They push their views onto their staff any chance they get. And that's STUPID.

1. Shut up.
2. If you must speak, ask questions.
3. Then LISTEN.
4. Ask more questions. LISTEN.
5. Then ask your people, "What do you think you should do?"
6. That's it. They don't want to hear your stories. They don't want you to tell them what to do.
7. They want you to guide them.
8. That means that you ask questions (to get them to think about the options), LISTEN (to give them time to weigh the options verbally), and then ask them what they should do (giving them the ability to guide their own work and empowering them).

When you do this - you are actually motivating your team - allowing them to take charge of their work. This also allows you to be part of the process - to gently guide them when they might go off course or pick them up when they fall down.

So next time you have an opportunity to pontificate - Shut Up, Ask Questions, and LISTEN. You'll thank me.