Welcome to 2010!
Happy new year!
The past decade we had our third and last child. 911 happened the same day four hours later. My wife' father passed too young. The economy crash simultaneous with the presidential elections meant our business went sideways at the end of this decade.
Now our B2B funding firm had our strongest month ever to close out the decade.
The economy isn't simply jobs or any one indicators, so I don't see a quick recovery system-wide for 3-5 years.
Despite that, opportunity abounds. Let's make this decade the most profitable ever.
Eric Standlee
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The best way to start the day
Take the 30 day challenge. Download the iPhone app or just listen daily to www.dailyaudiobible.com for 30 days and see if things don't change for the better.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, December 25, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Bank Closing - RockBridge Commercial Bank, Atlanta, GA
I don't have recent numbers, but last I hears two banks ago was that the FDIC was 8 Billion in the hole. That is $8 Billion with a "b" and not in some African nation's currency totally inflated beyond belief.
Now, they must be further in the hole.
Closing banks isn't helping the business loan environment. Banks are already THE MOST regulated small business in the country. Now, they are being told to prepay FDIC insurance premiums for 3 years and if that doesn't kill them they are being told to suck up the TBTF (too big to fail) banks' failures.
American Prudential Capital, Inc. provides alternative funding for business-to-business startups, acquisitions, and growing firms from about $500,000 to several $100 MM. Their contract is month-to-month and they earn their customers' business. Funding facilities grow with customers' needs and provide great flexibility.
Eric Standlee
Now, they must be further in the hole.
Closing banks isn't helping the business loan environment. Banks are already THE MOST regulated small business in the country. Now, they are being told to prepay FDIC insurance premiums for 3 years and if that doesn't kill them they are being told to suck up the TBTF (too big to fail) banks' failures.
On December 18, 2009, the FDIC was named as Receiver for RockBridge Commercial Bank, (CERT # 58315), Atlanta, GA by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. An assuming institution could not be located; therefore, the FDIC will fulfill its obligation to insured depositors by mailing checks for their insured amounts. For further information, please visit the FDIC web site: RockBridge Commercial Bank (www.fdic.gov).
American Prudential Capital, Inc. provides alternative funding for business-to-business startups, acquisitions, and growing firms from about $500,000 to several $100 MM. Their contract is month-to-month and they earn their customers' business. Funding facilities grow with customers' needs and provide great flexibility.
Eric Standlee
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
My Review of Roku HD Player
The best-selling HD Player (as known as Netflix Player by Roku) plays High Definition video and connects to surround sound audio.
We love our 2 rokus
By ericstandlee from Houston, Texas on 11/25/2009
Pros: Reliability, Video selection, Compact, Great value, Easy to use, Easy to set up, High quality picture, Built in Wi-Fi, Continued improvement
Cons: Want more video choices, Need fast internet service
Best Uses: Living room, Primary TV, Secondary TV, News in Office
Describe Yourself: Netflix fan, Technophile, Power User, Geek, Early adopter
This update and potentially unlimited addition to Roku past and present shows a HUGE dedication to all Roku clients. The added video channels is a great improvement and I love TWIT and Pandora already.
It would be great to get YouTube and/or Hulu very soon.
(legalese)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
facebook observations
When I speak recently, I get asked what are the values of facebook.com and twitter.
I continue to struggle with those questions. I find that alot of good business has come from linkedin connections.
Most know that I believe the more professional linkedin network to be responsible for our driving real revenue to our business. When I speak about social networking that is the number one questions most have for me.
But lately, when I help people realize that real revenue is possible, their next question is, "What about facebook and twitter?"
I can say that I find myself on facebook more than anything else. I blog on the notes. I run several fan pages and blog on those notes. I find the events useful even though I cannot block unwanted "friends" from putting events on my events feed. I can remove those events though.
Facebook does have lots of distractions. There ought to be a "professional" setting that keeps those distractions away for good. However, more and more people are on facebook (300 MM plus). So, if you don't have a way for them to find you and call you, then you could be missing contact. Try this: use your own cell phone facebook app and search for your own name. When that comes up, can you click "call" to call a number or is "message" all you see?
I used this to find someone recently who hadn't put their number on any of their emails. I realized then, if I want people to be able to find me, then I have to make it easy.
So, why twitter? Twitter like facebook is "cell friendly" so finding a way to interact makes more and more sense. So, what can you do?
Friendfeed.com makes twitter.com make sense. Twitter conversations are hard to follow. On Friendfeed, they make sense.
The other thing to consider is that all of these networks overlap. Find a way to use all of these sites without much trouble and you will benefit from the larger number of people you can talk to.
Eric Standlee
I continue to struggle with those questions. I find that alot of good business has come from linkedin connections.
Most know that I believe the more professional linkedin network to be responsible for our driving real revenue to our business. When I speak about social networking that is the number one questions most have for me.
But lately, when I help people realize that real revenue is possible, their next question is, "What about facebook and twitter?"
I can say that I find myself on facebook more than anything else. I blog on the notes. I run several fan pages and blog on those notes. I find the events useful even though I cannot block unwanted "friends" from putting events on my events feed. I can remove those events though.
Facebook does have lots of distractions. There ought to be a "professional" setting that keeps those distractions away for good. However, more and more people are on facebook (300 MM plus). So, if you don't have a way for them to find you and call you, then you could be missing contact. Try this: use your own cell phone facebook app and search for your own name. When that comes up, can you click "call" to call a number or is "message" all you see?
I used this to find someone recently who hadn't put their number on any of their emails. I realized then, if I want people to be able to find me, then I have to make it easy.
So, why twitter? Twitter like facebook is "cell friendly" so finding a way to interact makes more and more sense. So, what can you do?
Friendfeed.com makes twitter.com make sense. Twitter conversations are hard to follow. On Friendfeed, they make sense.
The other thing to consider is that all of these networks overlap. Find a way to use all of these sites without much trouble and you will benefit from the larger number of people you can talk to.
Eric Standlee
Thursday, November 19, 2009
IBAT Fwd: Breaking News: Score Two For The Good Guys!
I had to share this bit of good news for community bankers, our heroes in this banking crisis. Congratulate a community bank near you:
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Eric Standlee
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Well, it is nice to win one (or two) for a change! The House Financial Services Committee has just completed its work on the systemic risk portion of the regulatory reform bill.
Two very important amendments were passed to help community banks. First and foremost, language was adopted to change the assessment base on FDIC deposit insurance premiums to assets minus capital in lieu of domestic deposits which will lower premiums for 8,122 community banks. If similar language is adopted in the Senate restructuring bill (and it is currently in the discussion draft), community banks can expect to save some 4 billion dollars over the next three year prepaid assessment period. That's 4 billion dollars of deposit insurance premium assessments that now will be transferred to systemically risky banks!
In addition, an amendment was adopted to raise the threshold of banks that would need to pre-fund a potential failure of a systemically risky bank from 10 billion to 50 billion which will exclude our regional banks from paying this onerous fee to help bail out the too big to fail banks.
All week, the ICBA and IBAT and other community banking organizations from across the country have lobbied in favor of these amendments. A Washington DC fly-in was held earlier in the week specifically to lobby these amendments.
While this is but one step in a very long process, it is an important one that demonstrates the grassroots power of the community bank specific lobby. The bill is now expected to go to the floor after Congress returns from the Thanksgiving recess.
Christopher L. Williston, CAE
President and CEO
Independent Bankers Association of Texas
Eric Standlee
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Fwd: Tip 190 – Announcing Free Coaching from Keith November 20
Share this everywhere!
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Tip 190 – Announcing Free Coaching from Keith November 20
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BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Free one-hour community Q&A with me, this Friday, Nov. 20, 12 p.m. Eastern, live at KeithFerrazzi.com. Mark it on your calendars now! I'll be live on camera fielding your chatted questions. Come get some coaching on your business or career, or just ask whatever's on your mind! This is my way of saving THANKS for including me in your journey toward success.
Now, onto today's tip. Usually I deliver practical business advice here. I hope you're OK with me instead sharing with you a quote on romantic relationships that resonated so deeply with me that I wanted to pass it on:
"When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Relationships are a constant process of both being and becoming. Don't be afraid of change – or of the need to "work" on your relationship. That's how relationships survive. Anne Morrow Lindbergh was married to Charles Lindbergh for 45 years, until his death in 1974.
Does the quote resonate with you, too? How many times have you fallen in love - with the same person? Tell me in the comments!
Warmest,
Keith
COMPANY NEWS:
The Relationship Academy at KeithFerrazzi.com is coming soon! Sign up for special promotions.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Free one-hour community Q&A with me, this Friday, Nov. 20, 12 p.m. Eastern, live at KeithFerrazzi.com. Mark it on your calendars now! I'll be live on camera fielding your chatted questions. Come get some coaching on your business or career, or just ask whatever's on your mind! This is my way of saving THANKS for including me in your journey toward success.
Now, onto today's tip. Usually I deliver practical business advice here. I hope you're OK with me instead sharing with you a quote on romantic relationships that resonated so deeply with me that I wanted to pass it on:
"When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom." -- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Relationships are a constant process of both being and becoming. Don't be afraid of change – or of the need to "work" on your relationship. That's how relationships survive. Anne Morrow Lindbergh was married to Charles Lindbergh for 45 years, until his death in 1974.
Does the quote resonate with you, too? How many times have you fallen in love - with the same person? Tell me in the comments!
Warmest,
Keith
COMPANY NEWS:
The Relationship Academy at KeithFerrazzi.com is coming soon! Sign up for special promotions.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Do you have wave?
Google wave preview is live and has been a couple of weeks. I finally have an account.
If you have an account, please tell me how we can connect:
http://profile.to/ericstandlee
If you have an account, please tell me how we can connect:
http://profile.to/ericstandlee
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Obama doing a good job?
Have you voted?
http://js.polls.yahoo.com/quiz/quiziframe.php?poll_id=46067
When I voted 20MM voted and 62% said no.
Eric Standlee
http://js.polls.yahoo.com/quiz/quiziframe.php?poll_id=46067
When I voted 20MM voted and 62% said no.
Eric Standlee
Monday, November 02, 2009
Fwd: The Chocolate Calculator
This is the only year this will work.
| This is fun and interesting.
|
Recent Large Client Debtors
Here is a list of our recent large client debtors (client's clients). We can of course help B2B firms working with these clients and clients like them. We have been funding clients who service these clients for over 20 years.
Thank you,
Eric Standlee
Recent Large Client-Debtors
Paying directly to American Prudential Capital
Amazon.Com
Anadarko
Baker Division of Sonoco
Benchmark Builders
BP America
Centerpoint Energy – Arkla
Chevron Phillips
Chicago Public Schools
Citgo
City of Houston
ConocoPhillips
Crown Castle, USA
DR Horton
Dura-Line Corporation
Embarq Logistics
Emerson Tool Company
Fluor Daniel
GE Capital Railcar Services
General Dynamics
Global Santa Fe
Great River Energy
Harris County Flood Control
Harris County Toll Road Authority
Harris county Tax Collector
Hope Lumber
Thank you,
Eric Standlee
What are you expecting in life -- good things?
Bad things? Big things? Little things? Anything at all?
You need to get your hope up!
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for."
What are you execting in life -- good things?
Life is too short to dwell on bad things or little things.
Put all of you into things so big and so good that they feel beyond you.
Dream outside the box that is you.
Expect to overcome every challenge.
If you don't expect things to get better, then nothing will.
"According to your faith be it done to you."
Don't waste time on worrying. You don't know what will happen until you try. So, try BIG. DREAM BIGGER. Expect even BIGGER.
Unless you dream wild dreams, you cannot expect to succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
So, dream wild dreams. Expect to succeed beyond even those.
You are blessed to be here right where you are right now. So, start being thankful.
Be thankful for everything good in your life. This will get you into the right mindset to dream BIG so you can expect even BIGGER.
You can. It is what you were made for child.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Eric Standlee
You need to get your hope up!
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for."
What are you execting in life -- good things?
Life is too short to dwell on bad things or little things.
Put all of you into things so big and so good that they feel beyond you.
Dream outside the box that is you.
Expect to overcome every challenge.
If you don't expect things to get better, then nothing will.
"According to your faith be it done to you."
Don't waste time on worrying. You don't know what will happen until you try. So, try BIG. DREAM BIGGER. Expect even BIGGER.
Unless you dream wild dreams, you cannot expect to succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
So, dream wild dreams. Expect to succeed beyond even those.
You are blessed to be here right where you are right now. So, start being thankful.
Be thankful for everything good in your life. This will get you into the right mindset to dream BIG so you can expect even BIGGER.
You can. It is what you were made for child.
Blessed to be a blessing,
Eric Standlee
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Google News: Despite Windows 7, Linux raps harder at company doors
I have been using Linux since Slackware 0.91 or something like that. I highly recommend any of the main flavors. Try it on a USB drive first. You don't have to change anything to try it that way. Want one? Send me a USB key or ask me to get you one, and I'll figure out how much it costs and make one for you. Imagine! A world without spam, without slow computers, and where software is free!
Eric Standlee eric.standlee@gmail.com
USA Today - Oct 22, 2009 But that hasn't stopped backers of Linux - the upstart operating system created by a global community of programmers - from plotting a coup. |
Browse all of today's headlines on Google News
Google News: Geithner Urges Banks to Resume Lending, Help Recovery
Geithner obviously has no clue how banking works. CIT proof? Banks cannot lend more now because their regulators wont let them, because there aren't any investment banks to sell overage to, and because honestly they cannot be in the business of taking risk. Geithner needs to tell companies to use the services of private funders like http://americanprudentialcapital.com and he needs to figure out how to stimulate more investment banks.
Eric Standlee eric.standlee@gmail.com
Bloomberg - 7 hours ago Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the country's economic recovery and job creation hinge on banks taking more risk and restoring the flow of credit to businesses. |
Browse all of today's headlines on Google News
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
What language do they speak?
Assume right now that everyone you speak to has English as their native language. What language do they speak?
This is sort of a trick question.
You see, you may not know that with English as a given there are four information processing styles or languages.
Have you ever presented to someone and just saw the deer in the headlights? Unless you were speaking way to technically, then more than likely that person didn't speak your language.
You see, there are Einsteins, and Accountants, and Rainmakers and Process people.
Einsteins like their name sake tend to see things that others don't and tend to connect dots that others don't. They are very innovative. Their negative point is seeing connections that aren't really there like taking a statement personally when it wasn't meant that way.
Accountant types tend to analyze everything, think a long time and then act. They are very good a planning based on the limited information they have. Their negative is not seeing the big picture and thus planning down a rabbit hole.
Rainmakers tend to be "ready, fire, aim" people. They excel at action and tend to get alot of things started. They are your typical natural entrepreneur. Their negative tends to be impulsive actions without any check and the tendency to over sell more than what a company can deliver.
Finally, Process people do well with logical instructions. They are like trains on a track. Point them in a direction and they tend to balance think and do very well. Negatively speaking, they are like a train on a track and they are hard to get off the track or stopped in an emergency. They are usually the one who knows they have to be at church at 11:30 only to be folding that last piece of clothes to step out of the house at 11:30.
Neither processing style is "right" or "better". All have their place and balance another. Rainmakers and Analyticals balance out. Processors and Einsteins balance out.
No one person is typically not just one processing style.
So, are you speaking their language?
Gary Salton is the creator of this and we love his stuff:
http://oeinstitute.org/selling-with-style.html
Eric Standlee
This is sort of a trick question.
You see, you may not know that with English as a given there are four information processing styles or languages.
Have you ever presented to someone and just saw the deer in the headlights? Unless you were speaking way to technically, then more than likely that person didn't speak your language.
You see, there are Einsteins, and Accountants, and Rainmakers and Process people.
Einsteins like their name sake tend to see things that others don't and tend to connect dots that others don't. They are very innovative. Their negative point is seeing connections that aren't really there like taking a statement personally when it wasn't meant that way.
Accountant types tend to analyze everything, think a long time and then act. They are very good a planning based on the limited information they have. Their negative is not seeing the big picture and thus planning down a rabbit hole.
Rainmakers tend to be "ready, fire, aim" people. They excel at action and tend to get alot of things started. They are your typical natural entrepreneur. Their negative tends to be impulsive actions without any check and the tendency to over sell more than what a company can deliver.
Finally, Process people do well with logical instructions. They are like trains on a track. Point them in a direction and they tend to balance think and do very well. Negatively speaking, they are like a train on a track and they are hard to get off the track or stopped in an emergency. They are usually the one who knows they have to be at church at 11:30 only to be folding that last piece of clothes to step out of the house at 11:30.
Neither processing style is "right" or "better". All have their place and balance another. Rainmakers and Analyticals balance out. Processors and Einsteins balance out.
No one person is typically not just one processing style.
So, are you speaking their language?
Gary Salton is the creator of this and we love his stuff:
http://oeinstitute.org/selling-with-style.html
Eric Standlee
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
10 Huge income creating startup business tactics
The economy is tough! Who would start a new business in this environment? The answer is a savvy business person who understands that when others are afraid there are greater opportunities.
Retail economics continue to look bad, however business-to-business (B2B) economics have huge potential. Startup entrepreneurs looking for niches in B2B industries will find competitors cutting back on spending and staff in order to survive where the entrepreneur can innovate and excel as long as they have the right form of funding.
The following 10 income creating startup business tactics should help entrepreneurs see light at the end of the tunnel:
10-Reasons Companies Use Alternative Funding Retail economics continue to look bad, however business-to-business (B2B) economics have huge potential. Startup entrepreneurs looking for niches in B2B industries will find competitors cutting back on spending and staff in order to survive where the entrepreneur can innovate and excel as long as they have the right form of funding.
The following 10 income creating startup business tactics should help entrepreneurs see light at the end of the tunnel:
- Find a business-to-business idea.
Mistaken entrepreneurs dive into retail in a down economy. Giants in these areas have pressed their costs down to the limit and competitive startups struggle to compete.
Instead, smart entrepreneurs realize that larger businesses who are letting off key employees to cut costs still need the services provide so they create startups to service these needs. Great B2B industries that need refreshing exist. Trained eyes can see it. Talking to former executives in transition should shed light on such niches.
- Find a B2B industry that hasn't been refreshed with the latest technological tools where you can dramatically increase value.
In typical niche life-cycles, 10 or so competitors fight it out to see who will deliver more value for less cost until 3 or so survive. By the time such companies are in survival mode in a down economy, they have put off innovation because of larger relative costs. However, grabbing available talent now in transition and starting a new B2B firm in those industries with alternative funding and new technology allows the entrepreneur to be ultra-competitive.
- Bootstrap and start lean
Smart entrepreneurs know that in this financial climate getting a line of credit of loan from a bank for a startup could not be harder, so they get to revenue as soon as possible. They fund their grow with business development driven revenue and not selling equity dollars.
- Dramatically Increase Value
With new tools that older companies in that industry haven't implemented or don't even know about, entrepreneurs are able to drive down costs and make more profit on competitive prices. For instance, older manufacturing firms are heavily invested in the equipment they have now, but lean bootstrapping entrepreneurs can invest in new tech and executives with much experience in that industry. It might be the difference between traditional printers and digital on-demand printers.
- Setup your startup to maximize use of alternative funding options
Setup correctly, the invoicing and contract procedures can work for or against a startup. If setup right, these same procedures can be optimized to work well with alternative funding sources. The company can go after the type of clients that would make them fundable. They can write contracts and sign up clients to make alternative funding work better.
- Fund only what you need
When optimized for alternative funding, a startup can tape their assets when they need and not have long-term debt nor give up equity to grow. - Utilize flexibility of alternative funding that grows with your company
Startups might work 6 months to land a large deal only realize they don't have the cash flow to take the deal. Alternatively funded startups and small enterprises can woo that business in confidence that they are optimized to be able to cash flow enough to excel for that client too grabbing the higher end of markets previously only touchable by much older and highly capitalized firms.
- Do what you do best and let the alternative funding firm minimize your cost of collections
Collections normally doesn't fall under the expertise of entrepreneurs, yet they spend precious time and energy in collections trying to hurry large clients to pay early so they can pay taxes and payroll and suppliers in time. Alternative funding optimized firms know that their funding source knows how to collect faster and that they aren't tied to waiting however long that client takes to pay.
- Tap alternative funding to avoid cost of lost opportunity
Again large deals that might be impossible for cash strapped companies present no problem to firms optimized for alternative funding. They can rest assured they wont miss out on the large deals with long sales cycles because they cannot afford the wait.
- Leverage your client's credit to fund and grow your business
These firms know that while they don't have enough history or might even lack good credit, their funding isn't dependent on this. Instead they go after large firms that might take longer to pay but which have good credit because they know they will get funded. They also know that new clients will be pre-approved before they do any work for them minimizing the cost of wasted effort.
1. Significantly increase the cash flow of your business
• Earned cash is-available for qualified receivables in as little as 24-hours.
2. Use readily available cash to grow your business
• Funds generated by factoring can be used for new equipment acquisitions, inventory purchases, marketing expenditures/ facility improvements, etc. that otherwise may not have been feasible when you needed them most.
3. The process is very efficient and reliable
• Once approved, our clients trust American Prudential Capital for a userfriendly approach to doing business each and every month. Payments to our clients are dependable because we understand what a predictable stream of cash can mean to the life of any business.
4. Use what you need when you need it
• There are NO required monthly minimums for factoring and no long-term obligations. We recognize that factoring should be a "bridge mechanism" to more traditional financing and that typically our services are a season in the life of most businesses. Our contract is month-to-month because we earn your business.
5. Capital availability is flexible
• Factoring is the only means of business financing that can grow proportionally and immediately with your business as you need it.
6. Minimize internal costs associated with collections
• Your company will spend less time on collections since we take on most of this task. Thereby, you can focus more of your efforts on higher value-added activities such as sales and production.
7. Better knowledge of your customer's credit
• We are extremely proficient at verifying your customer's credit and ultimately their ability to pay your invoices. This enables you to make more informed decisions on where to target your efforts for the greatest gain and minimize your bad debt write-offs.
8. Leverage your customer's credit rating
• Your customer's good credit rating is one of the strongest assets you can have when factoring. It is their positive history as much as anything that makes this process work for you.
9. Factoring is not a loan
• No debt is created when factoring so there is NO negative impact on your financials. You are not using long-term debt to satisfy a short-term need for cash. This increases your appeal to traditional lenders because factoring creates cash in your bank account and not debt on your Balance Sheet.
10. Take advantage of early payment discounts to suppliers
• Minimize some of your factoring costs by leveraging supplier offered discounts for early payment and simultaneously increase your credit rating.
Find out what others think about working with us below
What do our clients say about American Prudential Capital?
"As a subcontractor in the Commercial Construction' industry for nearly 12 years, I understand how difficult it can be to survive in a competitive market which is characterized by seasonal fluctuation and increasing demand for strong performance. My association with American Prudential Capital has been a lifesaver for my business. Not only have I received the financial assistance that I needed, but my good friends at APC have been there to help me make right decisions for our company. What I discovered by utilizing their service was that they truly care about their clients and want to help others succeed.' The degree of integrity with which APC conducts its business is unsurpassed. I trust them completely and I would highly recommend their services to any organization."
Gary Carville - Commercial Care Services, Inc.
"American Prudential has been factoring Allrail invoices for over a year. They have been absolutely great to work with. Very simple process administered by a solid group of professionals. I have no reservations about referring this company to anyone."
Tom Morgan - Allrail Services, Ltd.
"We have been associated with American Prudential Capital using their invoice factoring services for over 7-years. Their helpful and dedicated staff has been a great asset to our business. The invoice factoring services are a great help with our cash flow which enables us to receive payment for our services within 24-hours after delivery. This helps us to manage our material costs for new orders and meet the needs of our customers."
Larry and John Haller - Custom Welding & Fabrication
Monday, October 26, 2009
UPDATE: Cometomyhouse.org
My favorite charity/ministry/non-profit that I support with gifts as well as by telling everyone I know cometomyhouse.org has an Update.
Please consider what you can do to help the orphans and widows in Africa and India.
Thanks Arch for the update:
Do you know a church of 100 or more who would like to hear Arch talk about Noah's Ark? Let me know and I will get word to Arch. He wants to speak to large groups about that. It would be nice if he could have the opportunity to share about cometomyhouse.org as well. Can you help get the word out?
Watch the videos on
Please consider what you can do to help the orphans and widows in Africa and India.
Thanks Arch for the update:
Hi Eric
We have 5 homes full of kids, 2 widows homes with 38 and 44. Jacob is building one in Botswana for 1000 orphans and have 3 more starting this year. Thank for your support and for spreading the word!
Blessings
Arch
ps I will be traveling to the most dangerous country on earth this winter but I will not be able to talk about it until after I get back
Watch the videos on
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Hacking Higher Education
Loved this! Gotta share.
Eric
Eric
The Personal MBA Insider - Blog Update
Hacking Higher Education, Part 3: How Mike Stankavich Earned His Bachelors Degree in 9 Months
Here's the story of a real-life higher education hacker: Mike Stankavich, who earned his bachelors degree in nine months.
Hacking Higher Education, Part 3: How Mike Stankavich Earned His Bachelors Degree in 9 Months
Epic Battles Sought by Man
Why do I let you bury me?
You fight my every turn.
There ain't no use hiding from this,
Fear wont guide my ship.
Down through the ages,
Man fights epic battles.
Nothing prepares him,
For where the real fight is.
Down in the shadows,
Success evades capture.
The real battle rages,
Right up to the rapture.
Its a fight for the souls of man.
Love has crossed the chasm.
No matter the circumstances,
The victor has already triumphed.
Yet, day by day I struggle.
My shadow beats me up.
Afraid of what might be,
It jeers against my inheritance.
From dawn till dust through sweat and tears,
Meaningless as it seems.
Huge hands of battle threaten,
Threaten to tear me apart.
But, the champion of my soul has won.
He's the last one with a loaded gun.
Blindness keeps it from me,
And the fight goes on and on.
Down through the ages,
Man fights epic battles.
Battles already won now,
Give it all to Him.
Smoke and Shadow burst open,
The Victor roars on through.
He's won the battle for me,
Now I see it too.
It was in giving up where the fight was.
It was in letting go to Him.
That's it, that's the secret.
It's already in his hand.
By Eric Standlee
You fight my every turn.
There ain't no use hiding from this,
Fear wont guide my ship.
Down through the ages,
Man fights epic battles.
Nothing prepares him,
For where the real fight is.
Down in the shadows,
Success evades capture.
The real battle rages,
Right up to the rapture.
Its a fight for the souls of man.
Love has crossed the chasm.
No matter the circumstances,
The victor has already triumphed.
Yet, day by day I struggle.
My shadow beats me up.
Afraid of what might be,
It jeers against my inheritance.
From dawn till dust through sweat and tears,
Meaningless as it seems.
Huge hands of battle threaten,
Threaten to tear me apart.
But, the champion of my soul has won.
He's the last one with a loaded gun.
Blindness keeps it from me,
And the fight goes on and on.
Down through the ages,
Man fights epic battles.
Battles already won now,
Give it all to Him.
Smoke and Shadow burst open,
The Victor roars on through.
He's won the battle for me,
Now I see it too.
It was in giving up where the fight was.
It was in letting go to Him.
That's it, that's the secret.
It's already in his hand.
By Eric Standlee
Friday, October 23, 2009
Fwd: Sales Intelligence: The Secret to Sales Nirvana
This is a quote from a recent CRM Magazine article.
This is why I recommend even small firms find and use a good flexible CRM package. It enables them to gain intelligence on their sales and marketing so they can see real trends and analyze real cost/performance/roi trends.
Ask me about my CRM solution.
Eric Standlee
This is why I recommend even small firms find and use a good flexible CRM package. It enables them to gain intelligence on their sales and marketing so they can see real trends and analyze real cost/performance/roi trends.
The phrase "Sales Intelligence" refers to those sources of information that your company can use to improve the effectiveness of its sales force and enrich the quality of leads in your sales pipeline - leveraging external insight to boost sales productivity.
But how are best-of-breed organizations using Sales Intelligence to optimize their selling motions?
Learn how by downloading the Aberdeen Group's groundbreaking Research Benchmark,
Sales Intelligence: The Secret to Sales Nirvana.
This complimentary piece provides best practices for enabling sales excellence through the use of Sales Intelligence. Injecting Smart, Fresh and Complete information into existing sales processes enables reps to contextualize lead follow-up - and call the right prospects at the right time.
In fact, according to Aberdeen, here's how Sales Intelligence affected the year-over-year performance in best-of-breed companies:
• 82% Increase in Revenue Per Account
• 74% Increase in Bid-to-Win Ratio
• 69% Increase in Average Opportunity Deal Size
We hope you find this Aberdeen Research Benchmark valuable as you build out or improve on your own organization's Sales Intelligence strategies - maximizing sales productivity and accelerating sales cycles; ultimately driving higher volume sales, higher value sales and higher velocity sales.
Ask me about my CRM solution.
Eric Standlee
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Even I have been confused by this Net Neutrality stuff
McCain has made it clear:
McCain Bill Would Ban FCC Internet Regulations
PC Magazine - - 50 minutes agoJust when it seemed like net neutrality stakeholders had reached a cautious consensus on Thursday's proposed Federal Communications Commission rules, our favorite maverick stepped in with an idea of his own.Reuters - CNET News - ChannelWeb - InformationWeekFCC approves draft net-neutrality rules San Francisco Chronicle
Email this story
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Small Businesses create 2/3s of new jobs
I am very dedicated to the creation of new jobs through the creation of new small businesses and funding of emerging and burgeoning businesses.
Funding is available for business-to-business commercial firms in but not limited to these categories:
Here's a list of industries we like:
10-Reasons Companies Use Alternative Funding
1. Significantly increase the cash flow of your business
2. Use readily available cash to grow your business
3. The process is very efficient and reliable
4. Use what you need when you need it
5. Capital availability is flexible
6. Minimize internal costs associated with collections
7. Better knowledge of your customer's credit
8. Leverage your customer's credit rating
9. Factoring is not a loan
10. Take advantage of early payment discounts to suppliers
Find out what others think about working with us below
What do our clients say about American Prudential Capital?
"As a subcontractor in the Commercial Construction' industry for nearly 12 years, I understand how difficult it can be to survive in a competitive market which is characterized by seasonal fluctuation and increasing demand for strong performance. My association with American Prudential Capital has been a lifesaver for my business. Not only have I received the financial assistance that I needed, but my good friends at APC have been there to help me make right decisions for our company. What I discovered by utilizing their service was that they truly care about their clients and want to help others succeed.' The degree of integrity with which APC conducts its business is unsurpassed. I trust them completely and I would highly recommend their services to any organization."
Gary Carville - Commercial Care Services, Inc.
"American Prudential has been factoring Allrail invoices for over a year. They have been absolutely great to work with. Very simple process administered by a solid group of professionals. I have no reservations about referring this company to anyone."
Tom Morgan - Allrail Services, Ltd.
"We have been associated with American Prudential Capital using their invoice factoring services for over 7-years. Their helpful and dedicated staff has been a great asset to our business. The invoice factoring services are a great help with our cash flow which enables us to receive payment for our services within 24-hours after delivery. This helps us to manage our material costs for new orders and meet the needs of our customers."
Larry and John Haller - Custom Welding & Fabrication
Funding is available for business-to-business commercial firms in but not limited to these categories:
Here's a list of industries we like:
| Accounting & Consulting | Fabrication: Pressure Vessels | Masonry | Safety Services & Equipment |
| Advertising | Fence Installation and Repairs | Medical Staffing | Sales & Installations |
| Apartment Services | Fine Linen Rental | Metal Fabricators | Security Alarm Installation |
| Apparel Design | Fire Alarm Installation | Manufacturing - Metal Strainers and Filters | Security Guard Service |
| Asbestos & Lead Abatement | Food Services | Manufacturing Oilfield Chemicals | Seismic Drilling |
| Audio-Visual Design/Install | Format Digital Printing | Manufacturing Personal Care & Gift Products | Service-Environmental |
| Belt Press - Sales & Service | Frozen Food Products | Manufacturing Sew Cleaning Equipment | Services to Mortgage Lenders |
| Blasting and Coating | Gen.Contrctr-Civil, Paving/Draining | Manufacturing, Furniture Design, Importer | Sheet Metal Fabricator |
| Building Maintenance | General Contractor - Paint | Modular Building Transport | Sign Installation |
| Cabling - Communications | Gov't Contracting Services | Natural Disaster Cleanup | Site Preparation-Construction |
| Cabling - Technology | Graphic Arts Finishing | Natural Gas Contractor | Software Development & Design |
| Calibration Services | Health Care Services | Natural Stone Distributor | Software Development - Oilfield Services |
| Carbide Fabricator | Highway Maintenance | Network Integration | Soil Remediation Services |
| Chemical Sales | Hose & Fitting Fabricator | Non-destruct Testing & Inspec. Svcs | Staffing |
| Chemical Solvents | HVAC Sales and Service | Office Furniture Sales & Service | Steel Erection |
| Commercial Aircraft Parts Supplier | Hydraulics Sales & Services | Offshore construction | Steel Fabrication & Fiberglass Construction |
| Communications Fiber Optic | Hydroblasting at a refinery | Offshore Crane Service & Maintenanc | Structural Restoration & Maintenace |
| Communications Installation | Import & Distrib - Groceries | Oil & Gas Equipment | Masonry Supplier |
| Computer Consulting | Import/Export Industrial | Oil & Gas Exploration | Supplier Commercial Aircraft Parts |
| Computer Hardware & Software | Import/Export-Broker Services | Oil and Gas Sales-Pipe | Supplier, Tech Personnel |
| Computer Software & Services | Indust. Power Transmission Distrib. | Oil Field Pipeline Service | Surveying and Engineering |
| Concrete Construction | Industrial Maintenance | Oil Field Services | System Integrator |
| Consulting and Training | Industrial Supplies | Oil Tool Rental & Manuf. | Systems Integration |
| Consulting/Recruiting | Information Technology | Oilfield Equipment Sales & Mfg. | Technical Staffing |
| Contractor - Utilities | Information Technology Staffing | Oilfield Maintenance | Technical Support |
| Contractor-Interior Buildout | Inspection, Maintenance & Repairs | Oilfield Services | Technology |
| Corrosion Inspection & Engineering | Installation of Cryogenic Equipment | Overhead Crane Repair | Telecommunications |
| Counseling Staffing | International Oil & Gas | Parking Lot Maintenance | Telecommunications Service |
| Custom Embroidery, Screenprinting | Janitorial Services | Personal Care Products | Temp Agency - Physical Therapy |
| Custom Welding and Fabricating | Lamp Manufacturer | Personnel Services | Temporary Medical Staffing |
| Delivery Service | Landscape & Nursery Services | Pipeline Maintenance | Temporary Staffing |
| Design/Mfg/Sale of Wool Rugs | Lawn Maintenance | Pipeline Surveying | Tower Construction |
| Direct Marketing | Legal services | Polymers | Tower Telecommunications |
| Distributor Janitorial Supplies | Machine Shop & Metal Fabricators | Precision Sheetmetal Fabrication | Transport- trucking |
| Distribution | Maintenance | Pre-op clean techno for power const | Transportation Broker |
| Distributor of Home Furnishing Products | Manufacturer - Glass Block | Process Honey for Bakeries | Tree Farm |
| EDI Services | Manufacturer/Recycler: Wood Reels | Produce Shippers | Vaccuum Truck Services and Rental |
| Electrical Apparatus Sales & Repair | Project Management Services | Property Preservation Services | Vacuum Truck - Septic Cleaning |
| Electronic Manufacture & Repair | Promotional Merchandising | Publishing of Computer Games | Valve Supply and Repair |
| Emissions Testing | Manufacturer: Cabinets | Railcar Inspection and Repair | Vegatative Erosion Control |
| Employment Staffing | Manufacturer: Chemicals | Rebar Installation | Ventilation Services |
| Energy Conservation | Manufacturer: Chemicals & Motor Oil | Recruiting - Staffing | Waterproofing |
| Engineering | Manufacturer: Component Coatings | RECRUITING SERVICES | Wholesale Furniture Distribution |
| Engineering/Oil & Gas | Manufacturer: Countertop & Cabinet | Reselling Computer Equipment | Wholesale Home Furnishings |
| Engineering/Telecommunications | Manufacturer: Plastic Bags | Restaurant and Catering | Wholesale Importer |
| Enterprise Software Company | Manufacturer: Rubber & Plastic | Right of Way and Site Acquisitions | Wholesale Oilfield Supplies |
| Environmental Cleanup | Manufacturer: Sausage | Risk Management | Wholesale Trade |
| Environmental Engineering | Manufacturer: Vehicle Security | ||
| Environmental Remediation | Manufacturer:Machine Vision Systems | ||
| Environmental Services | Manufacturing & Installation AC | ||
| Environmental Testing | Manufacturing & Service of Presses | ||
| Erosion Prevention | Manufacturing- Steel Forgings | ||
| Fabricating | Marine Survey Consult & Eng | ||
1. Significantly increase the cash flow of your business
• Earned cash is-available for qualified receivables in as little as 24-hours.
2. Use readily available cash to grow your business
• Funds generated by factoring can be used for new equipment acquisitions, inventory purchases, marketing expenditures/ facility improvements, etc. that otherwise may not have been feasible when you needed them most.
3. The process is very efficient and reliable
• Once approved, our clients trust American Prudential Capital for a userfriendly approach to doing business each and every month. Payments to our clients are dependable because we understand what a predictable stream of cash can mean to the life of any business.
4. Use what you need when you need it
• There are NO required monthly minimums for factoring and no long-term obligations. We recognize that factoring should be a "bridge mechanism" to more traditional financing and that typically our services are a season in the life of most businesses. Our contract is month-to-month because we earn your business.
5. Capital availability is flexible
• Factoring is the only means of business financing that can grow proportionally and immediately with your business as you need it.
6. Minimize internal costs associated with collections
• Your company will spend less time on collections since we take on most of this task. Thereby, you can focus more of your efforts on higher value-added activities such as sales and production.
7. Better knowledge of your customer's credit
• We are extremely proficient at verifying your customer's credit and ultimately their ability to pay your invoices. This enables you to make more informed decisions on where to target your efforts for the greatest gain and minimize your bad debt write-offs.
8. Leverage your customer's credit rating
• Your customer's good credit rating is one of the strongest assets you can have when factoring. It is their positive history as much as anything that makes this process work for you.
9. Factoring is not a loan
• No debt is created when factoring so there is NO negative impact on your financials. You are not using long-term debt to satisfy a short-term need for cash. This increases your appeal to traditional lenders because factoring creates cash in your bank account and not debt on your Balance Sheet.
10. Take advantage of early payment discounts to suppliers
• Minimize some of your factoring costs by leveraging supplier offered discounts for early payment and simultaneously increase your credit rating.
Find out what others think about working with us below
What do our clients say about American Prudential Capital?
"As a subcontractor in the Commercial Construction' industry for nearly 12 years, I understand how difficult it can be to survive in a competitive market which is characterized by seasonal fluctuation and increasing demand for strong performance. My association with American Prudential Capital has been a lifesaver for my business. Not only have I received the financial assistance that I needed, but my good friends at APC have been there to help me make right decisions for our company. What I discovered by utilizing their service was that they truly care about their clients and want to help others succeed.' The degree of integrity with which APC conducts its business is unsurpassed. I trust them completely and I would highly recommend their services to any organization."
Gary Carville - Commercial Care Services, Inc.
"American Prudential has been factoring Allrail invoices for over a year. They have been absolutely great to work with. Very simple process administered by a solid group of professionals. I have no reservations about referring this company to anyone."
Tom Morgan - Allrail Services, Ltd.
"We have been associated with American Prudential Capital using their invoice factoring services for over 7-years. Their helpful and dedicated staff has been a great asset to our business. The invoice factoring services are a great help with our cash flow which enables us to receive payment for our services within 24-hours after delivery. This helps us to manage our material costs for new orders and meet the needs of our customers."
Larry and John Haller - Custom Welding & Fabrication
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Servant Leadership is NOT for
I speak often on the value of Servant Leadership, giving first, and pay-it-forward mindsets in business, networking, and life. I am asked by small and very large groups to cover this subject and how combined with social networking it has helped our company drive revenues.
Today, I'd like to cover what Servant Leadership is not for.
First, it is not for takers. Takers are people who for a number of reasons find it hard if not impossible to give. Reasons vary from selfish natures, desperation, greed, and bad habits hard to shake. Whatever the reason, they go to a networking event, shove a card in a person's face and vomit all over them about what they do and what they are looking to find. They don't even bother to ask about the person they are talking with or their needs because they have 10, 100, or 500 cards that they must get to all of the people in attendance before time runs out. But, whatever they do, no matter how hard they try, they tend to push people away or turn them off.
Second, pretentious should avoid Servant Leadership. To them, networking is a waste anyway. They either know everyone they will ever need to know, or they know how to buy a list of them. They either refuse to consider even a reciprocal relationship or they find meeting people a waste of time. Their short-sidedness means that in times of need they must learn how to network. More often than not, they find themselves in the takers camp then because of desperation. These people bring nothing to a true pay-it-forward networking event and should avoid them for everyone else's sake.
Third, complainers should avoid Give First events. They tend to complain about the local sports team, or the weather, or the market. Their small talk becomes way too large a part of the conversation if there is one. They typically find complaining easier than listening, easier than caring, and easier than paying-it-forward. They waste everyone's time because they are off-purpose.
I know well all three of these because I was one at one time or another.
Instead of being a taker, I decided to care. I decided to listen with two ears and speak with one mouth in like proportion and on-topic and on-purpose. I decided to step out in faith and believe "give and it will be given to you." I saw it lived out in the lives of heroes in my life and realized that fear had been what held me back.
I recovered from pretentiousness twice. Once, I was a geek who didn't like to be bothered by the repetitive questions of "users" (I still am working on this by the way). I was also tempted by and lured into pretentiousness because I am the son of a very successful business owner and grew wary of those who'd seek to take advantage of me. Again fear was the culprit and fear tried to drive me off-purpose.
Finally, I still struggle with a positive attitude. The market can bring me down, or the desperation of the lives around me can affect me. I find it a steeped battle to keep my mind on good things. But, I know now that this battle impacts the results in not just my life, but the lives of those around me. I know that the balance between stark realist and Polly Anna positive should always, always tip in favor of the glass being half full. Life is already depressing enough if we dwell on it, so I have learned to chose to dwell on thing that are of good report.
Maybe, someone reading this finds them in one of these three camp or another camp I failed to mention. Maybe they struggle with whether value can be found in Servant Leadership netweaving? I pray that this article gives them courage. You two can find purpose in listening more than you talk, being positive, and treating every person as the valuable person they are despite where they are right now.
I will never graduate from this. I realize that like being a recovering geek on the 12 step program, I will always be on the path of netweaving and Servant Leadership and paying-it-forward. I can never attain perfection. There will always be more I can give. This is the legacy I want to leave behind.
At the last InHouston, my Servant Leadership Netweaving monthly mixer, several people came up to me to thank me for instigating this sort of networking group in Houston and sharing the Servant Leadership mindset. They shared how they had feared it at first as well, however through perseverance they overcame that fear and persisted until now they enjoy listening, giving first, and finding value in every person they talked to that night. These people encouraged me and I found assurance that I am being on-purpose in doing this.
To your netweaving success,
Eric Standlee
Today, I'd like to cover what Servant Leadership is not for.
First, it is not for takers. Takers are people who for a number of reasons find it hard if not impossible to give. Reasons vary from selfish natures, desperation, greed, and bad habits hard to shake. Whatever the reason, they go to a networking event, shove a card in a person's face and vomit all over them about what they do and what they are looking to find. They don't even bother to ask about the person they are talking with or their needs because they have 10, 100, or 500 cards that they must get to all of the people in attendance before time runs out. But, whatever they do, no matter how hard they try, they tend to push people away or turn them off.
Second, pretentious should avoid Servant Leadership. To them, networking is a waste anyway. They either know everyone they will ever need to know, or they know how to buy a list of them. They either refuse to consider even a reciprocal relationship or they find meeting people a waste of time. Their short-sidedness means that in times of need they must learn how to network. More often than not, they find themselves in the takers camp then because of desperation. These people bring nothing to a true pay-it-forward networking event and should avoid them for everyone else's sake.
Third, complainers should avoid Give First events. They tend to complain about the local sports team, or the weather, or the market. Their small talk becomes way too large a part of the conversation if there is one. They typically find complaining easier than listening, easier than caring, and easier than paying-it-forward. They waste everyone's time because they are off-purpose.
I know well all three of these because I was one at one time or another.
Instead of being a taker, I decided to care. I decided to listen with two ears and speak with one mouth in like proportion and on-topic and on-purpose. I decided to step out in faith and believe "give and it will be given to you." I saw it lived out in the lives of heroes in my life and realized that fear had been what held me back.
I recovered from pretentiousness twice. Once, I was a geek who didn't like to be bothered by the repetitive questions of "users" (I still am working on this by the way). I was also tempted by and lured into pretentiousness because I am the son of a very successful business owner and grew wary of those who'd seek to take advantage of me. Again fear was the culprit and fear tried to drive me off-purpose.
Finally, I still struggle with a positive attitude. The market can bring me down, or the desperation of the lives around me can affect me. I find it a steeped battle to keep my mind on good things. But, I know now that this battle impacts the results in not just my life, but the lives of those around me. I know that the balance between stark realist and Polly Anna positive should always, always tip in favor of the glass being half full. Life is already depressing enough if we dwell on it, so I have learned to chose to dwell on thing that are of good report.
Maybe, someone reading this finds them in one of these three camp or another camp I failed to mention. Maybe they struggle with whether value can be found in Servant Leadership netweaving? I pray that this article gives them courage. You two can find purpose in listening more than you talk, being positive, and treating every person as the valuable person they are despite where they are right now.
I will never graduate from this. I realize that like being a recovering geek on the 12 step program, I will always be on the path of netweaving and Servant Leadership and paying-it-forward. I can never attain perfection. There will always be more I can give. This is the legacy I want to leave behind.
At the last InHouston, my Servant Leadership Netweaving monthly mixer, several people came up to me to thank me for instigating this sort of networking group in Houston and sharing the Servant Leadership mindset. They shared how they had feared it at first as well, however through perseverance they overcame that fear and persisted until now they enjoy listening, giving first, and finding value in every person they talked to that night. These people encouraged me and I found assurance that I am being on-purpose in doing this.
To your netweaving success,
Eric Standlee
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Don't believe all of that marketing hype you see in your inbox
I just got another in a long line of "Just marked down to only $47" marketing strategies of the last 100 years HYPE.
Is that what marketing is all about? It sounds like say a bunch of things that sound like they could be true as fast as you can see how many people will give you $47 for nothing all over again.
Marketing has changed. The last 100 years doesn't have any bearing on the next 100 years as far as marketing. Well, it does, but only to stand as a road sign of what NOT to do.
Marketing, Sales, Business Development, and whatever the new term is have all been changed by social media.
Just like noone has seen anything like 250MM users flock to a college kids 2 week hobby page now called Facebook before, OLD "marketing secrets" are DEAD!!!!
It is about CRED. You have to earn trust and you don't do that by spamming your friends through every venue. Push marketing is push away bad reputation mumbo now.
Business development, PR, and Sales now happen because of attraction, transparency and availability.
GET REAL!
Stop fearing the truth and embrace it.
You have to be trustworthy and you have to build trust relationships with EVERYONE. Gone are the days of hiding behind a fancy site and ad copy and scamming millions out of hard earned money and calling that a success. Some will still try and an very few will succeed at that for long. But, that is burning bridges that you will need in the future.
You need to get real, help others, be nice, give first, and share to get ahead now.
I am not naive, and I know that bad people will continue to try spamming and scamming, but if you want to succeed you need to learn what it means to Give First, Pay-It-Forward, and Lead by Serving. "SuperPerformers" like my friend Dave Guerra of http://corpusoptima.com calls them will come out of these values.
Listen, if you are desperate enough to try some flashy ad copy sales pitch to a squeeze page to sell worthless drivel, then I am sure I cannot stop you. But, when you loose your CRED don't say I never told you.
Eric Standlee
Is that what marketing is all about? It sounds like say a bunch of things that sound like they could be true as fast as you can see how many people will give you $47 for nothing all over again.
Marketing has changed. The last 100 years doesn't have any bearing on the next 100 years as far as marketing. Well, it does, but only to stand as a road sign of what NOT to do.
Marketing, Sales, Business Development, and whatever the new term is have all been changed by social media.
Just like noone has seen anything like 250MM users flock to a college kids 2 week hobby page now called Facebook before, OLD "marketing secrets" are DEAD!!!!
It is about CRED. You have to earn trust and you don't do that by spamming your friends through every venue. Push marketing is push away bad reputation mumbo now.
Business development, PR, and Sales now happen because of attraction, transparency and availability.
GET REAL!
Stop fearing the truth and embrace it.
You have to be trustworthy and you have to build trust relationships with EVERYONE. Gone are the days of hiding behind a fancy site and ad copy and scamming millions out of hard earned money and calling that a success. Some will still try and an very few will succeed at that for long. But, that is burning bridges that you will need in the future.
You need to get real, help others, be nice, give first, and share to get ahead now.
I am not naive, and I know that bad people will continue to try spamming and scamming, but if you want to succeed you need to learn what it means to Give First, Pay-It-Forward, and Lead by Serving. "SuperPerformers" like my friend Dave Guerra of http://corpusoptima.com calls them will come out of these values.
Listen, if you are desperate enough to try some flashy ad copy sales pitch to a squeeze page to sell worthless drivel, then I am sure I cannot stop you. But, when you loose your CRED don't say I never told you.
Eric Standlee
Monday, October 05, 2009
Is Easy really Best?
In this day and age of push button everything, we have bought hook line and sinker the idea that everything is supposed to be easy.
Is easy really the best for us?
Without weight to push against, my muscles cannot grow stronger.
Without sadness, I cannot fully appreciate joy.
Without the trials of raising kids, I cannot fully understand patience.
Without study, I cannot fully grasp knowledge.
Without energy draining monotonous tasks, I cannot relish being fully rested.
If everything were really easy, then I would only expect everything to be given to me and never strive to accomplish anything.
There is a reason why the successful people we know have amazing stories of overcoming great obstacles. Sure it is true that after attaining, many fall into self-indulgence and pride. However, the real success was in the overcoming not in the getting.
We should embrace obstacles and shut doors. These are opportunities in disguise.
This recession will bring the unimaginative down. And, those who overcome will find opportunities to great success.
All industries are full of stories where the "winners" out lasted all of their competition. I know many successful businessmen who point to perseverance as the #1 reason for their success after their strong faith in God.
To quit is to fail! Period.
Many quit five yards or one step away from success. Don't be that person.
Eric Standlee
PS. Give yourself grace to make mistakes too.
Is easy really the best for us?
Without weight to push against, my muscles cannot grow stronger.
Without sadness, I cannot fully appreciate joy.
Without the trials of raising kids, I cannot fully understand patience.
Without study, I cannot fully grasp knowledge.
Without energy draining monotonous tasks, I cannot relish being fully rested.
If everything were really easy, then I would only expect everything to be given to me and never strive to accomplish anything.
There is a reason why the successful people we know have amazing stories of overcoming great obstacles. Sure it is true that after attaining, many fall into self-indulgence and pride. However, the real success was in the overcoming not in the getting.
We should embrace obstacles and shut doors. These are opportunities in disguise.
This recession will bring the unimaginative down. And, those who overcome will find opportunities to great success.
All industries are full of stories where the "winners" out lasted all of their competition. I know many successful businessmen who point to perseverance as the #1 reason for their success after their strong faith in God.
To quit is to fail! Period.
Many quit five yards or one step away from success. Don't be that person.
Eric Standlee
PS. Give yourself grace to make mistakes too.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Banking System problems still growing
I keep my eye on banking because we work closely with bank to help them increase their non-interest fee income to counter these sorts of trouble on their balance sheets.
As with any business, increasing revenue is a great way for banks to get around their loan problems. We have a track record of helping small, independent, and event billion dollar regional banks increase their non-interest fee income with returns on cash deployed of 27-37% as reported by the banks themselves. Compared to 1% returns on cash deployed in commercial loans 27% is a much better result. That has represented almost 50% of net income for some banks which realize the value of non-interest fee income.
Eric Standlee
Google Blogs Alert for: fdic closes bank
| The FDIC Is Safe By Aryn Don't panic. The FDIC is still secure. You don't need to close your accounts or rush to the bank to withdraw your money. The FDIC Has a Treasury Credit Line According to NPR, the FDIC has a $100 billion credit line from Treasury that it ... Sound Money Matters - One Woman's... - http://www.soundmoneymatters.com/ |
| Vox Popoli: The FDIC can't borrow solvency By Vox This statement from the FDIC yesterday should settle the matter: An alternative—borrowing from the Treasury or the Federal Financing Bank (FFB)— would also increase the liquid assets available to fund future resolutions but would not ... in federal deposit insurance or to a level which shall be close to or below zero, staff will estimate the reserve ratio for that quarter from available data on, or estimates of, insurance fund assessment income, investment income, ... Vox Popoli - http://voxday.blogspot.com/ |
| IMF: $1.5 TRILLION Coming In Further Bank Writedowns By Joe Weisenthal Not even close, "near 0% cure rate of all loans in foreclosure, 0.8% for 90 plus days delinquent, 4.4% for 60 days delinquent and 26.5% for 30-day delinquencies. All told, Amherst expects 12.42% of units (from the 13.54% of properties delinquent and in ... The entire banking system along with the FDIC is insolvent and we likely have at least $1 trillion in losses that have not been addressed. Boris said: Sep 30, 8:46 AM. Don't bother us with these trivialities. ... The Business Insider - http://www.businessinsider.com/ |
| Business Headlines For September 30, 2009 | Cronkite By CRONKITE The European Central Bank, which aims to keep inflation rates below, but close to 2% over the medium term, raised its inflation outlook in September. The central bank now expects consumer prices to rise 0.4% in 2009. ..... Thus, we wave a magic wand, and even though the FDIC is asking the banks for 3 years worth of money today, the banks will be able to recognize the cost over 3 years. Since when do we treat insurance as a depreciating asset? It's not like when you buy an ... Cronkite - http://ibankcoin.com/cronkite/ |
| Analyst Exposes Wells Fargo Balance Sheet Charade | Sense on Cents By Larry Doyle If Goldman is correct, or close, that is 25% of, well, what? They can write off a lot of this stuff via purchase accounting. But let's be kind to me and my hard work and say it will cost them $5 billion more than they are assuming. .... November and beyond may provide some market support for this skeptic's view of their balance sheet as FDIC guarantees of bank bonds goes away and Wells will eventually go to short term capital markets and raise money based on what people ... Sense on Cents - http://www.senseoncents.com/ |
| Avid Trader Official Blog: Evening Update By noreply@blogger.com (Avid Trader) Elsewhere, Starbucks entered the instant coffee market and the FDIC announced a proposal that would allow it to raise $45 billion from banks to help cover the rising costs of bank failures. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 47 points ( 0.5%) to close at 9742, the S&P 500 Index dropped 2 points (0.2%) to 1061, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 7 points (0.3%) to 2124. In light volume, 1.2 billion shares were traded on the NYSE and 2.1 billion shares were traded on the ... Avid Trader Official Blog - http://avidtrader.blogspot.com/ |
| The Economy & the Commercial Real Estate Bust - SZONE.US Forums By Steve Boren However, smaller banks - 92 of which have already folded this year as of mid-September, according to the FDIC, compared to 25 last year - are even more at risk because they will likely have a harder time accessing the crucial capital to offset rising defaults on commercial real estate ... By the end of 2012, some $153 billion in loans that make up CMBS are coming due, and close to $100 billion of that will face difficulty getting refinanced, according to Deutsche Bank. ... SZONE.US Forums - http://www.szone.us/ |
Eric Standlee
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Networking/Netweaving Motivations
Why Network/Netweave? What are your motivations?
I cannot pretend to know your motivations, but as I continue to learn and grow I can share where I have been.
When I started out to get on the path to networking, I didn't even know there was such thing as netweaving. So, what were my motivations?
Initially, fear motivated me to not do anything, but like the millions of pounds of thrust from the rockets on the space shuttle help it to overcome gravity and inertia and eventually leave Earth for near Earth orbit disgust with where I was drove me to venture into all I knew which was networking.
I will define this networking as the dreaded 30 second elevator speach you memorize and with a gulp of courage pressing down the urge to vomit you repeat over and over as you "work the room" forcing unsuspecting adults to receive your business card in trade for their business card.
I didn't know better. That is all I had ever known.
But, being the recovering geek that I still am today and was more so back then, I didn't even dare venture out before real people and instead retreated to the technology that I could not tell was really my prison.
I chose to overcome what I didn't know by "practicing" on the hapless people I encountered on social networking sites. "If I make mistakes, I can just delete my profile and run and hide in a corner and eat worms." I said to my self as if that really was some comfort.
At this stage, my motivation was cromagnon. I was playing with the bright light I'd found after the lightning strike not knowing if it could hurt me or be my friend.
I was motivated by base instinct to better myself, makes sales so I could make money, and basically selfish desires.
However, this stage was important or I wouldn't have overcome the inertia that held my quivering ignorant butt in my seat afraid to go over the horizon for fear that the world would end.
But, like anyone who has been through formal education, I realized that I would have to turn to the wisdom of those who had come before me.
So, groping through the darkness at a local book purveyor I flipped and flopped between the comfort of technology tomes and the unknown of "business" books.
What lay before me was a great adventure that even now many much older and wiser still behold in extreme incredulity. Many cannot belive that such a neanderthall as myself could have found the fire and learned to tame it. Even just today I was confronted by these walking fun-house mirrors reflecting earily past distorted images of myself.
In my quest to understand this enigma called networking, I stumbled upon a map that was written in a language I could understand. At first I was attracted by its orange cover with blue writing soley because I liked the color and the words on its cover seemed simple. In fact, recently I heard a so-called expert dispising the very contents of this tome calling it simple and naive. But, its simplicity attracted me and I dove in right there in the bookstore. It was Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.
Quickly I realized that along with the binky blankets of technology magazines and books I had chosen, I must have this one too.
As I read it, I had to take breaks because the newness of the material hurt my neanderthall grey matter. But, throughout the months ahead I learned about the foreign land of networking. This map called Never Eat Alone also laid out the hints of a land beyond networking that would take me years to discover in experience and a year longer after that to know its name.
I took what I could bear and tried to apply the wisdom to the only place I felt safe enough to venture out and meet new people: a new land of myth called LinkedIn. I applied new ideas of introducing myself to total strangers there, and begining conversations about the magic called business. I fought the demons of spam and laziness. I tackled the dragons of fear and humiliation. Had to conquer this unknown land, and by chance I had found the right map.
As I built upon failure and success, I realized that I was making the acquaintences of many new people and by chance I had discovered that I enjoyed helping others. It took meeting a giant of a person who later became my mentor before I realized that this was the real secret.
Through long, dark dungeons I learned to discern the Takers from the Givers and the first Giver I was to meet was a Lady of Light. This Lady poured into my life through her actions and spoken wisdom the hidden knowledge of the guild of the Givers. She tested me with much and though I stumbled I was drawn by the lessons of the Givers and realized a new way I knew deep in my soul must lead to the other side of just networking.
I had to share what I had learned, so dispite the pickly thorns I knew would block my way I endeavored to share the new way. I learned later that it had many names: Servant Leadership, and Pay-it-forward, and Give First. Some giants of the land had gone well before me yet few knew of these names and even fewer knew of the way. Finally, I came to call it netweaving.
I shared and shared its truths like I had been shown by the Lady. I braved the cold steele of those less enlightened knowing that the way of the Givers was better than the way of the Takers. For as it has been said, "Give and it will be given to you..." Hidden in those words I realize now that I'd heard all of my life were the foundation of the truth that would lead me on to become the Champion.
I began to draw a crowd and called it InHouston. We braved unknown to challenge the older ways of paid-for-networking, and dues-based chambers. Instead, together we grasped and found the way to no-dues, no-cover, no-presentation, netweaving. Eureka!
Somewhere in there my motivation had been turned from the dark side of the Takers where every action was guided by self-centered need to the light side of the Givers. My motivation really became to find those who would accept me and let me help them. Daily I was confronted by the old way as Takers would barge into my group. Some came disguised as Givers only to disappear as if driven from me by the blinding light of netweaving. It was as if they could not stand it like Superman and kryptonite.
However, those who longed for more than just the way of the Takers were drawn as if by magnet to join me on the life-long journey called the way of the Givers.
I still don't have perfect motivation. I don't believe I ever will. However, in greater numbers I seek to strive for the high mark of the calling of the way of the Givers and their motivation of purely giving without ever seeking anything in return.
Now, though not of plan or purpose at first, I realize that I am drawn to seek out those chosen to find the way of the Givers. I find myself motivated to draw close to me Trusted Advisors ever wiser in this true way. Not foresaking those still behind me on the path, I endeavor to gather to me a group of like-minded people.
So, less and less I find myself motivated to push this way on others and instead I realize that 80% who hear will never dare to believe it could be true. I don't worry about that and give without expectations knowing that the 20%'ers who will eventually grasp netweaving like I have will be drawn not only to me but also to a stronger and stronger army of Netweavers which I find myself standing with.
My motivation changed along the journey. I know I struggle with the ghost of the pre-Giver motivations every day. My motivation can never purely be a Givers unless I am without need, but daily my courage builds for the right way for me.
So, why are you networking or netweaving? What are your motivations? How are your inspired? What passions drive you?
Do you hear the song of the higher calling?
I challenge you, NO! I dare you to give first without expectation.
I cannot pretend to know your motivations, but as I continue to learn and grow I can share where I have been.
When I started out to get on the path to networking, I didn't even know there was such thing as netweaving. So, what were my motivations?
Initially, fear motivated me to not do anything, but like the millions of pounds of thrust from the rockets on the space shuttle help it to overcome gravity and inertia and eventually leave Earth for near Earth orbit disgust with where I was drove me to venture into all I knew which was networking.
I will define this networking as the dreaded 30 second elevator speach you memorize and with a gulp of courage pressing down the urge to vomit you repeat over and over as you "work the room" forcing unsuspecting adults to receive your business card in trade for their business card.
I didn't know better. That is all I had ever known.
But, being the recovering geek that I still am today and was more so back then, I didn't even dare venture out before real people and instead retreated to the technology that I could not tell was really my prison.
I chose to overcome what I didn't know by "practicing" on the hapless people I encountered on social networking sites. "If I make mistakes, I can just delete my profile and run and hide in a corner and eat worms." I said to my self as if that really was some comfort.
At this stage, my motivation was cromagnon. I was playing with the bright light I'd found after the lightning strike not knowing if it could hurt me or be my friend.
I was motivated by base instinct to better myself, makes sales so I could make money, and basically selfish desires.
However, this stage was important or I wouldn't have overcome the inertia that held my quivering ignorant butt in my seat afraid to go over the horizon for fear that the world would end.
But, like anyone who has been through formal education, I realized that I would have to turn to the wisdom of those who had come before me.
So, groping through the darkness at a local book purveyor I flipped and flopped between the comfort of technology tomes and the unknown of "business" books.
What lay before me was a great adventure that even now many much older and wiser still behold in extreme incredulity. Many cannot belive that such a neanderthall as myself could have found the fire and learned to tame it. Even just today I was confronted by these walking fun-house mirrors reflecting earily past distorted images of myself.
In my quest to understand this enigma called networking, I stumbled upon a map that was written in a language I could understand. At first I was attracted by its orange cover with blue writing soley because I liked the color and the words on its cover seemed simple. In fact, recently I heard a so-called expert dispising the very contents of this tome calling it simple and naive. But, its simplicity attracted me and I dove in right there in the bookstore. It was Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.
Quickly I realized that along with the binky blankets of technology magazines and books I had chosen, I must have this one too.
As I read it, I had to take breaks because the newness of the material hurt my neanderthall grey matter. But, throughout the months ahead I learned about the foreign land of networking. This map called Never Eat Alone also laid out the hints of a land beyond networking that would take me years to discover in experience and a year longer after that to know its name.
I took what I could bear and tried to apply the wisdom to the only place I felt safe enough to venture out and meet new people: a new land of myth called LinkedIn. I applied new ideas of introducing myself to total strangers there, and begining conversations about the magic called business. I fought the demons of spam and laziness. I tackled the dragons of fear and humiliation. Had to conquer this unknown land, and by chance I had found the right map.
As I built upon failure and success, I realized that I was making the acquaintences of many new people and by chance I had discovered that I enjoyed helping others. It took meeting a giant of a person who later became my mentor before I realized that this was the real secret.
Through long, dark dungeons I learned to discern the Takers from the Givers and the first Giver I was to meet was a Lady of Light. This Lady poured into my life through her actions and spoken wisdom the hidden knowledge of the guild of the Givers. She tested me with much and though I stumbled I was drawn by the lessons of the Givers and realized a new way I knew deep in my soul must lead to the other side of just networking.
I had to share what I had learned, so dispite the pickly thorns I knew would block my way I endeavored to share the new way. I learned later that it had many names: Servant Leadership, and Pay-it-forward, and Give First. Some giants of the land had gone well before me yet few knew of these names and even fewer knew of the way. Finally, I came to call it netweaving.
I shared and shared its truths like I had been shown by the Lady. I braved the cold steele of those less enlightened knowing that the way of the Givers was better than the way of the Takers. For as it has been said, "Give and it will be given to you..." Hidden in those words I realize now that I'd heard all of my life were the foundation of the truth that would lead me on to become the Champion.
I began to draw a crowd and called it InHouston. We braved unknown to challenge the older ways of paid-for-networking, and dues-based chambers. Instead, together we grasped and found the way to no-dues, no-cover, no-presentation, netweaving. Eureka!
Somewhere in there my motivation had been turned from the dark side of the Takers where every action was guided by self-centered need to the light side of the Givers. My motivation really became to find those who would accept me and let me help them. Daily I was confronted by the old way as Takers would barge into my group. Some came disguised as Givers only to disappear as if driven from me by the blinding light of netweaving. It was as if they could not stand it like Superman and kryptonite.
However, those who longed for more than just the way of the Takers were drawn as if by magnet to join me on the life-long journey called the way of the Givers.
I still don't have perfect motivation. I don't believe I ever will. However, in greater numbers I seek to strive for the high mark of the calling of the way of the Givers and their motivation of purely giving without ever seeking anything in return.
Now, though not of plan or purpose at first, I realize that I am drawn to seek out those chosen to find the way of the Givers. I find myself motivated to draw close to me Trusted Advisors ever wiser in this true way. Not foresaking those still behind me on the path, I endeavor to gather to me a group of like-minded people.
So, less and less I find myself motivated to push this way on others and instead I realize that 80% who hear will never dare to believe it could be true. I don't worry about that and give without expectations knowing that the 20%'ers who will eventually grasp netweaving like I have will be drawn not only to me but also to a stronger and stronger army of Netweavers which I find myself standing with.
My motivation changed along the journey. I know I struggle with the ghost of the pre-Giver motivations every day. My motivation can never purely be a Givers unless I am without need, but daily my courage builds for the right way for me.
So, why are you networking or netweaving? What are your motivations? How are your inspired? What passions drive you?
Do you hear the song of the higher calling?
I challenge you, NO! I dare you to give first without expectation.
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