Monday Morning Startup Business Tips

Posted on November 14, 2016 by MarleneMB

It’s not easy making the decision to start your own business. Here a quick video with a few tips to get you going.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently member of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Manger/Agent for Professional Speakers.

Being Proactive – Hit the Winning Ball Now

Posted on August 15, 2016 by MarleneMB

“Go for it.” “Dig!” This was my high school volleyball coach yelling at us in practice. She always reminded us to Be Proactive. We shouldn’t wait for the ball to get to us before we move. We were to anticipate where it was going and move towards that area. She encouraged us to get in the right position in order to get to the ball first. Our volleyball team was not the best in the area. Frankly, we were dead last! But her lesson stuck with me over these years.

A few years later, I encountered this concept of “Be Proactive” again when I was introduced to Stephen’ Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. With this principle Covey encourages us to Be Proactive about the scripts that we use for our lives and take responsibility for them. He also encourages us to engage with others in a positive manner in order to broaden our circles of influence. This will often put you in the right position to succeed, to get to the ball first.

Being proactive serves me well. When I worked in the corporate world, if I knew of a position that was available in an area that would help me to grow in my career; I would learn what were the qualifications for the position in order to assess how my credentials stacked up against the requirements. I was setting myself up to get to the ball first.

If there were any gaps, I worked to gain the knowledge and the experience to fill those gaps. I also spoke with the people doing the job to learn the pros and the cons of the position. This helped me to make an informed decision of whether it was a right fit for me or not. This also allow others to know that I was serious about my interest in the position. Being proactive also boosted my confidence level. More often than not, I would get the position…hitting the ball right over the net.

The times that I wasn’t proactive about taking action were generally times when I didn’t achieve what I wanted. They were times when I fell short of the goal. Being reactive puts me at a disadvantage more than not…in other words losing. Do you find this to be true also for you?

Stephen Covey advises that we can be proactive by using self-awareness to select the right scripts for our lives. We must also take responsibility for these scripts, because we are the ones who chose them.

In his podcast #131: How To Make Politics Work in Your Favor, keynote speaker and author Dre Baldwin uses the word Politics in an unorthodox way to demonstrate how not Being Proactive can hurt you. He states that if you lose a job position that you wanted to someone else, it is your own fault. You didn’t develop your “Politicking” skills to be proactive about getting the position.

Mr. Baldwin also shares recommendations for Being Proactive through better “politicking” techniques. The first thing he recommends is to improve your people’s skills. Sounds familiar…this is part of Covey’s recommendation not necessary stated in the same way. Being proactive about learning how to work best with others is a strong part of being successful. There are other steps that Mr. Baldwin shares to help you can develop your “Politicking” skills to gain more success. Listen to the podcast here #131: How to Make Politics Work in Your Favor.

Being Proactive in life has it’s advantages. Here are some of the benefits of practicing Being Proactive:

Save you Time and Money
Make you more prepared to handle most situations
Gets you the guy or girl (had to throw that in there)
Recognize earlier on when to make a change
Develops Self-confidence
Expend less energy
Brings peace of mind

Looking back I can definitely say that Being Proactive feels a lot better that being reactive. What are some methods you use to Be Proactive? Let me know. I’d like to hear from you.

For those of you that are in reactive mode, what are you waiting for? “Go after it!” “Dig!” Put yourself in the right position to hit the winning ball now!

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Thank you for reading my post. Please hit the “follow” button at the top of the page to allow me to share more Purposeful thoughts, ideas and experiences with you. Feel free to leave a comment or share the article with others.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently member of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Manger/Agent for Professional Speakers.

My Three-Year-Old Coach

Posted on December 31, 2015 by MarleneMB

Three-year-old girl in pink playing with a laptop computer.. Shot with Canon 20D.

“Dang it.” I uttered as I struggled to get the screw to turn as I attempted to fix my mom’s cabinet door. I really wanted to say a cuss word, but I’ve cut that out, mostly! Plus my three year old niece was right by my side. She insisted on helping me get the job done.

If I needed a screwdriver, she handed it to me. If I needed more light, she pointed the flashlight in the right spot. After I grumbled about the screw giving me trouble, my little three year old coach said, “You can do it, Auntie Marlene. I know you can.” She had a serious look on her face and great conviction in her voice. This made me know that she believe with every fiber in her body that I could fix the door.

As I twisted in the small area to find the right tool, my niece would say, “Why don’t you try this one?” Sometimes it wasn’t what I wanted, but I smiled at her encouragement as she pulls out the tape measure. Other times, I would say I need the drill bit and she knew exactly what it was.

As I worked I thought that my niece has the skills to coach and encourage me. She didn’t need years of experience or a certificate to make suggestions to help me solve the problem. She is also very honest when something isn’t working well by saying, “Auntie Marlene, that’s not how it works.”

Oftentimes, folks have asked me to coach them in business . I only agree to do so, if I truly believe they were serious about applying my recommendations to move forward. If they appear not to be open to these recommendations, or have not made progress in getting certain tasks done, I’m not willing to take them on as a client.

The reason why I say my three year old niece is one of my coaches is that I didn’t dismiss her suggestions because of her age. I realize the value in her opinions and looking at the problem from a different angle. I value her honesty and her words of encouragement. I also know she has my best interest at heart.

2016 is less than a day away in this part of the world. If your are seeking a business coach or a personal coach, here a a few things I think work better with your coach:

You should ensure that this person has your best interest at heart. Some folks care more about the money than your success. Surprised? A great coach would tell you whether you and they are a great fit or not.
A coach should be encouraging while keeping it real. Like my niece, good coaches will let you know when they truly believe you can accomplish a task, or project. They can also be honest when things aren’t being done well and help you find a solution.
You have to be open to receive constructive feedback and applying the recommended solution.

It was a joy to have my little niece believe in my abilities to get the job done. We both celebrated when the door was fixed. We danced to the song “Cheerleader” by Omi. I hope you are successful in finding the right coach to make 2016 an outstanding year. Happy New Year to you all.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently member of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Marlene M. Bryan, Corp and Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Coach.

Want Revenue Growth? Make Them Happy: Superior Customer Service

Posted on October 12, 2015 by MarleneMB

Drained and hungry after a flight from Florida Philadelphia, Dawnna St. Louisand I decided to get something to eat at one of the airport restaurants. :We decided to eat at Legal Sea Foods. I ordered soup and salad. When: the server, Edwin, brought our food I noticed that the salad did not have cranberries. I really thought cranberries will add a nice flavor to the salad.

I asked Edwin if they had cranberries. He said he would check. It was about 6-8 minutes before he reappeared with the cranberries. Pleasantly surprised, I told him I thought that they didn’t have it, because it took a while for him to get back. Edwin said: “We don’t. I went around to the Chinese restaurant to get them. I knew they have them.”

Wow! Dawnna and I were so impressed by this. Edwin could have simply said: “No, we don’t have them,” and continue on with his day. But he didn’t. Edwin provided superior customer service by going out of his way to give me with what I wanted. You know that earned him a great tip.

Now, you may say that this was not so significant. It was a small gesture and he was doing it for tips. For me, it was a big gesture. One that left me with a great impression not only of Edwin but of Legal Seafood. I will definitely visit the establishment again.

Edwin’s actions is a great example of the way customer service will win you new clients. As an entrepreneur, you cannot discount the value of providing your clients with the best customer service that you can. Here are some tips I gathered from my experience with Edwin:

Listen to your clients: Take the time to hear what challenges your client is facing, or what he or she wants. When people know that you are truly listening to them, they know you care. Therefore, they are more apt to do business with you.
No shouldn’t be the first answer: Before you say “No,” think of the issue your client is experiencing or what they want. Is there a solution that you can provide that will not cost you a lot of money, time and significant effort to provide it? By providing the solution, does it bring greater dividend in the long run? If so, go ahead and deliver it.
Let them know what you did: This one may not feel right to everyone, but I learned early in my corporate career that sometimes you have to do this. How will they know that you care enough to give them this special service, if you don’t tell them? It is similar to telling your manager what you did to deserve a raise or a promotion.
Don’t discount the Power of Great Customer Service: More than likely you have experienced good and bad customer service. Lately, it seems that the latter occurs more often than the former. Ensure that your company is delivery customer service that your clients are willing to tell people about it and recommend your company.
Provide the proper customer service training: Lack of proper customer service training for your employees can kill your business. I have seen it often enough. You may save money up front by not paying for training, but you will lose much more if your staff doesn’t know how to provide your clients with good customer service.

Lesson learned: Superior Customer Service = Happy Clients = Revenue Growth.

Upon leaving the restaurant, I asked Edwin if the restaurant had a Tweeter account. I told him I wanted to send out a tweet about how impressed I was by his service. He said he didn’t know if they did, but he was so happy I was pleased with his service. He raised his hands above his head, pumped his fists and chanted: “Edwin, Edwin, Edwin.” Dawnna and I had no choice but to laugh. Edwin’s gesture made me feel that I had truly entered the City of Brotherly Love. What a great way to start our business trip on a hight note.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently the District 47 Public Relations Officer, and leader of the Public Relations Team. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Marlene M. Bryan, Corp and Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Coach.

Dr. Wayne Dyer and Mrs. Louis-Charles – Their Legacies, Lives and Love Impacted Many

Posted on August 31, 2015 by MarleneMB

Two of my favorite people left this realm, yesterday: Dr. Wayne Dyer and Mrs. Louis-Charles. They existed in different physical places on this planet, but reside in the same place in my heart.

On one of my restless nights at approximately 2 a.m. in the morning in the year 2003, I came across a PBS show. The person on the screen was talking about “Intention.” He mentioned about being connect with the “Source of the Universe.” I was intrigued by what he was saying so I didn’t change the channel. As I watched, I learned that his name is Dr. Wayne Dyer.

Ever since watching that show, my outlook on life “shifted” to reading, learning and implementing more of Dr. Dyer’s teachings of: Connection, the Power of I Am (respect of the God within us), encouragement, the importance of embracing life’s journey and of universal love. His teaching had such a great impact on me so much so that I included him in my book: “Live a Diamond Life, A Life of Purpose: Diamond Cutters.” He was one of my Spiritual Diamond Cutters.

Wayne Dyer touched millions of lives in his time here on earth. Maybe he even touched yours. I didn’t get the chance to meet him face-to-face. I was looking forward to doing this at his events in Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale. Interesting enough, one of his daughter, Serena, and I were classmates in our Masters Degree program. She exudes her father’s teaching. I truly believe she will continue on with his legacy.

Mrs. Louis-Charles was not as famous as Dr. Wayne Dyer, yet she was famous in my heart. You won’t find her on social media or television. She was my sister’s mother-in-law. This woman was love personified to me. From the first time I met her, I felt love. She was always welcoming with her words of encouragement and her grace towards others. Mrs. Louis-Charles met my son, Tarik, a few times. My sister said she always asked about Tarik because she saw something special in him.

Whenever they met, Mrs. Louis-Charles would give Tarik a great big hug, She would also tell him he has talents. She encouraged Tarik to develop and share his talents wit others. Each time I think of her, it brings a smile to my face and my heart. I hope to be like Mrs. Louis-Charles that when someone thinks of me, they smile. Do you know someone like that? Are you someone like that?

Mrs. Louis-Charles loss her battle with cancer the day after Dr. Dyer made his transition. Here is my simple tribute to two beautiful human beings: one well known to others and one living a quite life. Though they are not with us in this physical realm, they continue on within my spiritual heart. Their examples of love, encouragement and kindness towards others have permanently imprinted on my soul. Their legacies live on in us, the ones they have touched.

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Marlene M. Bryan is a Distinguished Toastmaster, DTM. She is a certified speaker and leader by Toastmasters International. She is currently the Toastmasters District 47 Media Manager,. She provides her services to over 3800 members throughout the district. Marlene is the owner of Marlene M. Bryan, Corp and Small Biz Evolution, LLC. She is a Speaker, an Author and a Business Coach.