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BELLWETHER




   Doing More
   than Good

    Volume 3 | Issue 2 | Second Quarter 2012
2   Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
Encouragement is not costly to give, but
                              priceless to receive.
                              	      ~unknown author




                                                                    10
                                                              Big Brands,

                                                         BIG
           Letter from the Editor                5
sections




                                                      Going
                                                                                     We give to charity!




           Leadership                            6                               with Charity

           Sales and Marketing                   9
                                                  Not-For-Profit...
           Cover Story                         14     with a
           Industry News
           Book Report
                                               16
                                               22     16
           Customer Relationships              24
           Social Media
           Human Resources
                                               26
                                               30
                                                     Putting Corporate Money
                                                                                  18
                                                     Where the Meaning Is

                          Giving in the Social World - Don’t Brag, Share



                         26
                                                                                                           3
                    bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
Need to improve sales?

                                     Improve lead quality?


                      effective
Lower the cost of lead generation?
     Worried about being left behind in social media?

                      Do you know where to start?
We are here to help. Blytheco Advanced Marketing will help you take your
business to the next level. We will help you increase leads, measure the results
and improve revenue.
 ADVANCED MARKETING




                                                 www.blytheco.com/bam
LETTERFROMTHEEDITOR




                                                             BELLWETHER
                                                             A Blytheco, LLC Magazine

                                                             Volume 3
                                                             Second Quarter, 2012

                                                             www.blytheco.com
                                                             www.bellwethermagazine.com


                                                             STAFF
                                                             EDITOR
                                                             Apryl Hanson

                                                             CREATIVE DIRECTOR
                                                             Greg Went


                OPEN FOR AD                                  CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
                                                             Alicia Anderson
                                                             Dave Barret
                                                             Lynn Berman
                                                             Theresa Boros
                                                             Eyal Danon
                                                             Apryl Hanson
                                                             Cortez NaPue
                                                             Genie Whitehouse
                                                             Bill Wiersma

                                                             ADVERTISING SALES
                                                             Dori Fitch


                                                             SUBSCRIPTIONS
                                                             www.bellwethermagazine.com
                                                             Or contact Dori Fitch -
                                                             (800) 425-9843, Extension 1168
                                                             dorif@blytheco.com


                                                             Bellwether Magazine is published by
                                                             Blytheco, LLC with principal offices at:
                                                             23161 Mill Creek Road
                                                             Suite 200
                                                             Laguna Hills, CA 92653


                                                             If you wish to be removed from the
                                                             mailing list or to add names to the
                                                             mailing list, send your request, including
                                                             name, business name, and mailing
                                                             address to the above address or to
                                                             dorif@blytheco.com

                                                             This is a copyrighted publication and
                                                             all articles herein are covered by this
                                                             copyright. Any use of the content for
                                                             commercial reasons or other form or
                                                             reproduction of material herein is strictly
                                                             prohibited without prior, written approval
                                                             of Bellwether Magazine.




                                                                                                5
bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
LEADERSHIP



                                                                                                            by Bill Wiersma




                                             W
                                                        all Street trader Phillip Meyer (quoted in a 2010
                                                        article in Time) noted, “If running the economy off
                                                        the cliff makes you money, you will do it, and you
                                             will do it every day of the week.” Meyer is referring to the
                                             willingness of some Wall Street traders (and, by default, their
                                             firms) to make money at any cost—even if it meant throwing
                                                 the entire country under the bus and into disarray.

                                                            I choose to believe that Meyer’s declaration does not apply to every trader
                                                            or every Wall Street firm. Yet, if you’re not outraged by the self-serving
                                                          shenanigans by some in business (whether on Wall Street or not) in recent
                                                         years, you haven’t been paying attention.

                                                                  Some have argued that the sole purpose of a business is to make
                                                                  money—the more the better. Yet, as Rosabeth Moss Kanter
                                                                  reminds us in a November, 2011 Harvard Business Review article,
                                                                  a business doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Rather, each and every
                                                                  business is ultimately interdependent with the greater society and,
                                                              as such, has certain inherent responsibilities to that society. In other
                                  words, making money is an obvious imperative, but it isn’t the whole picture. A healthy business
                                  requires a healthy society.

                                  Kanter advocates that the great companies she has studied ‘think differently.’ These companies,
                                 representing a variety of industries from all over the world, think of themselves more as an institution
                                than merely a money-making machine intent on maximizing short-term profits. Said another way, these
                               companies take a long term perspective. They invest in their customers and the greater communities
                            they serve. Demonstrating a return on some of these investments can prove dicey. They do it anyway!

                       In other words, they’re ‘doing more than good.’ Certainly providing a valued product or service to the
                     marketplace is a big part of the good a company does. It’s also good that a company is able to provide valued
                    employment opportunities or becomes an important source of much-needed tax revenues for the public sector
                  (which depends almost exclusively on them). As wonderful as these things are, Kanter suggests that great companies
                 do a little more.

               Kanter’s findings are similar to my own; namely that successful (and sustainable) companies are populated by people
               who think differently. In her article, Kanter alludes to an especially important mind-set I’ve identified that is held by
              professionals; namely that “a professional realizes (and acts like) they’re part of something bigger than themselves.”
             Indeed this is ‘thinking differently’ when contrasted against the traditional view that ‘the sole purpose of a business is to
             make money’---something Wall Street trader Phillip Meyer apparently believed.

           The ‘something bigger’ mind-set influences both how one conducts business and, in some instances, can influence the very
           purpose of the business itself. Consider these three unique ways:




6   Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
Solving Uniquely Personal Problems                                      Transforming How We Live
 •	 Medtronic, a world leader in medical technologies, is changing      •	 Apple. Whether having greater access to the sources of our
    the face of chronic disease. Its higher purpose is to alleviate        favorite music, having our mobile phone double as a virtual
    pain, restore health, and extend lives. Absent the types of            assistant, or downloading the Wall Street Journal on an iPad,
    products Medtronic develops, people die.                               Apple has enhanced lives. For some, it’s been transformational.
 •	 TOMS Shoes, a for-profit entity, has a unique proposition—          •	 Considered by many to be the world’s leading design firm,
    buy a pair of shoes from them and they’ll give a pair to a child       IDEO of Palo Alto, CA creates innovative products and services
    in need. Since September 2010 TOMS has given away over                 for many of the world’s leading companies. Their efforts have
    1,000,000 pairs of shoes to children in need all over the world.       given rise to, among other things, the first laptop computer, the
 •	 Most of us are familiar with Gore-Tex, the breathable, water-          Palm V, and the Apple mouse.
    proof fabric used extensively in outerwear. But W.L. Gore’s         •	 Alice Waters---owner of the renowned Chez Panisse restaurant
    technologies are also used extensively in pharmaceuticals,             in Berkeley, CA---is a American pioneer in culinary philosophy.
    filtration devices, and a host of other applications. In the           Many of our current trends in food (fresh, healthy, sustainable)
    medical field alone, more than 25 million Gore implants have           are directly attributable to Waters’ influence.
   helped patients around the world live longer, healthier lives.       Each of the founders of these entities set out to do great work, not
It’s easy to see how the founders set up these companies in such        get rich. Yet because the quality of their work was so exemplary,
a way as to enable them to be a part of something bigger than           each made more money than they would have ever imagined.
the founder themselves. Their higher purpose was to enhance
people’s lives---in a very personal way.                                Your company may not be attempting to solve a vexing societal
                                                                        problem, transforming an industry, or saving people’s lives. But
Addressing Pressing Societal Problems                                   wanting to serve a higher purpose has no limitations. It takes
                                                                        many forms. For example, Portland based Umpqua bank allows
 •	 Problem: The lack of clean drinking water—especially in the         employees 40 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer.
    third-world. HaloSource—a Bothell, Washington company—              Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company, commits up to 10% of
    has developed technology which instantly kills bacteria in          their profits to causes of their choosing. In today’s vernacular—it’s
    water. The solution is low-cost and works without electricity or    called ‘giving back.’
    piped water.
                                                                        Professionals see the world in a certain way. Indeed, they
 •	 Problem: the need to reduce the country’s enormous energy
                                                                        think differently. Their mind-sets are what make them unique.
    foot-print. Wal-Mart has made a significant long-term
                                                                        Desiring to be a part of ‘something bigger than oneself’ is one
    commitment to renewable energy. More importantly, Wal-Mart
                                                                        of those mind-sets. Paraphrasing Harvard’s Rakesh Khurana, the
    recognizes that through its enormous purchasing power it can
                                                                        professional expects to create value for society, not extract it. If
    help take the solar market to scale. In doing so, the industry’s
                                                                        a company’s sole purpose is to make money—it’s harder to do
    costs should drop. Walmart has been willing to relax its short-
                                                                        great work, harder for employees to believe in the company as an
    term ROI requirements for investments in solar with the hope
                                                                        institution, harder to be a truly great company.
    of reaping lower costs in the future. The company is taking the
    larger view---resulting in expected wins for the solar industry,
    Wal-Mart itself, and for the nation.
 •	 Problem: The need to reduce scrap steel in landfills. Since the
    advent of Nucor’s mini-mill technology in 1969, the company
    has turned scrap steel into new product. In turn, Nucor has
    become North America’s largest steel producer.
Notice how each of these companies core purpose was linked to a
significant societal problem. Was their motivation purely altruistic?
No. Each hoped ‘to do well (financially speaking) by doing good.’


About the Author
Bill Wiersma is the principal of Wiersma and Associates, LLC, a consulting firm that helps leaders create cultures centered
on professional ideals. His expertise has been featured in numerous media outlets--including the New York Times. Bill,
the author of two critically acclaimed books, is a trusted advisor to executive leadership on senior team development and
organizational culture. His latest book is “The Power of Professionalism”




                                                                                                                                                7
                              bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
LEADERSHIP


    Toot Toot Tooting
    Our Own Horn                                                                               by Alicia Anderson


    N   ot to toot our own horn or anything, but in this issue devoted to service,
        we thought it only right to recognize Blytheco’s own CEO Stephen Blythe,
    who last month won the Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award as part of the
    2012 Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service.
    Blytheco as a firm was recognized as a winner of a 2012         Blythe is also an avid supporter of the ACS Relay for Life
    Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service in            fundraisers coordinated by Sally Brown of the Blytheco
    November, 2011. This award, given by Medical Mutual of          Laguna Hills office throughout the year. His private aircraft
    Ohio and Smart Business Magazine, recognizes the business       flights and introductory pilot’s lessons are always a hit at
    community’s charitable works in the central Ohio region and     the relay events.
    overall
                                                                                                         Stephen’s
    commitment                                                                                           commitment to
    to     philanthropy.                                                                                service trickles down
    All    2012      Pillar
    Award winners and
    their good deeds were
    featured in the January
    edition of Smart Business Columbus. Winners attended
    the 2012 Pillar awards recognition event, held January 26,
    2012 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
                                                                    throughout the organization. Team members are
    The Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award recognizes one              active in and supportive of their local communities. Staff
    top executive of a for-profit company whose commitment          members regularly participate in fundraising activities for
    and spirit for community service serves as an example           the American Cancer Society and Orangewood Children’s
    for the organization he or she leads and filters down           Home, among other activities. This year we are launching
    throughout that organization. Clapp was the Medical             a series of networking events across our nationwide
    Mutual’s longtime CEO who was tragically killed in a small      locations where we raise funds for local charities as part of
    plane crash in Puerto Rico in 2008.                             the event.

    Blythe was recognized for his involvement in LIGA               When leaders authentically demonstrate commitment to
    International, the Flying Samaritans and the American           service, it flows throughout the business and throughout
    Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. LIGA, the ‘Flying Doctors      the community. We’re proud that Blytheco exemplifies that
    of Mercy,’ is dedicated to improving the health and well-       commitment.
    being of the people of Sinaloa, Mexico, by providing free
    health care and education. The Flying Samaritans provide        For a hilarious recap of the awards ceremony from the
    similar services in Baja Mexico. For over ten years, Stephen    perspective of Blytheco Account Executive Kelly Rayburn
    has contributed to these organizations as a pilot, volunteer,   (“Schmoozin’ With our CEO, Stephen Blythe: The Pillar
    board member, website developer, and treasurer.                 and Kent Clapp Awards”), visit our blog at think.blytheco.
                                                                    com.


8        Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
SALES&MARKETING

Is marketing
with a cause
related to an                                                                    by Apryl Hanson

increase in sales?
It seems everywhere I turn,
another company that I                                                                 Brands that support
                                                                                       a cause are seeing
do business with is now                                                                a growing increase
supporting a cause. Does                                                               in brand awareness,
                                                                                       especially when the
this relate to an increase                                                             brand is tied to a local
                                                                                       cause. This type of
in overall sales? The 2010                                                             grass roots support
Cone Cause Evolution Study                                                             can work well for small
                                                                                       businesses to define
would suggest yes.                                                                     themselves and earn
It seems the issue isn’t just that consumers spend                                     local attention. The
more dollars with companies that are supporting                                         big question is does
a cause, but that consumers have grown to expect                                        it produce additional
that companies will support a cause. “About one                                         sales results?
third of Americans have even higher expectations of
                                                                                        Increased brand
companies to support a cause during a recession, and
                                                                                      awareness can produce
31% say an economic downturn is a time when it
                                                                                  an increase in purchases
is more important than ever for companies to
                                                                       and loyal customers, but that alone
step up to support social and environmental
                                                                           won’t be a savior of a brand. You
needs,” says the Cone Cause Evolution
                                                                              have to have all elements of a
Study, our nation’s benchmark report
                                                                                 business working together in
on cause marketing attitudes and
                                                                                   order to take advantage
behaviors.
                                                                                    of cause-based branding;
As our economy begins to emerge                                                     other elements such as
from recession, the expectation is that cause                                       employee loyalty and
support will continue. People want to feel good                        satisfaction, customer loyalty and
about where they spend their money. With                                happiness, when combined with
overall funding for non-profits decreasing,                              supporting a cause, will increase
cause support in American businesses is                                    your revenue but if one of these
an important way for consumers to still                                      elements is failing – supporting a
feel like they are giving back while                                            cause won’t work.
spending less.



                                                                                                            9
                        bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
SALES&MARKETING
         Big Brands,

       BIG
 Going

                                                                                     by Apryl Hanson


                                                        with Charity

     S  tarbucks, a successful brand that supports many causes, continues
        to increase awareness about the charities that they are supporting.
     The newest is “Create Jobs for USA.” Starbucks teamed with the
                        Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) to help
                         create and sustain jobs by providing capital grants
                         to underserved community businesses that will
                            help increase jobs in those areas.
                                           To learn more about this specific program visit www.creatjobsforusa.org.

                                                     Is this and the company’s other charity work helping Starbucks
                                                     increase its brand perception? It is just one of the many things
                                                      that this company is doing right. They have every other element
                                                         of a growing business like loyal employees, consumers that are
                                                        happy about their products and a brand that stands for more
                                                        than just making profit.

                                                       Some brands create their own charity – McDonald’s created
                                                       the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Are charities working
                                                      the same way for McDonald’s as they are for a company like
                                                      Starbucks? I believe if we compared the two we would find some
                                                     similarities, but also some differences that would show that there
                                                     are other elements involved in integrating charitable contributions
                                                      into a successful business.




               We Love
              Charities!




10       Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
The difference between these two organizations is what         fanatics, and they support charities on a local level. Teams
I call “E2CL” – meaning in order for there to be real          of local employees decide which local 501(c) (3) charities
integration of charitable work to positive business results,   they will support. This type of community involvement
you must have these elements:                                  on a local level gives them the image of a down-to-earth
                                                               local company in the many communities that they serve
•	Extreme employee loyalty and culture (E)
                                                               nationally.
•	Customer enthusiasts and Loyalty
  (High NPS - Net Promoter Score) (C)
                                                               How can your company create E2CL?
•	Charity that is prominent (C)
All of these create overall brand Loyalty - (L).               1.	 ake sure that you are doing what you can to support
                                                                 M
                                                                 your employees, so that they feel loved and passionate
I think we can learn a lot from bigger brands that are doing     about coming to work every day.
it right, like Starbuck’s and from brands that are almost      2.	 rive customer enthusiasm by making sure you have
                                                                 D
doing it right, like McDonald’s. Another major brand,            the ability to get feedback from your consumers and
Wal-Mart, has been in the news for having exceptionally          improve products and processes to make it easy to
unhappy employees, creating a stigma about their                 work with you.
workplace and brand. They tie themselves to charities and      3.	 hoose a local charity to work with and develop a
                                                                 C
have achieved tremendous financial success, but is it at         rapport with the leaders of that charity. Meet and figure
the cost of their employees and vendor relationships? Do         out what will work for you and your employees to get
they have what we would call a “superbrand” where we             involved with a cause.
love them? No. We may shop there, but love and loyalty         4.	 inse and Repeat – as you know if any one of these
                                                                 R
are not what keep people purchasing from them – it’s             areas falls short it can attack your bottom line.
price and convenience, period.

Contrast Wal-Mart with Southwest, which shows signs of
exhibiting E2CL. They have customer and employee brand




                             COFFEE

                                                                                             We give to charity!




                                                                                                                     11
                           bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
Billing Suggestions for Quicker
                  Payments and Lower Expenses


     L  ast month we looked at the importance of deciding who to extend credit to, and how to decide
        how much credit to give. We also covered how to monitor your clients and adjust your credit
     policies based on their payment habits, and new information you find through Google Alerts, other
     vendors, etc. This month we are going to discuss some basic billing and collection procedures.

     If your business does not have a systematic invoicing and        service will forward the mail to the customer with that
     billing system, it is very important to have one in place.       new address imprinted yellow sticker placed over the old
     Many times I have seen that customers haven’t paid my            address, just like the previous invoice. Yes, the customer
     clients simply because they were not billed, or reminded to      will still get the statement; however, psychologically they
     pay on a regular basis. I know this may be hard to believe,      will be less inclined to pay it. If you think about it, someone
     but sometimes a loss or change in personnel occurred –           will again be getting a bill, which clearly shows that the
     and the missing person was the one who billed or made            sender doesn’t know where they are. This is a bill that is
     late-paying customer follow up calls. This can happen            easy for a less than honorable person to ignore. On the
     when there is staff turnover, typically in smaller or newer      other hand, if you update your system immediately with any
     companies where there isn’t enough staff to handle the           new customer billing addresses they will get the bill directly
     invoicing and billing. To avoid this potential situation many    and faster than when it is forwarded, and with their new
     companies are opting to outsource their billing and follow       address printed right on that envelope. They may think,
     up. They are then assured that billing and follow up calls       “Wow, they’re pretty efficient over there. I didn’t tell them
     are being done on a regular basis. This can be done by           where I moved, but somehow they already know.” This bill
     outside companies for much less than salary expense.             has a much better chance of being paid.
     Also, outsourced first-party billing and follow-up calling
     can provide professional control of dialogue. It can be          Creating effective billing statements
     computer programmed to be more systematic than internal
     staff are, as this is their specialty. The more systematic you   Have a due date: If you think about most of the bills you
     can be with your follow up process, the better your cash         get at home, the overwhelming majority of them have a
     flow.                                                            due date, i.e. “payment is due by March 15.” This gives
                                                                      the payer a specific expectation of when to send payment.
     Address Correction Requested                                     This has better predictable results than invoices that say
                                                                      “pay upon receipt,” or “payment is expected in 30 days.”
     One of the most difficult collection problems is tracking        A specific due date is the best option, which is why so many
     down a customer who has “skipped” – or moved without             major companies have adopted this.
     informing your business of their new address. The U.S
     Postal Service has a procedure to address this situation.        Remove any aging sheet on your statements or invoices:
     Any statement or correspondence sent from a business             Many companies have a software program that lists all
     should have the words “Address Service Requested”                outstanding balances in a mini-aging sheet on the bottom
     printed or stamped on the envelope, just below your return       of their statements. This may help clarify the total balance
     address in the top left corner. If a statement or invoice is     due with customers, and the age of each invoice, if they
     sent to a customer who has moved and the words “Address          have multiple invoices. I would recommend however
     Service Requested” appear in that top left corner, the postal    removing these columns, or at least reducing them to not
     service will research this information. If you are mailing       show any later dates than a 90+ column. I have seen some
     first or second class mail, and they can locate a forwarding     of them show a 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and a 180+ days past due
     address for that person, they will send you business form        column. The subliminal message being sent, even though
     #3547 with the correct address for a small fee of 50 cents.      the invoice may say, “Please pay in 30 days,” is that they
     This keeps your customer’s address file up to date               really can take 6 months, as that is what your own statement
                                                                      is showing. This mini-aging sheet should be removed or
     Also be sure to update that information from the postal          reduced from your statements, as it implies that customers
     service into your system right away. I have seen companies       can truly pay much later than the terms you have stated
     that did get this new address information from the postal        with them, as you show that you track it much farther out.
     service and did not take the time to update their client’s
     information. When they bill the client next time, the postal


12       Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
SALES&MARKETING


by Dave Barrett


     Consider adding a late fee: Many companies use a late fee,               efficiency is added by the automated call having dialogue that
     disconnect fee, service fee, or interest charges, to cover some          says “to speak to us now press #1”. Your customer could then
     of the expense of carrying their late payers. This is worth the          be connected to your AR department personnel to discuss the
     time to discuss with your attorney, if it could be instituted in         bill and take credit card information over the phone. This is
     your business with your customers. An attorney is important              a much less expensive and a more productive process than




                                                “
     to bring into this conversation, as the customer must be                 what is commonly done 100% manually, by having a larger
     informed of this fee contractually before it is assessed. The            staff of salaried people constantly dialing out. And to many
     impending late fee can be mentioned                                                                people’s surprise, upon reviewing
     in your contract for example, or
     other correspondence. This can be              Remove any                                          this process in detail, it does not
                                                                                                        lose any customer service image if
     additional motivation to get your bill                                                             it is designed properly. It is more
     paid quickly. And the additional fees
     your company recoups can be used
                                                    aging sheet on                                      profitable to link this new technology
                                                                                                        with a smaller accounting staff, and
     to subsidize the cost of carrying these
     late payers, and be used to reimburse          your statements                                     programming the time of these
                                                                                                        calls to coincide with enough staff
     for the cost of additional follow up time                                                          to handle the amount of inbound
     spent continuing to request payment
     from these late payers. These fees
                                                    or invoices                                         calls that will be generated.

     seem very appropriate to me, but must
     be instituted legally.                                                   Turn up your cash flow and profits while reducing expenses

     Send reminder letters more frequently: The squeaky wheel                 In summary:	
     does get the grease. If you increase the number of times you
     request payment, you will increase your chances to get paid. If          •	 Follow up in a timely manner with statements and calls
     you can’t easily bill every customer twice per month, consider           •	 Get statements out quickly and ideally twice per
     outsourcing to a company that can do it for you. Getting your               month 	
     statements and reminder letters into your customer’s accounts            •	 On your statements: try and use a “due date,” remove
     payable department twice as often monthly, and two weeks                    mini-aging sheets or reduce the number of columns,
     earlier than a regular monthly statement will definitely get you
     paid faster.                                                             •	 Consult with legal counsel about instituting a late fee into
                                                                                 your billing process	
     New automated dialing services                                           •	 Consider utilizing an automated calling service to increase
                                                                                 contacts, reduce dialing personnel, and drive calls to you
     Automated calls are now a popular choice for election                       at an exact time when you are staffed up to handle them.
     campaigns, reminding patients of upcoming appointments,
     and for our purposes, reminding individuals about their past             •	 Use Address Service Requested on every invoice sent, and
     due account. These automated calls can be utilized in a way                 immediately update any new address provided to you by
     that creates a very professional and sophisticated image                    the postal service.
     for your company. And while done by outside vendors,
     your customers will perceive this as your company’s own
     sophisticated follow up system, as your company’s phone                  If you have any other billing and follow up suggestions,
     number can be inserted as the caller ID.                                 please feel free to share. I would be happy to pass other
                                                                              helpful ideas along in future articles. I hope knowing
     Automated calls are increasing the efficiency of internal
     billing departments by being programmed to be dialed at a                this information can help your company to improve your
     specific time of the day. After establishing that the name of            billing and follow up efficiency, cash flow, and profits.
     your company is calling regarding their account, even more

     About the Author
     For over 20 years, Dave Barrett has helped businesses optimize their accounts receivable management strategies and collections. Working with
     clients in the manufacturing and distribution industries as well as the banking, legal, accounting, and medical fields, he reduces exposure and
     internal expenses, while at the same time improving the billing and follow up process. Learn more about Dave by contacting him at (818) 458-4663,
     or dave.barrett@transworldsystems.com

                                                                                                                                                 13
                                   bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
COVERSTORY                                                                                by Alicia Anderson




     S   ocial entrepreneurship is on the
         rise and Raghu and Arathi Raju
     are a striking example of this new                                          by Alicia Anderson
     breed of young, smart, idealistic
     businesspeople. Raghu and Arathi are
     founders of Mahamosa, a growing
     tea, spice, and herb retailer.

     What is a social
     entrepreneur? A business
     leader who is focused
     equally on profits
     and purpose. They
     use business to create
     social value, and they
     are reaching into every
     sector of the economy.

     Raju is an energetic guy with a
     Master’s degree in Public Health
     and a law degree. He practiced                      contribute
     as an intellectual property                         comes from, Raju says “It’s time for society
     attorney, but wanted to go out                      to start thinking long-term, not short-term,
     on his own to use his skills to do                  about business impact. Businesses need to
     something positive in the world.                    play a stronger role in having positive impacts
     His partner in the business is his wife,            AND mitigating negative impacts like pollution,
     a graphic designer with extensive design and        climate change and declining public health.”
     illustration experience. He says he’s always been
     a highly-focused idealist – “maybe being an only    What charities does Mahamosa support?
     child has something to do with it – having more     Raju’s background in public health led him
     time to develop those ideals,” laughs Raju.         to organizations like water.org, Oxfam, Save
                                                         the Children, and other groups who focus
     They combined their skills and launched             on humanitarian issues. They don’t yet have
     Mahamosa as an online business in May, 2011.        direct partner relationship with the charities –
     The company sells loose leaf teas, spices, gifts    “Organizations of this size prefer to establish
     and wares, along with gifts such as teapots,        partnerships with larger business than ours,” he
     infusers, chocolates, honey sticks, and 100%        says. Perhaps charities are missing an opportunity
     organic cotton shirts.                              here? For now, the relationship is informal; Raju
                                                         makes a donation once a year to the charity of
     They are committed to donating 50% of their         choice.
     profits to charity. Asked where this drive to

14        Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
They have wisely branded their charitable efforts    Raju says the company’s focus for 2012 is marketing.
with the “Being in the World” trademark, thus        They have experimented with group discount
establishing a community that is set somewhat        sites (such as Living Social) and found success in
apart from the business itself.                      driving business to the retail locations. “It’s not
                                                     for everyone,” Raju says of the group discount
The brand’s online manifesto states:                 promotions, “but it gave us valuable insights
We chose the phrase                                          about our buyers and lots of visibility, so
“Being in the World”                                                                      it worked for
because it describes not                                                                  us.” They plan
only our individual being                                                                to expand their
but also our inseparable                                                                 retail footprint
situation, connection                                                                   by     evaluating
and continuity with                                                                     how          they
the world around us.                                                                    can get their
We explore, think                                                                      products       into
about,       appreciate                                                                large      grocery
and            embrace                                                                stores, like Whole
internationalism/                                                                     Foods.
globalism, diversity,                                                                  Boosting online
and multiculturalism.                                                                 traffic is a major
We connect with and                                                                   goal for 2012. They
help people connect                                                                   are active on social
and be in the world.                                                                  media, and have
The Being in the                                                                     experimented with
World      community                                                                 search optimization
has no boundaries.                                                                   on their website,
Our business is an experiment                                                        but the competition
in socially and environmentally responsible          for eyeballs online is tough.
capitalism. We believe people, including
consumers, are motivated not solely by individual    They know their market – Raju’s research tells
concerns but also by social and worldly concerns     him his buyers are consumers who are new to tea
or causes beyond the individual self. Taking this    drinking, and are overwhelmingly young women,
conviction to the retailing world, we believe        18 to 35 years old. He notes that while in the US,
consumers inform their purchasing decisions not      only around 10% of people are tea drinkers, tea
only by cost but also a true concern for the world   is the number two beverage worldwide second
around them.                                         only to water. He acknowledges the wide variety
                                                     of competition his company faces – grocery store
Raju also helps mitigate negative impacts in         teas, retail tea outlets, and other beverages,
his business by using only 100% biodegradable        including coffee. But he believes in the quality
wheat straw cups and 100% recycled paper for         of his product and a growing national focus on
everything from business cards to register tape.     individual health will help boost the popularity of
The business made a major growth step in             his teas.
October, 2011, when they opened retail kiosks in     Visit the company at
two Atlanta malls. The Rajus are new to retail, so
there has been a learning curve, but the exposure          www.mahamosa.com.
has been valuable to the young company, and
they have been able to provide jobs as a result.


                                                                                                        15
                    bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
INDUSTRYNEWS

     Not-For-Profit...
         with a


      U    sually, the line between not-for-profit and for-profit
           business is fairly clear. Both types of organizations
      make money; however, non-profits put the money
      back into the organization in order to further the
      group’s stated mission. For-profit businesses
      distribute profits among shareholders or owners.                                                      by Alicia Anderson

      Rebuild Resources is a little different. This St. Paul, MN-based   contributions to provide services, we primarily use money made
      non-profit helps its community by giving people a second           from our businesses to create jobs to employ people who
      chance at a productive life. But they also run businesses to       receive our program services. We’re not just teaching people
      employ these people – real businesses who compete with             how to look for jobs, we’re giving them a job, they are paying
      other companies and manage the same types of issues other          taxes and contributing to their communities, so both they and
      businesses have.                                                   the community can immediately benefit.

      We recently visited with Joanna Schnedler, Development Leader      There are some built-in inefficiencies with this model. We assist
      and Janet Ludden, Interim President of Rebuild Resources, to       people to gain skills and work experience to position them
      talk with them about how Rebuild straddles the line between        for permanent employment – so when our program succeeds,
      doing business and doing good.                                     the result is a production challenge. We intentionally lose our
                                                                         best workers to our competitors. As a result, we have very high
      Tell me about the mission of Rebuild                               employee turnover, which impacts our productivity.
      Resources and how you accomplish that
      mission.                                                           Just like any other business, we utilize creative business
                                                                         strategies and production practices to overcome this challenge.
      Our mission is to help recovering addicts and alcoholics be        We have developed overlapping shifts, expanding operational
      sober, self-sufficient and of service by providing meaningful,     capacity and increasing machine hours. We have streamlined
      transitional employment in business enterprises we own and         operations and increased efficiency. As business grows, we will
      operate .These enterprises provide a safe, sober, secure,          add a full second shift.
      supportive, but non-enabling environment for recovery, and
      serve as the economic engines which sustain our work. Our          It’s not a surprise when people leave us. We help them in their
      businesses are a custom apparel and promotions shop, and a         job search. We bring new workers in and get them oriented and
      contract manufacturer.                                             trained at the same time their predecessor is leaving.

      What are the strengths of an organization                          How do you select participants?
      like Rebuild who straddles the line
                                                                         Prospects fill out an application and go through a competitive
      between for-profit and non-profit? What
                                                                         hiring process. We receive 400-500 applications per year, so
      are the weaknesses?
                                                                         we have a vast applicant pool. We can be selective in whom
      Clearly our strength is that, unlike other programs who use        we hire, but most of our participants have very little or no past


16      Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
job experience and those are the people who most need our services. Most
of the people we hire have criminal backgrounds, which also makes finding
permanent employment extremely challenging. We are looking for people
who are committed to sobriety and committed to changing their lives, they are
the people who will succeed in the marketplace.

How do you market your organization?

Our continued goal is to reach 80% self-sufficiency from business revenue, with
just 20% of our funds coming from contributions.

So we have a two-pronged marketing goal. We need to advertise and market
to gain new contracts, and we also want to build awareness throughout the
community about our mission and program.

To build relationships with our apparel and manufacturing customers, we have
to be competitive in quality and price when we market to potential customers
for our business. We have a marketing director who sets the strategy, and
a sales force who actively engage with prospects. Along with traditional
marketing methods like using sales collateral and promotional materials, we
actively market on Google.

We have a diverse strategy for fundraising. We hold a golf tournament and
other local events. We also work to establish partnerships with government
agencies who can advocate for our programs. Strong advocacy within
the recovery community and the corrections community helps us create
relationships that help us achieve our mission.

How do you measure results?

Like most businesses, we know we are succeeding when our customers are
satisfied, are repeat customers, and send other businesses to us on their
recommendation. Bottom line business results and an ever increasing portion
of our overall expenses being met by business revenue are effective ways for
us to measure success. We have to prove to our customers that giving us their
business is the best choice they can make – and we can do that.

Showing a high ROI on contributed income is the very best way to continue
to get support from our donors. It is incumbent upon us to demonstrate both
business and programmatic success which advances our mission and meets
their philanthropic goals.

We also look at the benefits to society of our social enterprise model. The
work we do reduces recidivism, reduces the costs of incarcerating and
rehabilitating people, and adds to the tax rolls since we are assisting the
formerly-unemployable tax-paying, productive citizens. We have metrics that
demonstrate this incredible return on investment.

Also, we are happy to report we were recently recognized as the first
“Accredited Social Enterprise” by the Social Enterprise Alliance. We’re proud
that they have acknowledged our model of applying market-based strategies
to address social problems.


For more information about Rebuild Resources, please visit their
website at www.rebuildresources.com or their Custom Apparel and
Promotions webstore at www.rebuildstore.com.


                                                                                           17
                              bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
INDUSTRYNEWS

     Putting Corporate Money Where
     the Meaning Is                                                                              by Alicia Anderson


     C    hristine Arena began her career helping some of the least socially-minded companies
          around (tobacco and liquor companies, fast food giants) target consumers and spread
     their message. The award-winning author and strategist is now focused on helping industry
     leaders win trust, inspire employees, and achieve triple bottom-line growth through
     engagement with their customers and employees.

     We recently talked with Arena about her experiences and what CSR (corporate social
     responsibility) trends mean to businesses today.
     What led you to explore and analyze                                    growing demand. It’s a cause-effect situation: the more companies

     corporate giving?                                                      strategically invest in social good, the more demanding
                                                                            stakeholders grow, leading to increased investment - and the
     In 2001, we saw the internet boom leading to more global awareness     trend goes on.
     of business behavior. My clients were getting into trouble on issues
     ranging from labor standards to financial scandal. I recognized        Corporate reputation also greatly influences the corporate talent

     that the transparency demanded by consumers who were now               pool. All companies are trying to attract smart people and attract

     empowered by the Internet and increasingly socially conscious          the next generation of business leaders. And how this trend

     wasn’t going away – it was a permanent market condition. Going         influences the Millennial generation is particularly striking. A Price

     forward, companies would need to become more open and view             Waterhouse Coopers study just showed that 88% of Millennials

     transparency as an asset, not a risk.                                  said they will choose employers who have corporate social
                                                                            responsibility (CSR) values that reflect their own while 86% would
     Now we’re in a phase in business where, in many cases, it’s clear      consider leaving an employer if CSR values no longer matched
     that collaboration and dialogue is more effective in terms of          their expectations. So there you have it.
     generating loyalty, momentum and trust than closely guarding
     proprietary secrets. It’s an increasingly open business climate        How do companies execute a CSR
     and the demand for corporate social responsibility is still growing    strategy correctly?
     dramatically.
                                                                            Firstly, the execution must be authentic, and must come from the

     What is the business case for CSR?                                     company’s leadership. For example, Lee Scott, CEO at Wal-Mart,
                                                                            truly believes in sustainability as a path to improved business
     The business case centers on public demand The Cone Cause-             performance as well as a meaningful legacy. In an interview he
     Evolution Study just revealed that 83% of Americans wish brands        did with Grist.org, he said: “On a personal level, as you become a
     would support causes, and that 41% have bought because of a            grandparent — I have a granddaughter — you just also become
     cause. More than 90% think companies should consider giving in         more thoughtful about what will the world look like that she
     the communities where they do business.                                inherits. So I think it was a confluence of both the personal side
                                                                            and the business imperatives that at least drew me to be interested
     Those numbers have doubled since the 1990s. Consumers insist
                                                                            in it.” Wal-Mart has put massive sustainability initiatives in place
     that corporations stand for something greater than short-term
                                                                            throughout their business and has become one of the leaders in
     financial gain. So CSR is no longer a fringe activity – now it’s
                                                                            generating progress in this area.
     integrated into mainstream businesses that consciously meet the




18       Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
Businesses must also be strategic and focused. They have to know            What are some other trends in engaging
the goals they want to achieve and how they relate to business and          with communities to build brands?
their customers. Then they need to leverage core assets to make goals
happen. Cause-driven initiatives must be integrated into operations.        Even just five years ago, businesses wanted everything to be a trade
For example, GE has renovated its business portfolio around emerging        secret. Now, they need to be involved in the conversations and reflect
green markets, so it made sense to them to invest heavily in alternative    that they are hearing customer feedback, and be transparent in
energy sources so they can help create sustainable development in           handling both positive and negative information that comes back to
these burgeoning areas.                                                     them.


Also - you can’t be too transparent. Companies are closely scrutinized      These days there’s a process of ongoing two-way interactivity,
now thanks to globalization and the internet. The power is in the hands     participation and collaboration that can generate great ideas in
of the consumer. They need to talk when it’s meaningful, when there’s       business. Great ideas don’t always come from inside a company. Our
an issue. Be constantly proactive in communicating so that you can          economy is increasingly participatory, leaning toward new models like
build goodwill and trust in good times; don’t just start talking when       crowdsourcing, games, social media and well-designed engagement
you’re under the gun. It’s too late then.                                   experiences.


For example, Seventh Generation is a company that has always                What would you advise small to medium-
positioned itself as socially responsible and transparent company. And      sized companies who are struggling to do
for the most part they are. But sometimes even the best companies           if they want to start giving programs?
experience setbacks. When the board fired co-founder and former
                                                                            Real commitment can’t come from the CSR department. It has to
CEO Jeff Hollender, and then declined to meaningfully engage its
                                                                            emanate from leadership to really permeate a culture. So start there.
stakeholders who wanted answers as to why, it left a big hole in the
                                                                            Then, look at your peers. What are your peers focused on and WHY?
company’s reputation. So then the rumor mill started, which created
                                                                            What issue stands to galvanize the people inside your company?
lasting negative press for them and likely demoralized the employees
                                                                            People like to rally around a meaningful cause, but if the WHY is
working there. Unfortunately for them, there weren’t mechanisms in
                                                                            missing, it’s hard to get people in the company behind it. So examine
place to respond to rumors, and legal took over. So everyone said
                                                                            the real value the organization provides and what it is here to do for
nothing. That happens all the time. And I think it’s a missed opportunity
                                                                            people.
to proactively be honest and build stronger bonds with people.

                                                                            Also evaluate what you are trying to accomplish and determine the
                                                                            best way to do it. Use your core strengths and assets where you can
                                                                            make a huge difference – touching many people in a meaningful way,




                                                                                             “
                                                                            so you can build value over time.




About Christine Arena                                                                             Real commitment
Christine is Founder and Chief                                                                    can’t come from the
Strategy Officer at Aiko, a big
ideas engagement agency that designs                                                              CSR department. It
for the needs of purposeful brands. She is                                                        has to emanate from
an award-winning author, syndicated blogger
and corporate strategist focused on helping industry                                              leadership to really
leaders win trust, inspire employees, and achieve triple
bottom-line growth. In 2011, Christine was named a “Top
                                                                                                  permeate a culture.
100 Thought Leader In Trustworthy Business” by Trust Across
America, an organization that provides a framework for companies to
improve trustworthy behavior, and highlights role models who exhibit high
levels of integrity. Read her blog at http://christinearena.com/category/blog/.


                                                                                                                                             19
                                bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
INDUSTRYNEWS
Top 3 Steps
to Greater
Warehouse
Efficiency

 M
               ost small to medium sized
               businesses that work in a warehouse
               environment would like to implement
               a barcode solution in hopes that it will
 solve every problem they have in their warehouse.
 Unfortunately, barcoding isn’t a ‘be-all, end-all’
 solution, but rather is the last step in a multi-step
 process and overall commitment to efficiency.
                                                                                 by Theresa Boros
 Before you consider implementing a barcoding
 solution there are several steps you can take to get your warehouse in shape prior to automation. In this
 article we will go over some options with you in hopes that they will assist you in getting your warehouse
 to the level of efficiency you desire in the coming year.
 Step #1:      3 Ideas for Organizing & Maintaining Your             Consider Implementing Cycle Counts: Cycle Counting is a
 Warehouse: More often than not, when we walk into a                 great alternative or addition to a yearly physical count. It is
 warehouse, we notice that nothing makes sense. From bin             a process with which you count inventory in regular intervals
 locations that increase workload to picking methods that            throughout the year which keeps your back-office systems
 aren’t appropriate for the industry, there are many ways in         more accurate than relying solely on an annual count. Many
 which a company’s efficiency is being decreased by their            who implement cycle counting often find that they can
 current processes. If you suspect that your processes aren’t at     eventually do away with the annual count altogether.
 the level they should be, you may wish to:
                                                                     Some ERP systems require you to freeze your inventory during
 Revisit Bin Location Organization: You should consider              counting, so many mistakenly believe that they can only do
 reviewing the overall organization of your warehouse annually       their counting if they shut down operations. However what
 in order to maintain maximum productivity. If you have been         you may not know is that you also have the ability to freeze
 ‘stashing’ new items wherever they fit for the last several years   only certain product lines at a time while keeping others active
 it is likely you are now experiencing decreased productivity        which allows you to implement a cycle counting technique.
 as a result. While it may seem like a hassle to re-organize         There are two main types of cycle counting to choose from.
 everything, consider the amount of time you’ll save when you        You will want to choose whichever is more appropriate for
 improve picking times. A good rule of thumb when organizing         your industry.
 your warehouse is to put higher volume items in the easier to
 reach areas as well as in a location closer to your shipping        Geographic based cycle counting involves starting at one
 area (if it is appropriate to do so), and lower volume items in     side of your warehouse and systematically working your
 bin shelving further away.                                          way to the other end. Doing this several times throughout
                                                                     the year will not only enable you to keep inventory numbers
 Take a New Look at Picking Methods: Examine your picking            accurate throughout the year, but also discover misplaced or
 methods and determine whether they are still appropriate            ‘lost’ items as well.
 for you. Keep in mind that there are many options to choose
 from including: Single order, Multi-order, Batch picking, and       The ABC Method refers to counting by the categorization
 Zone picking                                                        of inventory. High volume items are handled more often
                                                                     resulting in a higher likelihood of inaccuracies, while low
                                                                     volume items are handled less leading to more accurate data.

 About the Author
 Theresa Boros is a Partner at Scanco. Scanco is a Master Developer and an OEM Partner of Sage focusing on Warehouse Management
 Systems for MAS 90/200/500.


20      Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
To implement the ABC Method you will first categorize your         just isn’t enough. This is when you may consider implementing
entire inventory deciding which fall into the ‘A’ (high volume),   incentives for the staff, rewarding accuracy or thoroughness –
‘B’ (medium volume), and ‘C’ (low volume) levels. You’ll count     the metrics that are meaningful to your warehouse.
high volume items more often and low volume items less. Your
schedule may look something like this:                             Step #3:     Implement Barcoding Automation: Before you
                                                                   implement, or even look at a barcoding solution, you should
Level A – Count once per month -or- quarter depending on the       make sure Steps 1 and 2 are complete and running smoothly.
size of the inventory                                              Once you’ve properly organized your warehouse, implemented
                                                                   the best picking methods and cycle counting techniques for
Level B – Count every quarter                                      your industry, and established clear and disciplined manual
                                                                   systems – you are ready for barcoding to take you to the next
Level C – Count every 6 months                                     and highest level of efficiency. Specifically, it will help you with:
In each instance you’ll want to divide the stock up so that your   •	 Increasing the speed with which you can input information
staff can complete a portion of counting every day or week to
keep it manageable.                                                •	 Improving the integrity of your data
                                                                   •	 Developing greater accuracy of shipments
Step #2:       Implement Manual Processes and Increase             •	 Enhancing employee productivity
Employee Accountability: Establishing, communicating and
enforcing specific warehouse rules and processes means you         •	 And increasing the speed, efficiency and precision of your
are more likely to get more effort from your warehouse team and       cycle / physical inventory counting process.
a cleaner process. However, sometimes simple communication




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                                                                                                                                  21
                            bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
BOOKREPORT
                                                                                                                     by Geni Whitehouse


 T      his edition of book selections are drawn from books I haven’t yet read. They come from speakers that presented talks at TED’s
        Full Spectrum event which I had the privilege to watch via live simulcast at a parallel event called TEDActive. It is not easy to
 take the essence of sometimes decades of research and boil it down to fit into an eighteen minute talk, but the speakers and authors
 I list below were able to do so quite effectively. Their talks gave me a glimpse into subjects that I want to pursue further when I have
 time to ponder.


                       I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) | Brené Brown
                       Brené Brown is the perfect spokeswoman for vulnerability. She’s one of us. Her first TED talk, in which she
                       describes her own breakdown, is called “The Power of Vulnerability” and has already had more than 4 million
                       views. As a research professor, Brown has studied the balance between vulnerability and courage, between
                       authenticity and shame. But she has also lived it. She gives us hope that the very same imperfections that make
                       us shy and ashamed are the things that make us human. She tells us that we must be vulnerable and real if we
                       want to connect with people in a meaningful way. Brown freely shares her own insecurity in a lighthearted,
                       entertaining and yet very personal way. If her book reflects the same combination of humor and deep insight,
                       reading it will be a worthwhile and enlightening journey.

 Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each
 Other | Sherry Turkle
     Sherry Turkle used to be a leading voice for the advancement of technology. But today she has begun to
      question its impact on our lives. She shares insights into our automation dependency and makes the case
      for humans to spend more time on relationships and less time on their devices. As we rush to rack up more
      Likes and +1s we are forgetting to take time for more hugs, phone calls and plain old conversations. Turkle
     is a voice of reason in a world of devices that lead us deeper and deeper into a binary world of ones and
 zeroes. Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with her premise, this book promises to be an informative
 and thought-provoking read.


                                  Chip Kidd: Book One | Chip Kidd
                                  Chip Kidd was the most memorable presenter of the conference. With his Captain Kangaroo
                                  jacket and his hilarious presentation style, he stole the show. His gift is one that we can all envy—
                                  he has the ability to convey the gist of an entire book in its cover. The need to convert words
                                  to their visual essence is becoming ever more valuable as our storytelling shifts
                                  from magazines, to blogs, to video diaries. We might all learn something if we
                                  tried to convert our business story from a volume of financial reports, graphs
                                  and spreadsheets into a single page. His book Chip Kidd: Book One shares the
                                  stories behind his most successful covers and promises to give us insights into
                                  telling our own stories. I can only image the gut splitting laughter that will be
                                  part of this reading adventure. (This is one book I won’t be reading
                                  on my Kindle.)

                         About Geni Whitehouse
                         A self-proclaimed nerd, former technology executive and CPA firm partner, Geni Whitehouse
                         has made it her mission to eliminate boring from the world of presentations. The author
                         of “How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting: 52 Ways Even a Nerd Can Be Heard,” Geni
                         believes her mission as a presenter is to understand a subject well enough to approach it
                         from an angle that will not only educate her audiences—but will resonate with them. Learn
                         more at www.evenanerd.com.




22         Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
Custom apparel                 Geni Whitehouse
                 and promotional
                   items for your
                                                     SPEAKER AUTHOR
                  business needs.                   CONSULTANT NERD
                                                   She’s been called the “comedian CPA.”
                   Your purchase with              A self-proclaimed nerd, experienced software
                                                   executive and former CPA firm partner,
                    Rebuild Resources              Geni Whitehouse has made it her mission to
                  not only fulfills your            eliminate boring from the world of presentations.
                 promotional needs, it               STRATEGY
                also produces hope in                EXECUTION
                the lives of recovering              EVANGELISM
                                                     CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
                 addicts and alcoholics
                     in our transitional
        YOUR
        LOGO
                employment program.
                www.rebuildstore.com
                  (651) 645-7055

                                                                         www.evenanerd.com




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                                                                                                   23
                 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
CUSTOMERRELATIONSHIPS

     Notes from a Month                                                              by Cortez NaPue
     of Love                                                                         and Alicia Anderson




 In honor of Valentine’s Day, we recently asked our customers to tell us
  their love stories – fun stories about how they show their love to their
 own customers and their employees.

 Here are a few of the stories they told us.

 EXECUTIVE PRESENTATIONS                                     SEVEN UP BOTTLING CO. OF RENO
 Executive Presentations of Los Angeles really appreciates   Mark Pitchford and the Seven Up Bottling Company
 showing the love to their clients and employees. For        of Reno, Nevada were recognized for their passion for
 EP, it’s all about praise. They make sure their customers   customer and employee recognition.
 are appreciated by often running congratulatory ads in
 major publications and they even go as far as to send       Originally founded in 1905 as an ice cream vendor, it was
 a framed copy to memorialize the client’s commitment        founder Edward Chism’s entrepreneurial spirit that lead
 and success.                                                the Dr. Pepper/ Seven Up Bottling Company to what
                                                             is today. It wasn’t until 1929 that Edward introduced
 Apparently, the key to their employees’ hearts is pizza.    carbonated beverages to his line of products which
 Susan Campbell at EP says that weekly pizza parties         eventually led to the installation of the can line and the
 help keep up efficacy but random gifts and bonuses          transition from steel to aluminum cans. The Seven Up
 don’t hurt either.                                          Bottling Company has been showing the love to their
                                                             community by donating to many local schools and to
 Since 1986, Executive Presentations has provided            the Boys and Girls Club of America.
 Southern California’s top lawyers with powerful and
 effective courtroom presentations. Their consultants        When asked what they do to show their customers the
 analyze cases and help to determine the best way            love, their response was “EVERYTHING and anything
 to break down even the most complex information             we can to make sure our customers feel as though
 into concise exhibits that the jury will understand and     they’re #1.” Sounds like they’ve got big hearts. How do
 remember.                                                   they show their employees (and waistlines) that they’re
     www.executivepresentations.com                          loved? Donuts.
                                                              www.7upbottling.com
24      Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
GATOR CASES
We love Gator Cases for their dedication to
customer satisfaction and promoting a positive work
environment!

According to the survey they took, Gator
shows their customers the love by providing
them with discounts and special offers on days
such as anniversaries. Their employees love
them because of their weekly meetings where
employees receive cash rewards for stellar work.
And what song represents the love that Gator Cases
has for its employees and customers!?!? ’Count on
Me’ by no other than Whitney Houston and Cece
Winans – what a great song!!

Gator Cases, based in Lutz, FL specializes in making
protective storage devices for musical equipment.
  www.gatorcases.com         Creative Directors note: I own one of their cases and they
                             rock. (pun intended)
FUTURENET GROUP
Our hats go off to the FutureNet Group. The
FutureNet Group was founded in 1994 by Perry Mehta
whose ambitions drove him to provide a new kind of
technology solution for the construction,
engineering, and environmental
industries. With over $20 million
in annual revenue, FNG now            OOH, READ
has over 100 employees and 4               THESE!
offices across the country.

When asked how they show their
customers love, their response
was that they always perform
at their best, making sure their
clients always look good. And
who doesn’t like to look good!? When
it comes to letting their employees know
that they love them, the folks at FutureNet
believe that recognition is key.

We asked what their biggest goal is for 2012. The
FutureNet Group’s resolution for 2012?         100%
customer satisfaction. Now, what’s not to love about
that?

   www.7upbottling.com



                                                                                          25
                            bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
Giving in t
                                                                                         by Cortez Napue




                                                                        P
                                                                hilanthropy is not a new
                                                                thing. It’s been around
                                                         since… people had – well,
                                                       compassion.       However, being
                                                     philanthropic in the age of web
                                               2.0 is quite a bit different. A few years
                                          ago, before the boom of social media, press
                                       releases or advertorials were the way to promote
                                           a nonprofit event or to advertise the success
                                           of one. But nowadays, people aren’t so keen
                                           on reading a newspaper ad about an event
                                          and are far more adverse to see a business
                                blatantly bragging about how much money they’ve
                             raised for an organization. Here’s a few ways to socially
     promote your cause while attracting the most positive attention.
     Promote the Success of the Benefited                   Raise Awareness for a Cause Using Every
     Organization, Not What You’ve Done –                   Marketing Avenue Possible - For local
     With any message that goes out, whether it be          events, taking ads out in local magazines or
     a press release, e-mail, or social media post, the     newspaper may work better for you. However, it
     focus of posting the results of a fundraiser should    would never hurt to maybe go through your list
     emphasize more so the nonprofit’s own success          of LinkedIn, e-mail, or even Facebook contacts
     and perhaps reflect on how this will benefit their     in the area who may be interested. Promote
     cause. Headlining your own article with “J&J           the event on your LinkedIn network frequently,
     Automotive raises $50,000 for the American             though be wary of over sharing in LinkedIn
     Lung Association” may seem a bit like bragging.        groups. Many people may start avoiding your
     On the other hand, if someone else decides to          posts which doesn’t help your social media
     write an article or post with such a headline – that   strategy in the long run. If raising money for a
     is fine, as that is a genuine response from a third    general cause, CPC (cost-per-click) ads might
     party. It never hurts if someone else brags for you.   not be a bad option, but depending on your
                                                            intended reach that could get expensive. But
                                                            alas….now we are in the age of social media…

26      Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
SOCIALMEDIA



the Social World - Don’t Brag, Share
    Social Media and Philanthropy are Best There are other ways to promote your cause on
    Friends - What better way to get the word out Twitter by doing things like creating hashtags.
    for a cause or non-profit event than using social       For more help with that,     read
    media? The use of social media has increased            our blog post about using Twitter
    dramatically over the years, even                       hashtags by scanning the QR code
    overtaking email in some instances                      to the right.
    (scan the QR code to the right for
    our take on the demise of email ).
                                                            The bottom line is, to successfully
    There’s an urge for people using social media to        promote a philanthropic cause, include
    share ideas that they’re passionate about. Most         as many people as you can. Social media
    who are involved in a nonprofit are generally           is the most efficient and effective avenue
    passionate about their cause. With that being
                                                            for that. When you want to share with
    said, the viral opportunity there is endless as
                                                            the world how much money was raised, it
    again, people are more apt to share things they
    like. And not to mention, it is quite cost-effective.   is more of a grassroots, group effort (and
                                                            not a one-man show) – and everyone who
    Social Ads Help! - The best thing about                 participated can be congratulated. And
    creating social ads on Facebook and even                chances are, someone’s already sharing
    LinkedIn is that you can specifically target               it for you.
    individuals    based    on    their
    demographics and interests…
    that is, other things they’ve
    already ‘liked’ on Facebook.
    Thus, you can design ads that
    specifically narrow in on the
    sentiment and interests of a
    particular audience. While
    you can’t exactly socially
    advertise on twitter per
    se, you can pay to have
    a hashtag (#) or word
    promoted (which is
    potentially expensive).




                                                                                                     27
                        bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
Are Past
                                      Due
                                    Accounts
                                   Making You
                                      See
                                      Red?
     Let GreenFlagsm Profit Recovery
          help put the fire out.
     Fixed fees of less than $10* an account
     No Commissions or percentages charged
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     *company average


          Call Dave Barrett @ 818.458.4663 today for a
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                                                         obtaining a copy of Bellwether very
                                                            affordable for a limited time.
                                                                         It’s

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                                                            www.bellwether.com



                   www.blytheco.com/stoney
                        1.877.462.5984



     28      Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
Does Your Customer
Strategy Look
Like This?
Well it doesn’t have
to be that hard.




WWW.BUILD-STRATEGY.COM

                                                                     29
        bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
Doing More Than Good: Leadership in Business
Doing More Than Good: Leadership in Business
Doing More Than Good: Leadership in Business

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Doing More Than Good: Leadership in Business

  • 1. BELLWETHER Doing More than Good Volume 3 | Issue 2 | Second Quarter 2012
  • 2. 2 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 3. Encouragement is not costly to give, but priceless to receive. ~unknown author 10 Big Brands, BIG Letter from the Editor 5 sections Going We give to charity! Leadership 6 with Charity Sales and Marketing 9 Not-For-Profit... Cover Story 14 with a Industry News Book Report 16 22 16 Customer Relationships 24 Social Media Human Resources 26 30 Putting Corporate Money 18 Where the Meaning Is Giving in the Social World - Don’t Brag, Share 26 3 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 4. Need to improve sales? Improve lead quality? effective Lower the cost of lead generation? Worried about being left behind in social media? Do you know where to start? We are here to help. Blytheco Advanced Marketing will help you take your business to the next level. We will help you increase leads, measure the results and improve revenue. ADVANCED MARKETING www.blytheco.com/bam
  • 5. LETTERFROMTHEEDITOR BELLWETHER A Blytheco, LLC Magazine Volume 3 Second Quarter, 2012 www.blytheco.com www.bellwethermagazine.com STAFF EDITOR Apryl Hanson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Greg Went OPEN FOR AD CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alicia Anderson Dave Barret Lynn Berman Theresa Boros Eyal Danon Apryl Hanson Cortez NaPue Genie Whitehouse Bill Wiersma ADVERTISING SALES Dori Fitch SUBSCRIPTIONS www.bellwethermagazine.com Or contact Dori Fitch - (800) 425-9843, Extension 1168 dorif@blytheco.com Bellwether Magazine is published by Blytheco, LLC with principal offices at: 23161 Mill Creek Road Suite 200 Laguna Hills, CA 92653 If you wish to be removed from the mailing list or to add names to the mailing list, send your request, including name, business name, and mailing address to the above address or to dorif@blytheco.com This is a copyrighted publication and all articles herein are covered by this copyright. Any use of the content for commercial reasons or other form or reproduction of material herein is strictly prohibited without prior, written approval of Bellwether Magazine. 5 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 6. LEADERSHIP by Bill Wiersma W all Street trader Phillip Meyer (quoted in a 2010 article in Time) noted, “If running the economy off the cliff makes you money, you will do it, and you will do it every day of the week.” Meyer is referring to the willingness of some Wall Street traders (and, by default, their firms) to make money at any cost—even if it meant throwing the entire country under the bus and into disarray. I choose to believe that Meyer’s declaration does not apply to every trader or every Wall Street firm. Yet, if you’re not outraged by the self-serving shenanigans by some in business (whether on Wall Street or not) in recent years, you haven’t been paying attention. Some have argued that the sole purpose of a business is to make money—the more the better. Yet, as Rosabeth Moss Kanter reminds us in a November, 2011 Harvard Business Review article, a business doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Rather, each and every business is ultimately interdependent with the greater society and, as such, has certain inherent responsibilities to that society. In other words, making money is an obvious imperative, but it isn’t the whole picture. A healthy business requires a healthy society. Kanter advocates that the great companies she has studied ‘think differently.’ These companies, representing a variety of industries from all over the world, think of themselves more as an institution than merely a money-making machine intent on maximizing short-term profits. Said another way, these companies take a long term perspective. They invest in their customers and the greater communities they serve. Demonstrating a return on some of these investments can prove dicey. They do it anyway! In other words, they’re ‘doing more than good.’ Certainly providing a valued product or service to the marketplace is a big part of the good a company does. It’s also good that a company is able to provide valued employment opportunities or becomes an important source of much-needed tax revenues for the public sector (which depends almost exclusively on them). As wonderful as these things are, Kanter suggests that great companies do a little more. Kanter’s findings are similar to my own; namely that successful (and sustainable) companies are populated by people who think differently. In her article, Kanter alludes to an especially important mind-set I’ve identified that is held by professionals; namely that “a professional realizes (and acts like) they’re part of something bigger than themselves.” Indeed this is ‘thinking differently’ when contrasted against the traditional view that ‘the sole purpose of a business is to make money’---something Wall Street trader Phillip Meyer apparently believed. The ‘something bigger’ mind-set influences both how one conducts business and, in some instances, can influence the very purpose of the business itself. Consider these three unique ways: 6 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 7. Solving Uniquely Personal Problems Transforming How We Live • Medtronic, a world leader in medical technologies, is changing • Apple. Whether having greater access to the sources of our the face of chronic disease. Its higher purpose is to alleviate favorite music, having our mobile phone double as a virtual pain, restore health, and extend lives. Absent the types of assistant, or downloading the Wall Street Journal on an iPad, products Medtronic develops, people die. Apple has enhanced lives. For some, it’s been transformational. • TOMS Shoes, a for-profit entity, has a unique proposition— • Considered by many to be the world’s leading design firm, buy a pair of shoes from them and they’ll give a pair to a child IDEO of Palo Alto, CA creates innovative products and services in need. Since September 2010 TOMS has given away over for many of the world’s leading companies. Their efforts have 1,000,000 pairs of shoes to children in need all over the world. given rise to, among other things, the first laptop computer, the • Most of us are familiar with Gore-Tex, the breathable, water- Palm V, and the Apple mouse. proof fabric used extensively in outerwear. But W.L. Gore’s • Alice Waters---owner of the renowned Chez Panisse restaurant technologies are also used extensively in pharmaceuticals, in Berkeley, CA---is a American pioneer in culinary philosophy. filtration devices, and a host of other applications. In the Many of our current trends in food (fresh, healthy, sustainable) medical field alone, more than 25 million Gore implants have are directly attributable to Waters’ influence. helped patients around the world live longer, healthier lives. Each of the founders of these entities set out to do great work, not It’s easy to see how the founders set up these companies in such get rich. Yet because the quality of their work was so exemplary, a way as to enable them to be a part of something bigger than each made more money than they would have ever imagined. the founder themselves. Their higher purpose was to enhance people’s lives---in a very personal way. Your company may not be attempting to solve a vexing societal problem, transforming an industry, or saving people’s lives. But Addressing Pressing Societal Problems wanting to serve a higher purpose has no limitations. It takes many forms. For example, Portland based Umpqua bank allows • Problem: The lack of clean drinking water—especially in the employees 40 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer. third-world. HaloSource—a Bothell, Washington company— Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company, commits up to 10% of has developed technology which instantly kills bacteria in their profits to causes of their choosing. In today’s vernacular—it’s water. The solution is low-cost and works without electricity or called ‘giving back.’ piped water. Professionals see the world in a certain way. Indeed, they • Problem: the need to reduce the country’s enormous energy think differently. Their mind-sets are what make them unique. foot-print. Wal-Mart has made a significant long-term Desiring to be a part of ‘something bigger than oneself’ is one commitment to renewable energy. More importantly, Wal-Mart of those mind-sets. Paraphrasing Harvard’s Rakesh Khurana, the recognizes that through its enormous purchasing power it can professional expects to create value for society, not extract it. If help take the solar market to scale. In doing so, the industry’s a company’s sole purpose is to make money—it’s harder to do costs should drop. Walmart has been willing to relax its short- great work, harder for employees to believe in the company as an term ROI requirements for investments in solar with the hope institution, harder to be a truly great company. of reaping lower costs in the future. The company is taking the larger view---resulting in expected wins for the solar industry, Wal-Mart itself, and for the nation. • Problem: The need to reduce scrap steel in landfills. Since the advent of Nucor’s mini-mill technology in 1969, the company has turned scrap steel into new product. In turn, Nucor has become North America’s largest steel producer. Notice how each of these companies core purpose was linked to a significant societal problem. Was their motivation purely altruistic? No. Each hoped ‘to do well (financially speaking) by doing good.’ About the Author Bill Wiersma is the principal of Wiersma and Associates, LLC, a consulting firm that helps leaders create cultures centered on professional ideals. His expertise has been featured in numerous media outlets--including the New York Times. Bill, the author of two critically acclaimed books, is a trusted advisor to executive leadership on senior team development and organizational culture. His latest book is “The Power of Professionalism” 7 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 8. LEADERSHIP Toot Toot Tooting Our Own Horn by Alicia Anderson N ot to toot our own horn or anything, but in this issue devoted to service, we thought it only right to recognize Blytheco’s own CEO Stephen Blythe, who last month won the Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award as part of the 2012 Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service. Blytheco as a firm was recognized as a winner of a 2012 Blythe is also an avid supporter of the ACS Relay for Life Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service in fundraisers coordinated by Sally Brown of the Blytheco November, 2011. This award, given by Medical Mutual of Laguna Hills office throughout the year. His private aircraft Ohio and Smart Business Magazine, recognizes the business flights and introductory pilot’s lessons are always a hit at community’s charitable works in the central Ohio region and the relay events. overall Stephen’s commitment commitment to to philanthropy. service trickles down All 2012 Pillar Award winners and their good deeds were featured in the January edition of Smart Business Columbus. Winners attended the 2012 Pillar awards recognition event, held January 26, 2012 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. throughout the organization. Team members are The Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award recognizes one active in and supportive of their local communities. Staff top executive of a for-profit company whose commitment members regularly participate in fundraising activities for and spirit for community service serves as an example the American Cancer Society and Orangewood Children’s for the organization he or she leads and filters down Home, among other activities. This year we are launching throughout that organization. Clapp was the Medical a series of networking events across our nationwide Mutual’s longtime CEO who was tragically killed in a small locations where we raise funds for local charities as part of plane crash in Puerto Rico in 2008. the event. Blythe was recognized for his involvement in LIGA When leaders authentically demonstrate commitment to International, the Flying Samaritans and the American service, it flows throughout the business and throughout Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. LIGA, the ‘Flying Doctors the community. We’re proud that Blytheco exemplifies that of Mercy,’ is dedicated to improving the health and well- commitment. being of the people of Sinaloa, Mexico, by providing free health care and education. The Flying Samaritans provide For a hilarious recap of the awards ceremony from the similar services in Baja Mexico. For over ten years, Stephen perspective of Blytheco Account Executive Kelly Rayburn has contributed to these organizations as a pilot, volunteer, (“Schmoozin’ With our CEO, Stephen Blythe: The Pillar board member, website developer, and treasurer. and Kent Clapp Awards”), visit our blog at think.blytheco. com. 8 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 9. SALES&MARKETING Is marketing with a cause related to an by Apryl Hanson increase in sales? It seems everywhere I turn, another company that I Brands that support a cause are seeing do business with is now a growing increase supporting a cause. Does in brand awareness, especially when the this relate to an increase brand is tied to a local cause. This type of in overall sales? The 2010 grass roots support Cone Cause Evolution Study can work well for small businesses to define would suggest yes. themselves and earn It seems the issue isn’t just that consumers spend local attention. The more dollars with companies that are supporting big question is does a cause, but that consumers have grown to expect it produce additional that companies will support a cause. “About one sales results? third of Americans have even higher expectations of Increased brand companies to support a cause during a recession, and awareness can produce 31% say an economic downturn is a time when it an increase in purchases is more important than ever for companies to and loyal customers, but that alone step up to support social and environmental won’t be a savior of a brand. You needs,” says the Cone Cause Evolution have to have all elements of a Study, our nation’s benchmark report business working together in on cause marketing attitudes and order to take advantage behaviors. of cause-based branding; As our economy begins to emerge other elements such as from recession, the expectation is that cause employee loyalty and support will continue. People want to feel good satisfaction, customer loyalty and about where they spend their money. With happiness, when combined with overall funding for non-profits decreasing, supporting a cause, will increase cause support in American businesses is your revenue but if one of these an important way for consumers to still elements is failing – supporting a feel like they are giving back while cause won’t work. spending less. 9 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 10. SALES&MARKETING Big Brands, BIG Going by Apryl Hanson with Charity S tarbucks, a successful brand that supports many causes, continues to increase awareness about the charities that they are supporting. The newest is “Create Jobs for USA.” Starbucks teamed with the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) to help create and sustain jobs by providing capital grants to underserved community businesses that will help increase jobs in those areas. To learn more about this specific program visit www.creatjobsforusa.org. Is this and the company’s other charity work helping Starbucks increase its brand perception? It is just one of the many things that this company is doing right. They have every other element of a growing business like loyal employees, consumers that are happy about their products and a brand that stands for more than just making profit. Some brands create their own charity – McDonald’s created the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Are charities working the same way for McDonald’s as they are for a company like Starbucks? I believe if we compared the two we would find some similarities, but also some differences that would show that there are other elements involved in integrating charitable contributions into a successful business. We Love Charities! 10 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 11. The difference between these two organizations is what fanatics, and they support charities on a local level. Teams I call “E2CL” – meaning in order for there to be real of local employees decide which local 501(c) (3) charities integration of charitable work to positive business results, they will support. This type of community involvement you must have these elements: on a local level gives them the image of a down-to-earth local company in the many communities that they serve • Extreme employee loyalty and culture (E) nationally. • Customer enthusiasts and Loyalty (High NPS - Net Promoter Score) (C) How can your company create E2CL? • Charity that is prominent (C) All of these create overall brand Loyalty - (L). 1. ake sure that you are doing what you can to support M your employees, so that they feel loved and passionate I think we can learn a lot from bigger brands that are doing about coming to work every day. it right, like Starbuck’s and from brands that are almost 2. rive customer enthusiasm by making sure you have D doing it right, like McDonald’s. Another major brand, the ability to get feedback from your consumers and Wal-Mart, has been in the news for having exceptionally improve products and processes to make it easy to unhappy employees, creating a stigma about their work with you. workplace and brand. They tie themselves to charities and 3. hoose a local charity to work with and develop a C have achieved tremendous financial success, but is it at rapport with the leaders of that charity. Meet and figure the cost of their employees and vendor relationships? Do out what will work for you and your employees to get they have what we would call a “superbrand” where we involved with a cause. love them? No. We may shop there, but love and loyalty 4. inse and Repeat – as you know if any one of these R are not what keep people purchasing from them – it’s areas falls short it can attack your bottom line. price and convenience, period. Contrast Wal-Mart with Southwest, which shows signs of exhibiting E2CL. They have customer and employee brand COFFEE We give to charity! 11 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 12. Billing Suggestions for Quicker Payments and Lower Expenses L ast month we looked at the importance of deciding who to extend credit to, and how to decide how much credit to give. We also covered how to monitor your clients and adjust your credit policies based on their payment habits, and new information you find through Google Alerts, other vendors, etc. This month we are going to discuss some basic billing and collection procedures. If your business does not have a systematic invoicing and service will forward the mail to the customer with that billing system, it is very important to have one in place. new address imprinted yellow sticker placed over the old Many times I have seen that customers haven’t paid my address, just like the previous invoice. Yes, the customer clients simply because they were not billed, or reminded to will still get the statement; however, psychologically they pay on a regular basis. I know this may be hard to believe, will be less inclined to pay it. If you think about it, someone but sometimes a loss or change in personnel occurred – will again be getting a bill, which clearly shows that the and the missing person was the one who billed or made sender doesn’t know where they are. This is a bill that is late-paying customer follow up calls. This can happen easy for a less than honorable person to ignore. On the when there is staff turnover, typically in smaller or newer other hand, if you update your system immediately with any companies where there isn’t enough staff to handle the new customer billing addresses they will get the bill directly invoicing and billing. To avoid this potential situation many and faster than when it is forwarded, and with their new companies are opting to outsource their billing and follow address printed right on that envelope. They may think, up. They are then assured that billing and follow up calls “Wow, they’re pretty efficient over there. I didn’t tell them are being done on a regular basis. This can be done by where I moved, but somehow they already know.” This bill outside companies for much less than salary expense. has a much better chance of being paid. Also, outsourced first-party billing and follow-up calling can provide professional control of dialogue. It can be Creating effective billing statements computer programmed to be more systematic than internal staff are, as this is their specialty. The more systematic you Have a due date: If you think about most of the bills you can be with your follow up process, the better your cash get at home, the overwhelming majority of them have a flow. due date, i.e. “payment is due by March 15.” This gives the payer a specific expectation of when to send payment. Address Correction Requested This has better predictable results than invoices that say “pay upon receipt,” or “payment is expected in 30 days.” One of the most difficult collection problems is tracking A specific due date is the best option, which is why so many down a customer who has “skipped” – or moved without major companies have adopted this. informing your business of their new address. The U.S Postal Service has a procedure to address this situation. Remove any aging sheet on your statements or invoices: Any statement or correspondence sent from a business Many companies have a software program that lists all should have the words “Address Service Requested” outstanding balances in a mini-aging sheet on the bottom printed or stamped on the envelope, just below your return of their statements. This may help clarify the total balance address in the top left corner. If a statement or invoice is due with customers, and the age of each invoice, if they sent to a customer who has moved and the words “Address have multiple invoices. I would recommend however Service Requested” appear in that top left corner, the postal removing these columns, or at least reducing them to not service will research this information. If you are mailing show any later dates than a 90+ column. I have seen some first or second class mail, and they can locate a forwarding of them show a 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and a 180+ days past due address for that person, they will send you business form column. The subliminal message being sent, even though #3547 with the correct address for a small fee of 50 cents. the invoice may say, “Please pay in 30 days,” is that they This keeps your customer’s address file up to date really can take 6 months, as that is what your own statement is showing. This mini-aging sheet should be removed or Also be sure to update that information from the postal reduced from your statements, as it implies that customers service into your system right away. I have seen companies can truly pay much later than the terms you have stated that did get this new address information from the postal with them, as you show that you track it much farther out. service and did not take the time to update their client’s information. When they bill the client next time, the postal 12 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 13. SALES&MARKETING by Dave Barrett Consider adding a late fee: Many companies use a late fee, efficiency is added by the automated call having dialogue that disconnect fee, service fee, or interest charges, to cover some says “to speak to us now press #1”. Your customer could then of the expense of carrying their late payers. This is worth the be connected to your AR department personnel to discuss the time to discuss with your attorney, if it could be instituted in bill and take credit card information over the phone. This is your business with your customers. An attorney is important a much less expensive and a more productive process than “ to bring into this conversation, as the customer must be what is commonly done 100% manually, by having a larger informed of this fee contractually before it is assessed. The staff of salaried people constantly dialing out. And to many impending late fee can be mentioned people’s surprise, upon reviewing in your contract for example, or other correspondence. This can be Remove any this process in detail, it does not lose any customer service image if additional motivation to get your bill it is designed properly. It is more paid quickly. And the additional fees your company recoups can be used aging sheet on profitable to link this new technology with a smaller accounting staff, and to subsidize the cost of carrying these late payers, and be used to reimburse your statements programming the time of these calls to coincide with enough staff for the cost of additional follow up time to handle the amount of inbound spent continuing to request payment from these late payers. These fees or invoices calls that will be generated. seem very appropriate to me, but must be instituted legally. Turn up your cash flow and profits while reducing expenses Send reminder letters more frequently: The squeaky wheel In summary: does get the grease. If you increase the number of times you request payment, you will increase your chances to get paid. If • Follow up in a timely manner with statements and calls you can’t easily bill every customer twice per month, consider • Get statements out quickly and ideally twice per outsourcing to a company that can do it for you. Getting your month statements and reminder letters into your customer’s accounts • On your statements: try and use a “due date,” remove payable department twice as often monthly, and two weeks mini-aging sheets or reduce the number of columns, earlier than a regular monthly statement will definitely get you paid faster. • Consult with legal counsel about instituting a late fee into your billing process New automated dialing services • Consider utilizing an automated calling service to increase contacts, reduce dialing personnel, and drive calls to you Automated calls are now a popular choice for election at an exact time when you are staffed up to handle them. campaigns, reminding patients of upcoming appointments, and for our purposes, reminding individuals about their past • Use Address Service Requested on every invoice sent, and due account. These automated calls can be utilized in a way immediately update any new address provided to you by that creates a very professional and sophisticated image the postal service. for your company. And while done by outside vendors, your customers will perceive this as your company’s own sophisticated follow up system, as your company’s phone If you have any other billing and follow up suggestions, number can be inserted as the caller ID. please feel free to share. I would be happy to pass other helpful ideas along in future articles. I hope knowing Automated calls are increasing the efficiency of internal billing departments by being programmed to be dialed at a this information can help your company to improve your specific time of the day. After establishing that the name of billing and follow up efficiency, cash flow, and profits. your company is calling regarding their account, even more About the Author For over 20 years, Dave Barrett has helped businesses optimize their accounts receivable management strategies and collections. Working with clients in the manufacturing and distribution industries as well as the banking, legal, accounting, and medical fields, he reduces exposure and internal expenses, while at the same time improving the billing and follow up process. Learn more about Dave by contacting him at (818) 458-4663, or dave.barrett@transworldsystems.com 13 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 14. COVERSTORY by Alicia Anderson S ocial entrepreneurship is on the rise and Raghu and Arathi Raju are a striking example of this new by Alicia Anderson breed of young, smart, idealistic businesspeople. Raghu and Arathi are founders of Mahamosa, a growing tea, spice, and herb retailer. What is a social entrepreneur? A business leader who is focused equally on profits and purpose. They use business to create social value, and they are reaching into every sector of the economy. Raju is an energetic guy with a Master’s degree in Public Health and a law degree. He practiced contribute as an intellectual property comes from, Raju says “It’s time for society attorney, but wanted to go out to start thinking long-term, not short-term, on his own to use his skills to do about business impact. Businesses need to something positive in the world. play a stronger role in having positive impacts His partner in the business is his wife, AND mitigating negative impacts like pollution, a graphic designer with extensive design and climate change and declining public health.” illustration experience. He says he’s always been a highly-focused idealist – “maybe being an only What charities does Mahamosa support? child has something to do with it – having more Raju’s background in public health led him time to develop those ideals,” laughs Raju. to organizations like water.org, Oxfam, Save the Children, and other groups who focus They combined their skills and launched on humanitarian issues. They don’t yet have Mahamosa as an online business in May, 2011. direct partner relationship with the charities – The company sells loose leaf teas, spices, gifts “Organizations of this size prefer to establish and wares, along with gifts such as teapots, partnerships with larger business than ours,” he infusers, chocolates, honey sticks, and 100% says. Perhaps charities are missing an opportunity organic cotton shirts. here? For now, the relationship is informal; Raju makes a donation once a year to the charity of They are committed to donating 50% of their choice. profits to charity. Asked where this drive to 14 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 15. They have wisely branded their charitable efforts Raju says the company’s focus for 2012 is marketing. with the “Being in the World” trademark, thus They have experimented with group discount establishing a community that is set somewhat sites (such as Living Social) and found success in apart from the business itself. driving business to the retail locations. “It’s not for everyone,” Raju says of the group discount The brand’s online manifesto states: promotions, “but it gave us valuable insights We chose the phrase about our buyers and lots of visibility, so “Being in the World” it worked for because it describes not us.” They plan only our individual being to expand their but also our inseparable retail footprint situation, connection by evaluating and continuity with how they the world around us. can get their We explore, think products into about, appreciate large grocery and embrace stores, like Whole internationalism/ Foods. globalism, diversity, Boosting online and multiculturalism. traffic is a major We connect with and goal for 2012. They help people connect are active on social and be in the world. media, and have The Being in the experimented with World community search optimization has no boundaries. on their website, Our business is an experiment but the competition in socially and environmentally responsible for eyeballs online is tough. capitalism. We believe people, including consumers, are motivated not solely by individual They know their market – Raju’s research tells concerns but also by social and worldly concerns him his buyers are consumers who are new to tea or causes beyond the individual self. Taking this drinking, and are overwhelmingly young women, conviction to the retailing world, we believe 18 to 35 years old. He notes that while in the US, consumers inform their purchasing decisions not only around 10% of people are tea drinkers, tea only by cost but also a true concern for the world is the number two beverage worldwide second around them. only to water. He acknowledges the wide variety of competition his company faces – grocery store Raju also helps mitigate negative impacts in teas, retail tea outlets, and other beverages, his business by using only 100% biodegradable including coffee. But he believes in the quality wheat straw cups and 100% recycled paper for of his product and a growing national focus on everything from business cards to register tape. individual health will help boost the popularity of The business made a major growth step in his teas. October, 2011, when they opened retail kiosks in Visit the company at two Atlanta malls. The Rajus are new to retail, so there has been a learning curve, but the exposure www.mahamosa.com. has been valuable to the young company, and they have been able to provide jobs as a result. 15 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 16. INDUSTRYNEWS Not-For-Profit... with a U sually, the line between not-for-profit and for-profit business is fairly clear. Both types of organizations make money; however, non-profits put the money back into the organization in order to further the group’s stated mission. For-profit businesses distribute profits among shareholders or owners. by Alicia Anderson Rebuild Resources is a little different. This St. Paul, MN-based contributions to provide services, we primarily use money made non-profit helps its community by giving people a second from our businesses to create jobs to employ people who chance at a productive life. But they also run businesses to receive our program services. We’re not just teaching people employ these people – real businesses who compete with how to look for jobs, we’re giving them a job, they are paying other companies and manage the same types of issues other taxes and contributing to their communities, so both they and businesses have. the community can immediately benefit. We recently visited with Joanna Schnedler, Development Leader There are some built-in inefficiencies with this model. We assist and Janet Ludden, Interim President of Rebuild Resources, to people to gain skills and work experience to position them talk with them about how Rebuild straddles the line between for permanent employment – so when our program succeeds, doing business and doing good. the result is a production challenge. We intentionally lose our best workers to our competitors. As a result, we have very high Tell me about the mission of Rebuild employee turnover, which impacts our productivity. Resources and how you accomplish that mission. Just like any other business, we utilize creative business strategies and production practices to overcome this challenge. Our mission is to help recovering addicts and alcoholics be We have developed overlapping shifts, expanding operational sober, self-sufficient and of service by providing meaningful, capacity and increasing machine hours. We have streamlined transitional employment in business enterprises we own and operations and increased efficiency. As business grows, we will operate .These enterprises provide a safe, sober, secure, add a full second shift. supportive, but non-enabling environment for recovery, and serve as the economic engines which sustain our work. Our It’s not a surprise when people leave us. We help them in their businesses are a custom apparel and promotions shop, and a job search. We bring new workers in and get them oriented and contract manufacturer. trained at the same time their predecessor is leaving. What are the strengths of an organization How do you select participants? like Rebuild who straddles the line Prospects fill out an application and go through a competitive between for-profit and non-profit? What hiring process. We receive 400-500 applications per year, so are the weaknesses? we have a vast applicant pool. We can be selective in whom Clearly our strength is that, unlike other programs who use we hire, but most of our participants have very little or no past 16 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 17. job experience and those are the people who most need our services. Most of the people we hire have criminal backgrounds, which also makes finding permanent employment extremely challenging. We are looking for people who are committed to sobriety and committed to changing their lives, they are the people who will succeed in the marketplace. How do you market your organization? Our continued goal is to reach 80% self-sufficiency from business revenue, with just 20% of our funds coming from contributions. So we have a two-pronged marketing goal. We need to advertise and market to gain new contracts, and we also want to build awareness throughout the community about our mission and program. To build relationships with our apparel and manufacturing customers, we have to be competitive in quality and price when we market to potential customers for our business. We have a marketing director who sets the strategy, and a sales force who actively engage with prospects. Along with traditional marketing methods like using sales collateral and promotional materials, we actively market on Google. We have a diverse strategy for fundraising. We hold a golf tournament and other local events. We also work to establish partnerships with government agencies who can advocate for our programs. Strong advocacy within the recovery community and the corrections community helps us create relationships that help us achieve our mission. How do you measure results? Like most businesses, we know we are succeeding when our customers are satisfied, are repeat customers, and send other businesses to us on their recommendation. Bottom line business results and an ever increasing portion of our overall expenses being met by business revenue are effective ways for us to measure success. We have to prove to our customers that giving us their business is the best choice they can make – and we can do that. Showing a high ROI on contributed income is the very best way to continue to get support from our donors. It is incumbent upon us to demonstrate both business and programmatic success which advances our mission and meets their philanthropic goals. We also look at the benefits to society of our social enterprise model. The work we do reduces recidivism, reduces the costs of incarcerating and rehabilitating people, and adds to the tax rolls since we are assisting the formerly-unemployable tax-paying, productive citizens. We have metrics that demonstrate this incredible return on investment. Also, we are happy to report we were recently recognized as the first “Accredited Social Enterprise” by the Social Enterprise Alliance. We’re proud that they have acknowledged our model of applying market-based strategies to address social problems. For more information about Rebuild Resources, please visit their website at www.rebuildresources.com or their Custom Apparel and Promotions webstore at www.rebuildstore.com. 17 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 18. INDUSTRYNEWS Putting Corporate Money Where the Meaning Is by Alicia Anderson C hristine Arena began her career helping some of the least socially-minded companies around (tobacco and liquor companies, fast food giants) target consumers and spread their message. The award-winning author and strategist is now focused on helping industry leaders win trust, inspire employees, and achieve triple bottom-line growth through engagement with their customers and employees. We recently talked with Arena about her experiences and what CSR (corporate social responsibility) trends mean to businesses today. What led you to explore and analyze growing demand. It’s a cause-effect situation: the more companies corporate giving? strategically invest in social good, the more demanding stakeholders grow, leading to increased investment - and the In 2001, we saw the internet boom leading to more global awareness trend goes on. of business behavior. My clients were getting into trouble on issues ranging from labor standards to financial scandal. I recognized Corporate reputation also greatly influences the corporate talent that the transparency demanded by consumers who were now pool. All companies are trying to attract smart people and attract empowered by the Internet and increasingly socially conscious the next generation of business leaders. And how this trend wasn’t going away – it was a permanent market condition. Going influences the Millennial generation is particularly striking. A Price forward, companies would need to become more open and view Waterhouse Coopers study just showed that 88% of Millennials transparency as an asset, not a risk. said they will choose employers who have corporate social responsibility (CSR) values that reflect their own while 86% would Now we’re in a phase in business where, in many cases, it’s clear consider leaving an employer if CSR values no longer matched that collaboration and dialogue is more effective in terms of their expectations. So there you have it. generating loyalty, momentum and trust than closely guarding proprietary secrets. It’s an increasingly open business climate How do companies execute a CSR and the demand for corporate social responsibility is still growing strategy correctly? dramatically. Firstly, the execution must be authentic, and must come from the What is the business case for CSR? company’s leadership. For example, Lee Scott, CEO at Wal-Mart, truly believes in sustainability as a path to improved business The business case centers on public demand The Cone Cause- performance as well as a meaningful legacy. In an interview he Evolution Study just revealed that 83% of Americans wish brands did with Grist.org, he said: “On a personal level, as you become a would support causes, and that 41% have bought because of a grandparent — I have a granddaughter — you just also become cause. More than 90% think companies should consider giving in more thoughtful about what will the world look like that she the communities where they do business. inherits. So I think it was a confluence of both the personal side and the business imperatives that at least drew me to be interested Those numbers have doubled since the 1990s. Consumers insist in it.” Wal-Mart has put massive sustainability initiatives in place that corporations stand for something greater than short-term throughout their business and has become one of the leaders in financial gain. So CSR is no longer a fringe activity – now it’s generating progress in this area. integrated into mainstream businesses that consciously meet the 18 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 19. Businesses must also be strategic and focused. They have to know What are some other trends in engaging the goals they want to achieve and how they relate to business and with communities to build brands? their customers. Then they need to leverage core assets to make goals happen. Cause-driven initiatives must be integrated into operations. Even just five years ago, businesses wanted everything to be a trade For example, GE has renovated its business portfolio around emerging secret. Now, they need to be involved in the conversations and reflect green markets, so it made sense to them to invest heavily in alternative that they are hearing customer feedback, and be transparent in energy sources so they can help create sustainable development in handling both positive and negative information that comes back to these burgeoning areas. them. Also - you can’t be too transparent. Companies are closely scrutinized These days there’s a process of ongoing two-way interactivity, now thanks to globalization and the internet. The power is in the hands participation and collaboration that can generate great ideas in of the consumer. They need to talk when it’s meaningful, when there’s business. Great ideas don’t always come from inside a company. Our an issue. Be constantly proactive in communicating so that you can economy is increasingly participatory, leaning toward new models like build goodwill and trust in good times; don’t just start talking when crowdsourcing, games, social media and well-designed engagement you’re under the gun. It’s too late then. experiences. For example, Seventh Generation is a company that has always What would you advise small to medium- positioned itself as socially responsible and transparent company. And sized companies who are struggling to do for the most part they are. But sometimes even the best companies if they want to start giving programs? experience setbacks. When the board fired co-founder and former Real commitment can’t come from the CSR department. It has to CEO Jeff Hollender, and then declined to meaningfully engage its emanate from leadership to really permeate a culture. So start there. stakeholders who wanted answers as to why, it left a big hole in the Then, look at your peers. What are your peers focused on and WHY? company’s reputation. So then the rumor mill started, which created What issue stands to galvanize the people inside your company? lasting negative press for them and likely demoralized the employees People like to rally around a meaningful cause, but if the WHY is working there. Unfortunately for them, there weren’t mechanisms in missing, it’s hard to get people in the company behind it. So examine place to respond to rumors, and legal took over. So everyone said the real value the organization provides and what it is here to do for nothing. That happens all the time. And I think it’s a missed opportunity people. to proactively be honest and build stronger bonds with people. Also evaluate what you are trying to accomplish and determine the best way to do it. Use your core strengths and assets where you can make a huge difference – touching many people in a meaningful way, “ so you can build value over time. About Christine Arena Real commitment Christine is Founder and Chief can’t come from the Strategy Officer at Aiko, a big ideas engagement agency that designs CSR department. It for the needs of purposeful brands. She is has to emanate from an award-winning author, syndicated blogger and corporate strategist focused on helping industry leadership to really leaders win trust, inspire employees, and achieve triple bottom-line growth. In 2011, Christine was named a “Top permeate a culture. 100 Thought Leader In Trustworthy Business” by Trust Across America, an organization that provides a framework for companies to improve trustworthy behavior, and highlights role models who exhibit high levels of integrity. Read her blog at http://christinearena.com/category/blog/. 19 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 20. INDUSTRYNEWS Top 3 Steps to Greater Warehouse Efficiency M ost small to medium sized businesses that work in a warehouse environment would like to implement a barcode solution in hopes that it will solve every problem they have in their warehouse. Unfortunately, barcoding isn’t a ‘be-all, end-all’ solution, but rather is the last step in a multi-step process and overall commitment to efficiency. by Theresa Boros Before you consider implementing a barcoding solution there are several steps you can take to get your warehouse in shape prior to automation. In this article we will go over some options with you in hopes that they will assist you in getting your warehouse to the level of efficiency you desire in the coming year. Step #1: 3 Ideas for Organizing & Maintaining Your Consider Implementing Cycle Counts: Cycle Counting is a Warehouse: More often than not, when we walk into a great alternative or addition to a yearly physical count. It is warehouse, we notice that nothing makes sense. From bin a process with which you count inventory in regular intervals locations that increase workload to picking methods that throughout the year which keeps your back-office systems aren’t appropriate for the industry, there are many ways in more accurate than relying solely on an annual count. Many which a company’s efficiency is being decreased by their who implement cycle counting often find that they can current processes. If you suspect that your processes aren’t at eventually do away with the annual count altogether. the level they should be, you may wish to: Some ERP systems require you to freeze your inventory during Revisit Bin Location Organization: You should consider counting, so many mistakenly believe that they can only do reviewing the overall organization of your warehouse annually their counting if they shut down operations. However what in order to maintain maximum productivity. If you have been you may not know is that you also have the ability to freeze ‘stashing’ new items wherever they fit for the last several years only certain product lines at a time while keeping others active it is likely you are now experiencing decreased productivity which allows you to implement a cycle counting technique. as a result. While it may seem like a hassle to re-organize There are two main types of cycle counting to choose from. everything, consider the amount of time you’ll save when you You will want to choose whichever is more appropriate for improve picking times. A good rule of thumb when organizing your industry. your warehouse is to put higher volume items in the easier to reach areas as well as in a location closer to your shipping Geographic based cycle counting involves starting at one area (if it is appropriate to do so), and lower volume items in side of your warehouse and systematically working your bin shelving further away. way to the other end. Doing this several times throughout the year will not only enable you to keep inventory numbers Take a New Look at Picking Methods: Examine your picking accurate throughout the year, but also discover misplaced or methods and determine whether they are still appropriate ‘lost’ items as well. for you. Keep in mind that there are many options to choose from including: Single order, Multi-order, Batch picking, and The ABC Method refers to counting by the categorization Zone picking of inventory. High volume items are handled more often resulting in a higher likelihood of inaccuracies, while low volume items are handled less leading to more accurate data. About the Author Theresa Boros is a Partner at Scanco. Scanco is a Master Developer and an OEM Partner of Sage focusing on Warehouse Management Systems for MAS 90/200/500. 20 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 21. To implement the ABC Method you will first categorize your just isn’t enough. This is when you may consider implementing entire inventory deciding which fall into the ‘A’ (high volume), incentives for the staff, rewarding accuracy or thoroughness – ‘B’ (medium volume), and ‘C’ (low volume) levels. You’ll count the metrics that are meaningful to your warehouse. high volume items more often and low volume items less. Your schedule may look something like this: Step #3: Implement Barcoding Automation: Before you implement, or even look at a barcoding solution, you should Level A – Count once per month -or- quarter depending on the make sure Steps 1 and 2 are complete and running smoothly. size of the inventory Once you’ve properly organized your warehouse, implemented the best picking methods and cycle counting techniques for Level B – Count every quarter your industry, and established clear and disciplined manual systems – you are ready for barcoding to take you to the next Level C – Count every 6 months and highest level of efficiency. Specifically, it will help you with: In each instance you’ll want to divide the stock up so that your • Increasing the speed with which you can input information staff can complete a portion of counting every day or week to keep it manageable. • Improving the integrity of your data • Developing greater accuracy of shipments Step #2: Implement Manual Processes and Increase • Enhancing employee productivity Employee Accountability: Establishing, communicating and enforcing specific warehouse rules and processes means you • And increasing the speed, efficiency and precision of your are more likely to get more effort from your warehouse team and cycle / physical inventory counting process. a cleaner process. However, sometimes simple communication Time & Attendance • Data Integration • Labor Costing • Security Are inefficiencies in your time and attendance tracking causing a ripple effect in your business? In this groundbreaking book, We can help! Call today to see how you can Wiersma outlines the seven have a robust time keeping system that seamlessly key mind-sets of trusted professionals, integrates to your accounting and payroll systems. offering a blueprint for both individuals and organizations interested in fostering a culture of professionalism. You’ll see how uncompromising Celebrating 25 years of professional standards led to unparalleled success successful integrations for FBI agent George Piro during his game-changing interrogation of Saddam Hussein, for supermodel Kathy Ireland’s design and marketing enterprise, for the world- renowned Dave Matthews Band, and for many more. Available at Amazon.com (800) 822-0973 www.SierraWS.com 21 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 22. BOOKREPORT by Geni Whitehouse T his edition of book selections are drawn from books I haven’t yet read. They come from speakers that presented talks at TED’s Full Spectrum event which I had the privilege to watch via live simulcast at a parallel event called TEDActive. It is not easy to take the essence of sometimes decades of research and boil it down to fit into an eighteen minute talk, but the speakers and authors I list below were able to do so quite effectively. Their talks gave me a glimpse into subjects that I want to pursue further when I have time to ponder. I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) | Brené Brown Brené Brown is the perfect spokeswoman for vulnerability. She’s one of us. Her first TED talk, in which she describes her own breakdown, is called “The Power of Vulnerability” and has already had more than 4 million views. As a research professor, Brown has studied the balance between vulnerability and courage, between authenticity and shame. But she has also lived it. She gives us hope that the very same imperfections that make us shy and ashamed are the things that make us human. She tells us that we must be vulnerable and real if we want to connect with people in a meaningful way. Brown freely shares her own insecurity in a lighthearted, entertaining and yet very personal way. If her book reflects the same combination of humor and deep insight, reading it will be a worthwhile and enlightening journey. Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other | Sherry Turkle Sherry Turkle used to be a leading voice for the advancement of technology. But today she has begun to question its impact on our lives. She shares insights into our automation dependency and makes the case for humans to spend more time on relationships and less time on their devices. As we rush to rack up more Likes and +1s we are forgetting to take time for more hugs, phone calls and plain old conversations. Turkle is a voice of reason in a world of devices that lead us deeper and deeper into a binary world of ones and zeroes. Whether you ultimately agree or disagree with her premise, this book promises to be an informative and thought-provoking read. Chip Kidd: Book One | Chip Kidd Chip Kidd was the most memorable presenter of the conference. With his Captain Kangaroo jacket and his hilarious presentation style, he stole the show. His gift is one that we can all envy— he has the ability to convey the gist of an entire book in its cover. The need to convert words to their visual essence is becoming ever more valuable as our storytelling shifts from magazines, to blogs, to video diaries. We might all learn something if we tried to convert our business story from a volume of financial reports, graphs and spreadsheets into a single page. His book Chip Kidd: Book One shares the stories behind his most successful covers and promises to give us insights into telling our own stories. I can only image the gut splitting laughter that will be part of this reading adventure. (This is one book I won’t be reading on my Kindle.) About Geni Whitehouse A self-proclaimed nerd, former technology executive and CPA firm partner, Geni Whitehouse has made it her mission to eliminate boring from the world of presentations. The author of “How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting: 52 Ways Even a Nerd Can Be Heard,” Geni believes her mission as a presenter is to understand a subject well enough to approach it from an angle that will not only educate her audiences—but will resonate with them. Learn more at www.evenanerd.com. 22 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 23. Custom apparel Geni Whitehouse and promotional items for your SPEAKER AUTHOR business needs. CONSULTANT NERD She’s been called the “comedian CPA.” Your purchase with A self-proclaimed nerd, experienced software executive and former CPA firm partner, Rebuild Resources Geni Whitehouse has made it her mission to not only fulfills your eliminate boring from the world of presentations. promotional needs, it STRATEGY also produces hope in EXECUTION the lives of recovering EVANGELISM CONTENT DEVELOPMENT addicts and alcoholics in our transitional YOUR LOGO employment program. www.rebuildstore.com (651) 645-7055 www.evenanerd.com Advertise in Bellwether... GROW www.bellwethermagazine.com/ads 23 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 24. CUSTOMERRELATIONSHIPS Notes from a Month by Cortez NaPue of Love and Alicia Anderson In honor of Valentine’s Day, we recently asked our customers to tell us their love stories – fun stories about how they show their love to their own customers and their employees. Here are a few of the stories they told us. EXECUTIVE PRESENTATIONS SEVEN UP BOTTLING CO. OF RENO Executive Presentations of Los Angeles really appreciates Mark Pitchford and the Seven Up Bottling Company showing the love to their clients and employees. For of Reno, Nevada were recognized for their passion for EP, it’s all about praise. They make sure their customers customer and employee recognition. are appreciated by often running congratulatory ads in major publications and they even go as far as to send Originally founded in 1905 as an ice cream vendor, it was a framed copy to memorialize the client’s commitment founder Edward Chism’s entrepreneurial spirit that lead and success. the Dr. Pepper/ Seven Up Bottling Company to what is today. It wasn’t until 1929 that Edward introduced Apparently, the key to their employees’ hearts is pizza. carbonated beverages to his line of products which Susan Campbell at EP says that weekly pizza parties eventually led to the installation of the can line and the help keep up efficacy but random gifts and bonuses transition from steel to aluminum cans. The Seven Up don’t hurt either. Bottling Company has been showing the love to their community by donating to many local schools and to Since 1986, Executive Presentations has provided the Boys and Girls Club of America. Southern California’s top lawyers with powerful and effective courtroom presentations. Their consultants When asked what they do to show their customers the analyze cases and help to determine the best way love, their response was “EVERYTHING and anything to break down even the most complex information we can to make sure our customers feel as though into concise exhibits that the jury will understand and they’re #1.” Sounds like they’ve got big hearts. How do remember. they show their employees (and waistlines) that they’re www.executivepresentations.com loved? Donuts. www.7upbottling.com 24 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 25. GATOR CASES We love Gator Cases for their dedication to customer satisfaction and promoting a positive work environment! According to the survey they took, Gator shows their customers the love by providing them with discounts and special offers on days such as anniversaries. Their employees love them because of their weekly meetings where employees receive cash rewards for stellar work. And what song represents the love that Gator Cases has for its employees and customers!?!? ’Count on Me’ by no other than Whitney Houston and Cece Winans – what a great song!! Gator Cases, based in Lutz, FL specializes in making protective storage devices for musical equipment. www.gatorcases.com Creative Directors note: I own one of their cases and they rock. (pun intended) FUTURENET GROUP Our hats go off to the FutureNet Group. The FutureNet Group was founded in 1994 by Perry Mehta whose ambitions drove him to provide a new kind of technology solution for the construction, engineering, and environmental industries. With over $20 million in annual revenue, FNG now OOH, READ has over 100 employees and 4 THESE! offices across the country. When asked how they show their customers love, their response was that they always perform at their best, making sure their clients always look good. And who doesn’t like to look good!? When it comes to letting their employees know that they love them, the folks at FutureNet believe that recognition is key. We asked what their biggest goal is for 2012. The FutureNet Group’s resolution for 2012? 100% customer satisfaction. Now, what’s not to love about that? www.7upbottling.com 25 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 26. Giving in t by Cortez Napue P hilanthropy is not a new thing. It’s been around since… people had – well, compassion. However, being philanthropic in the age of web 2.0 is quite a bit different. A few years ago, before the boom of social media, press releases or advertorials were the way to promote a nonprofit event or to advertise the success of one. But nowadays, people aren’t so keen on reading a newspaper ad about an event and are far more adverse to see a business blatantly bragging about how much money they’ve raised for an organization. Here’s a few ways to socially promote your cause while attracting the most positive attention. Promote the Success of the Benefited Raise Awareness for a Cause Using Every Organization, Not What You’ve Done – Marketing Avenue Possible - For local With any message that goes out, whether it be events, taking ads out in local magazines or a press release, e-mail, or social media post, the newspaper may work better for you. However, it focus of posting the results of a fundraiser should would never hurt to maybe go through your list emphasize more so the nonprofit’s own success of LinkedIn, e-mail, or even Facebook contacts and perhaps reflect on how this will benefit their in the area who may be interested. Promote cause. Headlining your own article with “J&J the event on your LinkedIn network frequently, Automotive raises $50,000 for the American though be wary of over sharing in LinkedIn Lung Association” may seem a bit like bragging. groups. Many people may start avoiding your On the other hand, if someone else decides to posts which doesn’t help your social media write an article or post with such a headline – that strategy in the long run. If raising money for a is fine, as that is a genuine response from a third general cause, CPC (cost-per-click) ads might party. It never hurts if someone else brags for you. not be a bad option, but depending on your intended reach that could get expensive. But alas….now we are in the age of social media… 26 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 27. SOCIALMEDIA the Social World - Don’t Brag, Share Social Media and Philanthropy are Best There are other ways to promote your cause on Friends - What better way to get the word out Twitter by doing things like creating hashtags. for a cause or non-profit event than using social For more help with that, read media? The use of social media has increased our blog post about using Twitter dramatically over the years, even hashtags by scanning the QR code overtaking email in some instances to the right. (scan the QR code to the right for our take on the demise of email ). The bottom line is, to successfully There’s an urge for people using social media to promote a philanthropic cause, include share ideas that they’re passionate about. Most as many people as you can. Social media who are involved in a nonprofit are generally is the most efficient and effective avenue passionate about their cause. With that being for that. When you want to share with said, the viral opportunity there is endless as the world how much money was raised, it again, people are more apt to share things they like. And not to mention, it is quite cost-effective. is more of a grassroots, group effort (and not a one-man show) – and everyone who Social Ads Help! - The best thing about participated can be congratulated. And creating social ads on Facebook and even chances are, someone’s already sharing LinkedIn is that you can specifically target it for you. individuals based on their demographics and interests… that is, other things they’ve already ‘liked’ on Facebook. Thus, you can design ads that specifically narrow in on the sentiment and interests of a particular audience. While you can’t exactly socially advertise on twitter per se, you can pay to have a hashtag (#) or word promoted (which is potentially expensive). 27 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership
  • 28. Are Past Due Accounts Making You See Red? Let GreenFlagsm Profit Recovery help put the fire out. Fixed fees of less than $10* an account No Commissions or percentages charged Best recovery rates in the industry *company average Call Dave Barrett @ 818.458.4663 today for a FREE A/R analysis or email dave.barrett@transworldsystems.com www.healingleaders.com www.collections4less.com BUSTED! Get your own copy! Stop sneakin’ a read. We’ve made obtaining a copy of Bellwether very affordable for a limited time. It’s FREE! Subscribe today at www.bellwether.com www.blytheco.com/stoney 1.877.462.5984 28 Bellwether Magazine | Second Quarter 2012
  • 29. Does Your Customer Strategy Look Like This? Well it doesn’t have to be that hard. WWW.BUILD-STRATEGY.COM 29 bell•weth•er -noun: one who takes initiative or leadership