© 2009 Vinny Ribas

Times change. Circumstances change. Feelings change. Priorities get re-arranged. Change is inevitable, and no force of nature, willpower or human endeavor can prevent it from happening. 

Sometimes it is easy to go with the flow when things change. The progression seems natural and logical, and the results are unobtrusive. Like the flow from one season to another, no one is surprised or taken back by the new surroundings. No one gets hurt or upset. The change just happens, and everyone and everything remains at peace with it.

Obviously, there are other times when change is radical, extreme and unexpected. It can be surprisingly good (e.g. winning the lottery) or devastatingly bad (e.g. losing your job). Good or bad, it can rock even the most stable and well-grounded individual.

Then there is the kind of change that we know in our hearts must occur, yet for some reason, we refuse to let go of it. There is certain kind of peace in what has been our comfort zone. And even if it is no longer ‘comfortable’, we often choose to hang on just a little bit longer than we probably should. One example of this is not quitting what we know is a dead-end job. Another is staying in a poor and/or unhealthy relationship. One more might be constantly complaining and comparing your new situation to your old situation instead of embracing the changes that have occurred and using the new opportunities to expand your horizons. I have to believe that we are all guilty of this kind of thinking or behavior at one time or another. 

Why do we have such a tendency to hold on tightly to the past? For some, it is simply the fear of change. For others it might be the unwillingness to start over. Others fear losing something they have or have had in the past. And still others just need to be in control of their lives all of the time, and having to change might mean relinquishing some of that control. Some people hold on to the past for dear life, swinging from the thinnest remaining thread if necessary. Others let things go very slowly and deliberately. Others are willing to draw the line and leave the past behind them, anxious to embark on new adventures. 

These are all common human reactions. The challenge comes when holding on too long to the past slows down our forward progress. Those constant comparisons to “how it used to be” can suck the life out of otherwise new and exciting situations. Those threads of the past that we hang on to so dearly could be tying up time, money and energy that should be spent on building our futures.

Take a quick inventory of your surroundings. Notice the keepsakes that you have. Most of them will be important and represent positive times in your past. Check to see if there are any that you should let go of once and for all. Are there people you still feel emotionally connected to who are no longer positive influences in your life? Make a mental checklist of the thoughts and emotions from the past that you still drag around behind you like oversized baggage. Are there any that it is time to break free from? Think about how making a clean break and a fresh start might help your current situation and your future. 

There is almost a ‘high’ that comes from letting go. It is an overwhelming feeling of relief. You can feel a huge weight being lifted off of your shoulders. Most importantly, you now have the capacity to embrace the future will all of that passion and emotion that was monopolized by the past and now has suddenly been freed up!    

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

At 11 PM last night, the weatherman on TV said that it was going to snow overnight, and Nashville should expect 1-2 inches.  They warned that the roads would probably be a mess, so everyone should avoid any traveling if possible. If today had been a school day, every school in the state would have been closed by last night as a precaution.

I woke up this morning, prepared to shovel that 1-2 inches of snow and maybe even ice off of my back porch. Instead, what I saw around my house didn’t even amount to a minor dusting. I am sure that some parts of town received some snow, but for me it was pleasantly anti-climactical. After all, one reason I moved away from Connecticut was to get away from snow!

Even though the weather prediction turned out wrong, I am glad I was at least warned of the possibility so that I could be properly prepared. Everyone and every business needs to have some way of being warned of possible challenges on the horizon. Some people look to the news, while others count on the hearsay they pick up at the coffee shop.  Some people consult their horoscope and others consult a fortuneteller.

The accuracy and reliability of what or who you look to for analyzing what will or may happen in the future is vital to your success. It’s not something to take lightly. Too much talk of impending doom can completely paralyze you. Too much ‘fairy dust and roses’ can keep you from being realistic and properly prepared for change. Incomplete, wrong or irrelevant information can have you preparing for the wrong thing. Guesswork can throw you too far off base to recover from. Hang around conservatives and you’ll get one point of view. Hang around liberals and you’ll get the complete opposite.

So, who should you turn to? Some of the sources I mentioned are definitely worth monitoring. But why not also turn to the people who are directly involved in or affected by your business? Your customers can tell you how the consumer climate is changing in your industry. Your vendors can tell you how business is and what the trends are. Your management team should be able to tell you how your employees are feeling and reacting to what is happening in their lives. And your own gut feeling should never be discounted. No one can have as much intuition as you do because you are right in the heart of it.

The key to using the people in your business as barometers is asking them questions and getting to know them on a personal and ongoing basis. You can’t just do this when a crisis arises. That is too late. Plus, they will only talk openly if they believe that you care about them personally. You can get glimpses into the future from the things they say and do when they are truly being themselves. For example, customer surveys can certainly reveal trends in their infancy, but asking questions when you meet your customers face-to-face can reveal the emotions and decision-making process that went in to checking each of the boxes on the survey form!

No one can completely predict the future. The masses were wrong about the impending Y2K disaster. Our government didn’t see the events of 9/11 coming. And the weatherman couldn’t tell me tell me what the weather would be like over the next 8 hours at my house. But you can be best prepared for change or challenge when you have ‘inside information’. And no one is more inside than the people affected directly by your business! 

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

When things are going smoothly with your company, everyone is happy and content. People get along well, or at least tolerate one another to the point that it doesn’t interfere with the overall production of the company. But when something goes a little haywire, immediately accusations fly. Some people just can’t help but point fingers. It is a defense mechanism to make sure that they don’t get blamed themselves. Others are trying to hide their part in the malfunction. And those who innocently get blamed become defensive and often feel the need to prove their innocence by proving someone else’s guilt. In any case, employees, management and sometimes even customers become divided. This leads to an ultimately unproductive and even angry work environment.

Throwing blame around like a hot potato is a lose-lose game. Even if the truth is discovered, the animosity that builds up takes forever to dissipate. Sometimes the air is never really cleared.

Of course, it is important for you to know what is causing meltdowns or downturns in your company’s production. That is the only way that you can fix the problem and start forging forward again. It is often very tough to do this without upsetting the delicate balance of egos that make up your staff.

The practice of tossing around blame and accusations can often be avoided with some preliminary action on your part (and that of your management). Here are a few suggestions:

• Set the precedent in your work environment that allows anyone to come to you privately to discuss a problem without repercussions. Be sure that there is no flame throwing at these meetings, just genuine concern for the overall well being (or safety) of the company.
• Realize that not everything that goes wrong is someone’s fault. Sometimes it is the result of an outside miscommunication, bad or incomplete instructions, gut reaction to a change in circumstances etc. Find out all of the facts before putting anyone on the hook for the mistake.
• Don’t get caught up in the fury. Don’t allow yourself to play favorites or to jump to quick conclusions. Even those who make mistakes more often than others get it right most of the time (if they don’t, they should have been dismissed long ago). Give everyone the benefit of the doubt until proven guilty.
• Be certain that everyone is well-trained and qualified for the position that they are in. ‘Fudging’ in this area, especially when the position influences others, is asking for disaster.
• Let everyone know that if they make a mistake they should come to you FIRST so a domino effect does take place. While you don’t have to applaud their making the mistake, you should commend them for having the guts and the wherewithal to step forward and admit it.
• Retrain anyone who makes a mistake. Don’t just assume that they will know what to do from now on. This is especially true if it was a judgment call on their part. Let them know how you want them to think.
• Teach everyone, not just your management, critical thinking skills. I have never come across a company that does this on an ongoing basis with their entire staff, but it could avoid otherwise catastrophic mistakes.
• If you split your employees up into ‘teams’ get to know your staff well enough that you can avoid unpopular or unproductive pairings. Some personalities will never work together smoothly, and matching them up so they can ‘work it out’ only works at ‘teambuilding’ retreats.
• Be the first to admit that you have made a mistake. It’s hard for your employees to connect with someone who presents himself as ‘perfect’. Show that you are human, and that you acknowledge that your staff is human as well.

As the CEO or business owner, you set the tone for the entire business. This is true regardless of the size of the company, the field that it’s in or the structure of the workforce. What you say and how you say it will dictate how your staff conducts themselves. What you do and how you do it will convey how you want your staff to behave. Set a tone of open communications from the beginning, and your employees will follow your example every day.

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

I have heard people say so many times that they are dedicated to making their business a success. And most of the time they really, honestly and truly are. But there are other times when business owners truly believe that they are dedicated to making their business work, but their words and actions tell a slightly (or gravely) different story.

For example, a store owner who closes his shop a half hour early to make sure he sees the whole football game on TV is probably not as dedicated as he might think he is. Now this may seem trite and nit-picky to you. But, it would be a tremendous annoyance to a customer who made a special trip across town to purchase something only to find the place locked up tight. It not only shows a total disregard for the store’s customers, but also idereases the chances of making a great end-of-the-day sale. I recall managing a clothing store and having someone come in 10 minutes before closing and staying an hour! I would have been angry, but at the end of that hour, the customer bought $1,500 worth of men’s suits!

Other tell-tale signs of a less-than-dedicated owner include not following up on customer requests or complaints, ignoring safety challenges, not paying bills on time even though there is not a cash flow problem or refusing to work weekends or late nights. I could list hundreds of examples. Each one of these says that there is something more important to the owner than making certain that the business is and remains healthy.

Of course, there is a flip side to this coin – the over-dedicated business owner. This is a person who disregards everything and everyone else for the sake of the business. This might include his friends, family and his health. It’s the person who eats, sleeps and breathes his business, and nothing can get in his way. This kind of behavior can obviously cause just as much damage to the business’ success as the under-dedicated business owner’s if it gets out of control. 

What does dedication mean to you when it comes to your business? Are you willing to go the extra mile for your customers, your employees, your vendors and your investors? Do you put in as many hours as it takes to make the business work, without hurting yourself or anyone else? Are you aware of everything that is happening in your business without being unnecessarily over-protective?  Do you sleep well at night knowing that you have done all that you should have to protect and grow your business that day?

Having a healthy and well-balanced dedication to his business gives you the best chance of long-term success. Your mind stays clear and guilt-free so that you can make accurate decisions. And, more importantly, you will readily earn the respect of the people involved in or with your business. There is no better feeling than knowing that the people around you will go to bat for you when you need them because they recognize how important both they and the business are to you!

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

We all feel most comfortable when we have things under control. Of course, ‘under control’ can mean different things to different people. For some, it means making enough money. For others it might mean having balance between their work and their private lives. Still others feel in control when they are fulfilled by their spiritual life. Many people feel under control only if they are secure in their relationship with their spouse or significant other. You may be troubled because you don’t have a handle on your health, your weight, your job etc. Whatever it means to you, when you get there it is certainly a good feeling.

Unfortunately, many people never experience that sense of contentment that comes from having things ‘under control’. It might be because of their high-strung nature, their tendencies to be disorganized, or their inability to attain the goals that they have set for themselves.  They may not make enough money to live on, be in a bad relationship or even no relationship at all. Whatever the reason, it leaves them feeling uneasy, anxious and sometimes discombobulated. It can cause ulcers, headaches, stress and so much more!

Moving from feeling out of control to feeling in control is not always the easiest task to achieve. Sometimes we get caught up in just trying to get caught up! We may feel overwhelmed, confused, incapable, incompetent etc.  It can be a long and even tedious process, but well worth putting in the effort!

Here are some ideas to help you get and keep control of your life:

• Know what causes you to feel off-center. It may be one thing, or it may be several. Be honest with yourself. You can’t fix things if you don’t know exactly what is broken. In particular, look at these areas of your life: social, spiritual, financial, family, work, recreation and personal. 
• Prioritize the list you’ve developed, with the most vital changes at the top of the list. Chances are that the ones that weigh heaviest on your mind will take the most effort. Work on just one at first. Don’t try to fix all of the bigger things at once. Seeing success in one will motivate you to tackle the next one.
• Determine to what level things need to change. Sometimes making small adjustments can make a huge difference. For example, making a ‘to do’ list and prioritizing the tasks on it can quickly help someone who feels overwhelmed with too many demands. It can turn a life of confusion into a more organized and productive one.
• Ask for help and support in coming up with a plan to change the things you’ve identified need changing. Find people who have these areas of their work or personal life in balance, and ask them how they do it. Most people are more than happy to share their wisdom and experience with someone who really wants to learn!
• Find an accountability partner. Ask someone you trust to watch over you to make certain that you are doing the things that you’ve identified need to be done to regain control.
• Keep on keeping on. Some things will be harder to accomplish than others. Temptation to return to old habits will often be difficult to refuse. Keeping the end goal in mind and in front of you will help you stay focused.
• Be aware that many things can’t be changed in a day, a week, a month or even in a year. However, things that will take a long time to change, such as losing weight, can be broken down into smaller, more attainable steps. Many problems are the result of old, ingrained habits that are tremendously difficult to break. Cut yourself some slack, but don’t make excuses!
• Reward yourself continuously. Everyone needs a pat on the back. There is nothing wrong with giving yourself one! If you’ve been consistent in doing the little things that you’ve broken your bigger goals down into, be sure to congratulate yourself. Of course, don’t reward yourself with something that will reverse the hard work you’ve put in.

Often times, just being engaged in the process of making changes is enough to cleanse our spirit considerably. With serious intent, reasonable expectations, consistent effort and unwavering patience, you can change anything in your life that causes you to feel out of control!

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

It is difficult to know exactly what lies ahead for our lives and our businesses. Things change so quickly sometimes, both for the good and for the bad. We can look at history, which has a tendency to repeat itself. We can look at our own habits and that of our company, which tend to yield the same results time after time. We can study the trends, doing our best to predict what the next big wave or craze will be. We can poll everyone we meet to try to determine what the public is thinking and what they are really hungry for. Then again, some people call on fortune tellers, their horoscope, tarot cards, numerology etc. to predict their futures.

The truth of the matter is that it is impossible to know with 100% certainty what tomorrow will bring. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tornadoes, can strike with hardly a moment’s notice. Someone could drive his or her car through your front wall. A faulty wire can start a costly or even deadly fire. Major challenges in one seemingly unrelated industry start affecting your own industry.

So how do you plan for the future? Here are 2 things that you can do:

1)      Expect the best! Don’t let thoughts of ‘what could happen’ cloud your vision and weigh you down. It may never happen, and you will have spent all of your time worrying instead of building. Instead, build a strong team and utilize their wisdom, skills, knowledge and experience. Together, do your due diligence to determine where you need to go, how you will get there and how you will get around any obstacles in your way. Set a positive plan of action in place. Then plow forward with great expectations. Don’t be afraid to jump in front of the curve and be the trendsetter, not the follower. 

2)      Plan for the worse! Expecting things to continue right on track does not mean throwing caution to the wind. Be sure to have a capital reserve in case you experience a money crunch for any reason. Have all appropriate insurances in place. Be sure your legal team has protected you from liability and other legal challenges. Get all necessary inspections. Always err on the side of caution. Cross your ‘t’s’ and dot your ‘i’s’. With all of the necessary precautions in place, you can move ahead with complete confidence instead of walking in fear.

Nothing helps a business grow stronger than a confident leader. That confidence comes from knowing that you have done everything within your power to avoid catastrophes that could and should have been avoided or kept under your control.

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

People love to be a part of or own anything that is new and exciting. They come out of the woodwork to buy the latest fashions or gadgets. They climb on board any trend that makes them appear or feel ‘hip’. They chat incessantly in person and online about the latest software, music, products etc. that come out.

People are also inclined to clamor around a strong CEO or business owner who is launching or growing a different, innovative or somehow-intriguing business. They offer to help in any way that they can, often on their own dime or time. They enjoy being along for the voyage. They like being around someone who is creating a stir or making things happen. They look forward to being able to say, “I was there when that company was just…” It makes them feel like they are partially responsible for that person’s and that company’s success.

It is never too late for any business owner to create this kind of buzz and develop this kind of loyalty and volunteer support! It doesn’t matter if the business is still in the concept stage or already hugely successful. The secret is get people involved and/or excited! How do you do that? Here are some suggestions:

• Ask for help or support. Don’t be shy. Ask your friends, colleagues, business associates etc. Post your requests on websites like LinkedIn. You’ll be amazed who and how many people will step up to the plate for you.
• Be excited! Excitement is contagious! People love to be around someone who is passionate about what they are doing. They want something to be excited about too!
• Stay positive and confident. Nothing turns people off more than constant negativity. Nothing attracts them more than someone who inspires them with his or her great attitude.
• Ask for input from your customers, employees, vendors etc. Truly pay attention to what they have to say. Let them know that you value their thoughts, opinions and ideas! Remember, they want to be part of your success!
• Communicate often. Utilize blogs, RSS feeds, social networks and other forms of social media. Keep it interactive. Constantly thank all of your supporters, customers etc.
• Never take anyone for granted. Be sure to sincerely thank and reward everyone! Surprise them with small gifts, important discounts etc. If they know you’re not out just to take as much as you can from them, they’ll be much more inclined to help you whenever you need them to.
• Keep it fresh. New products, new colors, new designs, new advertising (how many Geiko commercials are there?), innovative changes etc. all keep everyone interested and curious about what you’ll surprise them with next.
• Provide exceptional service. Go above and beyond the call of duty to please your customers, vendors, employees etc. They will tell everyone about you!
• Be teachable. Wiser or more experienced people will be glad to mentor you if they know you are anxious to learn.
• Be honest and ethical. Let people know what you can and can’t do based on your current situation. Most people will be flexible in their terms, schedule etc. in order to help you.

The greatest resource that you can develop is a strong, able and willing team of supporters. They will carry you through every adversity just so that they can celebrate every victory with you!

© 2009 Vinny Ribas

This past week, something came up in my business that led to a serious branding question. I needed to know whether taking advantage of a new-found opportunity would affect the reputation of my company and cause damage to the brand identity that I am trying to build. Taking advantage of the opportunity would mean a relatively quick infusion of badly needed cash into the company.

Thanks to the vast network of people and resources that I have developed (this is a hint), I knew I had direct access to a Fortune 500 branding expert who is also a very critical thinker (Patrick Smyth). I knew that talking to him was my first move. Fortunately, I caught him on IM (instant messenger). I asked him my simple 2-sentence question. To my surprise, his answer had nothing to do with branding! He pointed out how much time this opportunity would take to develop, and how much it would take me away from my core responsibilities as CEO – raising capital, building a team, developing the vision, proving the concept etc. He also pointed out that I don’t have employees who would implement this idea, so it would all rest on my shoulders. His answer was immediate, brief and directly to the point. I understood and agreed with his perception and wise advice.

In less than one minute, I learned several very important lessons:

• Develop a strong team that can help you think through and analyze any situations that pop up, good or bad.

• Develop a deep network of people in various industries and with areas of expertise other than your own. Then use those contacts wisely to insure that you are staying on track.
• Always tap into the expertise of others when there is question at all as to what to do next. In fact, tap into them to confirm that your thinking is on the mark. This one-minute online exchange probably saved me 6 months of going down the wrong track!
• Always refer to someone who is a critical thinker. Critical thinkers see the situation not only for what it is, but also for what it can or will become. They see the other issues that run deeper than what is on the surface. In this case, I thought I had a branding challenge. Instead, it was pointed out that I had a leadership, and to some extent, an operational challenge. My mind hadn’t even drifted in that direction!
• Be very aware of anything that might try to take you away from your core duties and responsibilities. Temptations are everywhere. People will always come up with ideas on how you can expand or speed up your business. Listen attentively, but weigh the short and long term consequences. Look at all of the ramifications regarding the time it will take, the real cost involved, the effect it will have on your focus, the resources it will require, and yes, how it will affect your brand!

Wisdom comes from experience and the ability to see the big and small picture simultaneously. Surround yourself with wise people, tap into their skills and knowledge, and you will avoid making many costly mistakes along your journey.

© 2008 Vinny Ribas

“I didn’t know I was supposed to do that!” “That’s not my responsibility, is it?” “How could I have known that was going to happen?” “Why didn’t you tell me that before I did all of this work?” “How do I do that?” “Why are we doing this?”

It is not uncommon to hear questions and comments like these often from employees, board members, management and even customers. Very often the founder or CEO of a company has a very clear picture in his head of where the business is going, what needs to be done and who needs to do it. It is this leader’s responsibility to communicate all of these things, sometimes in fine detail, to everyone who plays any part in the success of the business. However, all too often there are communication breakdowns that leave people confused, dumbfounded, frustrated and even discontented. A lack of communications can also cost the company a considerable amount of time and money.

People need to be directed so that they can complete their jobs or fulfill their responsibilities effectively, efficiently and confidently. Sometimes, just as importantly, they want to be ‘kept in the loop’. It makes them feel important, aware that they are making a valuable contribution with their work. It also keeps everyone on the same page, driving toward the same goal.

Here are some ways to communicate effectively with your team:

• Meet with them in person. No matter who they are, face-to-face time with the ‘boss’ is greatly appreciated. This is especially true if there is no ‘hidden agenda’ behind it. This can be accomplished just by visiting them in a group setting, or meeting with them one-on-one.
• Have a corporate newsletter. You may have several different ones for your investors, your employees, your customers and your management team. Report the good and the bad so that there are no surprises.
• Use e-mail whenever appropriate. Keep in mind that email can seem cold and emotionless. It should never completely replace face-to-face opportunities.
• Keep the lines of communication open. It is important that everyone knows that they can come to you with their questions, concerns or ideas.
• Keep the company’s mission (and possibly your vision) in front of everyone as much as possible. This might mean including it in your newsletter, prominently posting signs of it all around your business, having it printed on the back of your business card, having it on the home page of your website etc.
• Have a well-written, detailed personnel manual that serves as a reference guide and eliminates confusion.
• Have job descriptions for everyone. Be sure that they understand and agree with their job and responsibilities. Have them sign off on it.
• Convey your appreciation and recognition in public. Convey reprimands and warnings in private.
• Make everyone a winner when things are going well. Recognize their team efforts. And when things are going wrong, let them be part of the solution. Everyone else sees things from a different perspective than you do!

It is important to note that you also need to have the support of your family. They can only support you if they too are kept in the loop. Keeping secrets or hiding anything that might affect them is not a wise thing to do. No one likes surprises, especially bad ones. You never know when they might have a helpful idea or offer a solution that you couldn’t see because you were too close to the situation.

When everyone is on the same page, your company can move forward with the precision of a championship rowing team! It is that kind of team spirit that allows companies to withstand pressure and overcome challenges, ultimately emerging profitably on the other side.

© 2008 Vinny Ribas

When someone hears your name, what do you think is the first thing that comes to his or her mind? Is it the way you look (haircut, size, clothing choice etc.), the way you sound (accent, soft voice etc.), your personality, your temperament or maybe your ethics? When someone who knows you is asked about you, what is the first thing that they will say?  Would they first tell them that about your personality? Would they first describe your physical appearance and fashion choices? Would they dive right in to how they feel when they are around you? Or would they simply send up red flags with their facial expressions?

Those few things that dominate your presence and your dealings with others are your reputation, or brand identity. They might be physical, emotional, whimsical or deadpan serious. The bottom line is this is who people think you are, whether you think it is true or not!

It is very difficult to change your brand identity once you have established it. One reason is that there will always be people who never get the chance to see the ‘new you’. That means that they always carry the image of the ‘old you’ with them, and convey that image whenever your name comes into the conversation! The second reason is that people have a tendency to believe that someone who makes sudden changes must be hiding something! It is very true that you only get the chance to make one good first impression.

This exact same principal applies to your business as well! What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone hears the name of your business? Is it the look of the business, the quality of your product or service, the geographic location of your business, the personalities of your staff, the atmosphere in your building, the way they were treated, your prices or maybe even your return policy? What are your customers and your prospects telling their friends about you? Are they recommending you outright, recommending you with some ‘disclosures’ or warning people to stay away? Do they mention your good points, or dive first into what’s wrong with your business?

Whatever people are saying about you is a major part of your brand identity. Do you know what that is? If not, it would be in your best interest to poll people on the street and ask them if they are familiar with your company. See and document what their response is and what their comments are. Many times we unknowingly get a reputation for something that we consider minor or unimportant!

Unfortunately, re-branding a business often takes a lot of time and a lot of money. You may find that you need to give your company a complete facelift, fire some employees and hire new ones, move to a better location or possibly change and advertise new prices or policies. You might even choose to close down, make your changes, then have a grand reopening to emphasize the ‘new you’! Some things require more drastic measures than others!

Of course, it is always wiser to make you how you are branded YOUR choice right from the start, instead of your customer’s and prospect’s choices! Deliberately emphasize the things that you want people to remember you for (think Wal-Mart and low prices). Put your strongest points – the things that set you apart from your competition – in front of everyone! And don’t mention those things that are just average or less than average when compared to everyone else. Your reputation should be a deliberate result of all of your efforts.