What About The Very Small Business?

Business magazines love to brag about how they are the voice of small business. But we must have different definitions of the word small. They focus on subjects such as payroll financing, venture capital, headhunters, and TV ad campaigns. What about the 'micro' businesses? You know, the one employee, mom and pop operation looking for advice and camaraderie.

Well, this is where I can help. My book, The Six Common Small Business Failures, as well as this blog was created to help the 'micro' companies compete and grow.

I want this blog to be an interactive destination for us - the very small business owners. Far too often we are talked to as if we are dumb. We get simple 'how to' babble while the more established entrepreneurs get legitimate insight and thoughtful written conversation. We only get told what to do while the big guys are asked, consulted, or suggested to.

My vision for this site is to use our energy to spark great conversations - the ones that add value to our businesses and our lives. So spread the word that we have a refuge - a place for the very small business leaders!

Frederick Jones

Noverhead Publishing

www.donotfail.info

www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

fredvjones37@hotmail.com

A Truthful Leader

Leaders are the source of encouragement among its people. Just as parents attempt to show their children the right path, so should business leaders show their surrounding interest proper conduct. Did you notice that I did not only say employees? This is because everyone tends to notice our conduct. Leaders that demand truthful behavior around them makes a bold statement to suppliers, salespeople, competition, and government agencies as well as its own workforce. So in this brief writing, I would like to remind some and tell others to be a leader with high moral standards. Of course, this is unless you want your people to think that bending the rules is acceptable.

Messages are sent to others in our walk, talk, facial expressions, and so on. Therefore, honesty needs to be portrayed in every mannerism we have. We must talk the talk as well as walk the walk.

The benefits of truthful behavior are not always apparent to business leaders. But we should remember the thousands of ‘white collar’ criminals in jail as well as the purposes in business – to make money while enhancing the world we live in. Our goal is to make an HONEST living by providing quality products and services to our customers. A truthful leader has a much better chance to succeed than a scam artist. Nice people can and do finish first. God bless you!

Frederick Jones
Noverhead Publishing
www.donotfail.info
www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com
fredvjones37@hotmail.com

The Four Components of Business

We have thousands of thoughts that run wildly through our minds. Well, I needed a way to organize my business thoughts as well as my writings. I developed the Four Components of Business system. This system allows me to place my emphasis on each area as needed. The four components are management, marketing, financial, and legal. I challenge each of you to find a business topic that can’t be ‘shoehorned’ into one of the four components. For example, shrinkage (theft of inventory) is put into the management section but could be spoken of in the financial section. I choose management because rules should be put in place immediately, by management, to prevent shrinkage from occurring. But it affects finances also. It has to be accounted for due to its negative impact on the bottom line. So it is obvious that my theory is not perfect but it does work. With all of the business chores to be done, it helps to have a way to organize one’s thoughts. I set all tax and regulatory matters in the legal section and I think of these issues only when it is time to ‘open the legal component box’. This system actually helps prevent wondering whether all of the tasks of the day are done. Not worrying yields peace which then allows for creativity to be maximized.I use these same components when conducting meetings. An ideal meeting should have a brief introduction, discuss each thought in the management component section, then review each remaining component, and lastly a overview and action plan conveyed by the leader of the meeting. Good meetings are the sole responsibility of leaders and bad meetings can ruin the creativity and organization of a company.The Four Components of Business system works. Organization is an admirable trait that business champions possess. However, organization can be learned. Try this system and let me know how it works. It is used throughout my book, The Six Common Small Business Failures. You can reach me via email at fredvjones37@hotmail.com.

Frederick Jones

Noverhead Publishing

www.donotfail.info

www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

fredvjones37@hotmail.com

Ready To Succeed

A few weeks ago, I put together a PowerPoint presentation just in case any speaking engagements came my way. Well, one lunch with a prominent leader led to two invitations to speak about my book, The Six Common Small Business Failures...and how to avoid them! - one of which I cannot attend. Nevertheless, I would be in trouble if I had not prepared myself (my mind particularly).

Today's message is to be ready for opportunities. Positive thinking helps us to see the need to be ready even if the phones are silent and the Inbox is empty. Great leaders use idle time to prepare for the busy times. Honestly, I do not know if I am or ever will be a great leader. All that I try to do is imitate great leaders and good things happen. To learn more about champions - or great business leaders, be sure to purchase my book at www.donotfail.info.

Frederick Jones

Noverhead Publishing

www.donotfail.info

www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

fredvjones37@hotmail.com

Planning Is Free!

People often look at me strangely because I research business ideas with many questions unanswered. Questions such as

• Can you get financed for this venture?
• Do you have the ability to operate this business?
• Where would you find staff members for such a strange operation?

It is good to plan with a creative mind. Currently, I am researching a opportunity that would involve millions of dollars. No worries. It is not costing me a dime to jot down my ideas, ask a few questions, or create "what if" scenarios.

Don't let naysayers discourage your creativity. Good plans, like good companies, can stand the test of time. So if it takes ten years before an idea becomes a reality, so be it! Besides, planning can be a fun way to stimulate your brain while working a boring yet well paying job.

Frederick Jones

Noverhead Publishing

www.donotfail.info

www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

fredvjones37@hotmail.com

Do You Make This Marketing Mistake?

You have the right product. The research has been done and the findings are promising. You have defined your target market and you know just how to reach them. Yet something is terribly wrong. Marketing is the process in which we figure out how to put our offerings in the proper place for consumers to react to them. Several mistakes are made during this courtship. But there is one mistake that is made over and over again yet is so preventable.

What is the mistake? Simply put, we do not listen to our customers. We talk about everything from innovations to affordability. But we do not appreciate the words of wisdom given to us daily by the very people who keep us in business. In my book, The Six Common Small Business Failures, arrogance is discussed in detail. Arrogant behavior does not allow us to listen because we think that we know it all. Businesses exist to fulfill needs. And the best way to understand the needs of our customers is to listen to our customers. Listening is an admirable and humble trait.

But it does not stop at the customers. We have to listen to market conditions as well as our own knowledge gained from previous shortcomings. Listening to our mentors, advisors, and most importantly, our God is necessary for business success also. We can be keenly aware of our best next move if we only listen.

We have two ears so let’s use them. We should listen in an attempt to relate to others. Building relationships is the backbone of business growth. I can listen and learn from my customers (you!), so contact me via email at fredvjones37@hotmail.com.


Frederick Jones
Noverhead Publishing
www.donotfail.info
www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

When Will The Recession End?

When will America officially emerge from the current recession? I wrote an article on this subject in January, 2009. This article concentrated on who will lead us out of this economic downturn. In addition, The Six Common Small Business Failures reminds us that temporary situations should not ruin businesses. Proper planning encourages leaders to operate within proper financial parameters, thus preparing the business for hard times. For the record, poor planning is Failure #1 in my book!

I don't know when we will emerge from this mess. I think that it will be sooner rather than later. My job is to be prepared for opportunities that present themselves to me as well as my company, Noverhead Publishing. I hope that you do the same.

Thank you for your time. Please keep the comments and emails coming.

Frederick Jones

www.donotfail.info

www.fredjonesletstalkbusiness.blogspot.com

fredvjones37@hotmail.com