Glenn DavisFrom Idea to Reality

Risks vs. Calculated Risks

Almost all decisions in life are made with imperfect or incomplete information.

THE DECISION TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENURER IS NO DIFFERENT!

Be Passionate

• Most important trait to being successful is passion.

• Passion about the products or services you provide has a significant impact on your ability to persevere during tough times.

The Importance of a Salesperson

• You need to be a salesperson, or that needs to be your first hire.

• In the majority of start-up’s “Shoe leather” is always better than money for attracting sales.

The Plan “B” Fallacy

• Plan B’s allow you to feel ok if you don’t succeed.

• Humans naturally take the path of least resistance.

• Not having a Plan B forces you to go the extra mile and not give up when challenges feel overwhelming.

Inspiration / Recharging

• Family and Friends are concerned about your well being and not likely to tell you to jump out on your own.

• Every business owner will have multiple times where they feel the world is caving in on them.

• Entrepreneurial peer groups and inspirational media are great resources.

Have Confidence In Your Abilities

• Sometimes you have to go after an opportunity when it’s presented “ready or not”.

• Trust in your determination and ability to deliver when your backs against the wall.

Out of the Box & Out of Your Mind Thinking

Sometimes great opportunities exist, but have to be approached from a unique angle.

Kevin Kordek

Secrets to Building a Killer Team

Building a Killer Team

• Pest Control is not “glamorous”

• Pest Control is not “Sexy”

• Very Stereo-typed Employee Profile

• Unique Challenges in Recruiting

• Unique Challenges in Retention

We have Created a “New Norm”!

“Begin with the end in mind.”

~ Stephen Covey

Define the mission of the “Team”

• Sales?

• Customer Service?

• HR?

• Whole Company?

Psychometric Profiling testing

• Can be a useful tool for screening applicants.

• Can be useful for identifying leadership traits.

• Useful benchmarking tool for job ability.

• Not 100%

• Based on knowledge of job requirements.

Building a Killer Team

• Do you know what the ideal ‘Team” member looks like?

• Do you know them when you meet them?

“The key to building a killer team is knowing what and who you are looking for.”

Job Security

• Build an entrepreneurial culture (ownership).

• Reward excellence publicly.

• Allow the “Team” to grow with the company.

• Ask “why” more than telling them “what” or “how”.

• Ask them what they would do if it were up to them.

• “The best way to help an employee see their future is to let them be a part of it”.

How do measure results?

• How does the “Team” know when they are hitting their “Team” goals?

• Who holds the Team accountable?

• How often? Pavlov…Stimulus-Response Theory

• What are the consequences?

Mediocrity is the enemy of greatness!

• Do you reward mediocre performance?

• Do you promote from within?

• Do you train, lead and support for greatness?

• Do you share your vision of the future?

• Do your employees see themselves as a part of a killer team?

Eric Brown

Standing Out From the Crowd

• Declining business because of the internet/email

• Low barrier to entry in business creating many competitors

• Decision process in choosing a courier company faulty

• Increase in competition and rapid growth in industry

• High barrier to entry and longer sales cycle

• Decision process in choosing a fulfillment company faulty

My Challenge

Proposal

$100.00

Proposal

$95.00

Competing on Price - Unsustainable

CheapestPrice

LowerProfits

FewerResourcesTo Service Customer

Hire People For Less &

Accept Lower Standards

Lower Standards

equals harder to manage People

Inconsistent Service –

Lose Customers

Inconsistent Service –

Lose Customers

Lower Retention of People

Lower Retention of People

Value Propositio

n Left: Price, not Service

Value Propositio

n Left: Price, not Service

Lack of Profit Depletes Passion & Ability To Offer Great Service or Products

Red Ocean

•Compete in existing market space•Beat the competition•Exploit existing demand•Make the value/cost trade-off•Align the whole system of a company’s activities with its strategic choice of differentiation or low cost

Blue Ocean

•Create uncontested market space•Make the competition irrelevant•Create and capture new demand•Break the value/cost trade-off•Align the whole system of a company’s activities in pursuit of differentiation and low cost

• Figuring out our Hedgehog (again) is on going process and takes time; not something you can do 2 hours in a coffee shop.

• Started this process in January 2008, then again in 2011 – Took key people out of the business for 2 days for planning session

• SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats)• 4-5 months ago had key staff read Good to Great together and discuss

in weekly Managers Meetings• Great @ and Profitable @ - Discovered.• Hit a mental wall. What am I truly passionate about?• Kept searching and constant reflection• My Turning point

• 4 months ago• Saw an inspiring video to lead

me to change (Simon Sinek, Author of Start with Why)

• One of my mentors introduced me to someone that had a similar challenge of:

• Competing in a Red Ocean• Figuring out what makes

money• Stepping outside of the

competition

Create a movement, not a mission statement

•People Buy Based On Why, Not What or How

Those That Led With Why Compared To Competitors Who Didn’t

VS.

VS.

VS.

Most Airlines

Samuel P. Langley

• If you don’t know what your why is, how will you get those to buy in or develop loyalty?

• Sell to those who believe as you believe (Your Why)

• Goal to hire people who believe as you believe – will get more committed Team

Why?Why?• How will your why help others?• What is your purpose or reason for

existing

To help our clients build a great ecommerce business and creating great experiences for their customers

HowHowBy Outsourcing The Experience of Servicing Their Customers, Our Clients Can Focus on Their Why. This allows them to become great.

WhatWhatSurvey Customers about their package, Branded materials, Technology, Automation, etc.

Jack Welch/GE: If you can’t be number 1 or 2 (best in the world at), stop doing it.

Who?Who?• Who will you bring on to

build an organization based on your why?

• What values does your company have to attract the right kind of TEAM?

• What is your culture like?Good to Great: First Who, Then What

Communicating Your Why

Communicating Your Why

• This is the beginning• Know your Why and

following through takes discipline – Lettuce Test

• Do your people know Why?• Do you have people who

believe in the Why?• Story about an experience

where they didn’t

• If your people don’t know the why, how do you expect them to take care of your client properly?

• Giving your people the ability to think and act based on your why

Why Vs. How PeopleWhy Vs. How People

• Primarily Two Types of people in Organizations – Why and How People

• Fewer Why People• Why people need How

people – Many ‘Why’ fail in life – why?

• ‘How’ people get things done• Walt & Roy Disney

Companies That Had Lost Sense of Their Why

Help Them With Their Business

Start With Why

Attract Clients That Value Your

Why

Attract or Hire People Who Believe In The Why

Build A Great Relationship With Your

Client

Creating Raving Fans

Creating Raving Fans

Get Referrals and Grow

Your Business

Get Referrals and Grow

Your Business

No Competition as long as your client believes in Your Why

No Competition as long as your client believes in Your Why

Internet:Video of Simon Sinek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4Good to Great: http://www.jimcollins.com/media_topics/hedgehog-concept.html#audio=79

Stephanie DownsWhere to Go From Here?

Why Want to Be An Entrepreneur?

“Be my own boss!”

“Do things MY way!”

“More flexible schedule.”

“Achievement and self fulfillment.”

My Journey

1999 2003 2006 2008 2009 2012

Exit PlanningExit Planning

Partial ExitPartial Exit

Full ExitFull Exit

How To Exit

• Decide on the End Goal

• Run the Numbers

• Map Out the Journey

Ways to Exit

• Shut It Down

Ways to Exit

• Shut It Down

• Sell the Business

Ways to Exit: Selling

• Your #2

• Employees

• Family / Friend

• Outside Party

Ways to Exit

• Shut It Down

• Sell the Business

• Replace Yourself

Ways to Exit: Replace Yourself

• It Is Possible

• But Be Selective

• Won’t Happen Over Night

• Set Milestones

• Pay on Performance