Taking the Time to Reorganize

May 17, 2012 in Business articles, Entrepreneurs | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Most entrepreneurs I know are so busy that life seems to fly by at the speed of sound. The days start to flow into each other and before you know it another year has gone by. That happens to all of us and not just with work, but with kids, life and so on. As they say you should stop and smell the roses once in a while, you should also do the same with work. Stop, take a look back at what you’ve accomplished, look forward down the road to see what you would like to accomplish. Reorganizing is like spring cleaning, it rejuvenates you, creates a new space, and adds new vitality.

When’s the best time to do this reorganization? The best time for me is when you’re reviewing your profit and loss statement which I suggest at least annually, but semi-annually or quarterly is better. Look at the numbers, look at the products or services, which ones are moving, which ones are stale? Don’t go down the road for a whole year to find out you’ve been going in the wrong direction. My business has been successful because I have been able to change direction in a short period of time when I have come across an opportunity. As entrepreneurs our best plan for success is being able to change at rapid pace. Larger companies can’t change directions as fast as we can.

Remaining successful is about change, and change is about knowing the direction that is best for you. Don’t get caught behind the eight ball because you didn’t look at flow of your business. Stop, evaluate, and reorganize!

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for entrepreneurs. More information can be found on his websites at www.outridge.ca or www.bruceoutridge.com

The Business Plan

The Business Plan

How Far Will You Go For Business Connection?

May 10, 2012 in Business articles, Entrepreneurs, Marketing | Tags: , , , , , | 1 comment

As many of you know these days the world of business is largely who your connected with. That is why platforms like Linkedln have become so popular. Many times just getting to know someone is half the battle in getting the sale or project. This can happen in an impromptu meeting someplace and turn into a great working relationship. This has happened to me many times. Recently I was at an event where Dragon’s Den star Kevin O’Leary was giving a talk on investing. He told a story of how he was asked to go on a television show called Dancing with the Stars not to dance but introduce someone. Kevin refused the invitation explaining it would take him six hours flying one way for a two minute line. The producer got him to think about it by relaying he would be sitting next to Steve Wozniak, the other half of the Apple Company and someone that Kevin had always wanted to meet. Kevin accepted the invitation and the end result was a large business deal that never would have happened if Kevin hadn’t accepted the invitation.

So how far will you go for a connection? My wife sometimes doesn’t understand why I go to this meeting and that meeting sometimes with no result coming out of it. I explain things work in mysterious ways and many times months later the phone will ring and someone will have seen me at an event or read my articles in the magazines I write for. In business many times the payback comes at a much later date. We may not always drive or go far to make a connection but I am sure there are many of us that go to functions, get stood up for meetings, and generally think sometimes that being an entrepreneur is just a big waste of time. Then other days when there seem to be no business in sight the phone will ring with a large order. The secret is to accept every invitation within reason whether you see the potential for business or not because meeting people is half the battle.

In this world who you know and the connections you have are the first earmark of a successful entrepreneur. Take the opportunities and have faith down the road they will lead somewhere.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant. He helps entrepreneurs start successful businesses. Form more information visit his website at www.outridge.ca

Kevin O'Leary Telling his story

Kevin O’Leary Telling his story

What Would You Do?

May 3, 2012 in Leadership | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Just when I think the world is becoming a little better I hear or read a story that blows my mind. Recently in the news was the story of a boy drifting at sea waiting to be rescued with his friends for days on end. Unfortunately the friends of this boy passed away waiting to be rescued but the story in the paper tells of a cruise liner passing by and people watching the boys in peril floating at sea. The passengers said they informed the crew of the sighting but nothing happened. The cruise liner kept its course and went by leaving the boys at sea. Now the reports say the Captain did not receive the communications about the boat in distress and others say he chose to stay his course. How that debate works out is yet to be seen. The reason I bring this up is that many people working for companies have specific policies in place about stopping or going off course, etc to help someone. As a professional truck driver in my career I have helped many people at the side of the road. A company I worked for gave me an award for helping an elderly couple stuck at the side of the road with a flat tire. That same company after a corporate merger years later put a policy in place against stopping to help people at the side of the road. So even if you want to help maybe you can’t. This topic has even prompted the television show, “What Would You Do?” showing how people react in certain situations.

You probably think I am going to tell you what you should do in these situations, but not only can I not tell you, but I don’t want to. This article is to get you to think about the person you are or the person you would like to become. I can’t even ask that question of myself, every situation is different so I really don’t know what I would do until an incident actually happens. I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the ship Captain.

If you were at the helm of the ship and assume that you did receive the message from your crew that a boat was in distress, but you have a strict policy not to change course. Would you have changed course anyway and rescued that boys in the boat or would stay the course and go on by? I believe even if you were to stay the course there are things you could have done to help, whether it be making a call, sending out a life raft, etc. I myself think I would have taken a chance to save a life, but then again that’s me.I ask you however, what would you do?

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant. More information can be found on his website at www.outridge.ca

What is your Elevator Pitch?

April 26, 2012 in Business articles, Cartoon of the Month, Entrepreneurs, Marketing | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

I am not a big fan of elevator pitches but it is important to be able to express yourself when talking with others. If you’re having trouble getting business maybe it is your explantation of what you do. Try to define your business into a one minute summary, it could be the gateway to a new world. Don’t be like the guy in this cartoon:

The Elevator Pitch

The Elevator Pitch

How Many Badges of Accomplishments Are You Wearing?

April 19, 2012 in Business articles, Complacency, Entrepreneurs, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 comments

I was watching the news the other day and a story came on about replacing trees and planting them for Earth Day. The anchor person was interviewing a professional landscaper on the different types of trees and shrubs, how they should be planted, and the type of soil that should be used. Afterwards some Girl Guides came on and they were going to plant some new trees in the chosen park. For doing this they were getting a certain badge for an environmental credit that would go on their shirt sleeves as a task accomplished. Now I remember as a boy scout having to achieve certain levels and certain achievements in order to get badges for my shirts. I also remember those kids that had their whole shirt filled with badges from shoulder to cuff. Today those badges don’t seem too important but as kids they were goals to achieve and display proudly when completed. The story the other night got me thinking however, as adults maybe we should be wearing our accomplishments on our sleeves, the boost to our own self worth may be the best thing we could do for ourselves.

As an entrepreneur and creative individual I am always coming up with ideas for products and services and finding ways for them to be part of my business. I enjoy the creative process and seeing an idea come to fruition. My list of accomplishments are quite long and most people are in awe, yet I move on the next one trying to improve or create something new. I am at fault many times for creating items and moving onto the next one before letting the first one incubate and grow. I am okay with that, that’s how I am wired. Every so often however I stop in my tracks, take some time to think, and look over all the products and awards I have attained over the years. Now I am not telling you this to boast or make anyone feel as though they should keep up, that is not the point. I have a shelf in my office that the first copy of each new book, or magazine gets a spot on the shelf. You’re probably asking yourself why I do this and why you should care? I do this for me. I have written about this before about promoting yourself within your environment. Being able to look around you and see tangible accomplishments whether it was a course taken and completed, a book created, or an item that no one else would look at, but that has deep meaning for you. They are your badges.

Why write about this? I write about this to get you to stop. Take one moment out of your day today and think about the things you have accomplished. Think about the struggles you have gone through in your life and come out on top. Think about the goals you want to attain and where they will take you on your journey. By doing this on a regular basis you will start to a appreciate the things you have accomplished, you will stop comparing yourself to others and use them as inspiration instead of competing against them. You will fill your sleeves with badges. If your sleeves are empty right now, maybe you have some work to do. If your sleeves are full then feeling good about yourself and helping others maybe the next step. Remember as we get older the sleeves may move to the walls or the shelves, but the same basic principles remain, the badge of accomplishment!

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant. He specializes in the transportation industry helping professional drivers and owner operators have successful careers. For more information visit his website www.outridge.ca

Staying Alert Begins on the Inside

April 12, 2012 in Complacency, Leadership, Safety, truck driving articles | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Driving for a living as a professional driver can be both very boring and very exciting at the same time. The rumble of the big truck, sitting high above the traffic can be a great feeling as you roll down the road. One of the biggest challenges for any driver is staying alert. The conditions may change but many times the body doesn’t change to those conditions and still has trouble staying awake. That’s because the alertness comes from the inside not the outside.

I had this happen to me on one of my trips. I was on the outskirts of Chicago heading west on a wonderful sunny day. I was on schedule, the truck was clean, the weather was perfect and the scales were closed, otherwise a perfect day. As I hummed down the road at the speed limit I started to go into that zone known as “Highway Hypnosis” or “White Line Fever” where you are awake and asleep all at the same time. This is common among truck drivers and many of use the so called C.B. radio to battle it. I had managed to get into that state and what woke me up was the dreaded voice over the radio that said, “Here he comes!” As I looked to my left I noticed a car coming through the ditch towards me. With no where to go I began to break as the car spun in my direction. As he twirled to the right side of my lane I steered to the left to avoid hitting the car. After the dust had settled and everything had stopped, the car had stopped just a few inches from my fuel tank on the passenger side. The family was okay and no one hit anyone but the driver of the car was very happy that I was able to stop. Things could have turned out much differently. I may not have been able to change the situation, but if the other driver hadn’t said anything who knows where I would have been, I was in my own zone.

So how do you stop feeling that way on long drives, many people fall asleep in a car, not a good program if you plan on being a long haul truck driver. Many times the solution is on the inside. I felt good that day and the only thing I knew was that I was ready for a coffee break and was waiting to come across a place to stop. You need to know your internal clock, maybe you are overtired from the night before but don’t realize it. Maybe you always fall asleep on long drives and shorter routes may be more of your taste. Are you night driver or a day driver, I used to have a huge problem driving at night because my internal clock wasn’t good at that time. Every person is different so it is important to find out what works for you. Many times we are hurrying around unloading, doing paperwork and other duties and it is not until we are driving down a lonely piece of highway that our bodies start to relax and drift into “the zone.” Could you imagine if we had fire places in the trucks, a nice cozy fire, a fluffy pillow, and you would be snoring in five minutes.

The best way to find out how your body ticks is to analyze it. Take note of how your body is feeling at certain times of the day. What types of situations make you tired and which ones keep you highly alert. Coffee has never woken me up on the road and if eating chips is your way of staying alert you may have other issues to deal with down the road. Much of this starts with our internal clocks and as professional drivers it is your duty to keep your truck in control on the road. Knowing your body is one way of learning when you operate best.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for the transportation industry. More information can be found on his website at www.outridge.ca

What are Safety Cards?

April 5, 2012 in Complacency, Leadership, Safety cards, Supervisor Tips, truck driving articles | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Safety cards are part of a system that I released this month to help companies in the transportation industry with their safety programs. With new regulations, budget obligations, and the nature of the industry finding ways to promote the safety message are even more important. An effective way of doing that is safety cards. This works on a variety of different levels. One the cards are inexpensive so any company can afford them, two the cards are brightly coloured so they catch the eye and attention of the recipients, three they have a humorous cartoon on the front that people will read helping to reinforce the message. On the back of the card is a story related to the particular safety topic with a specific safety message stated underneath. For added value the company logo can be added for orders of 100 cards or more. So I have talked about the cards, but the cards don’t make a system, so what is the system?

The system is three other low cost items that make the system complete. Additional items that go with the cards are a poster of the sized image of the card and an article with a story relating to the topic. Posters are $9.95 each and if you buy the poster and cards the article is free, otherwise the article is $10. The last item is up to you, it is a company piece supplied by your safety team. So how does all this work you ask?

Safety information is best handled in little chunks, little bite sized pieces. Too many companies try to hold one or two meetings a year and shove all the safety information they have down the throats of their employees in one sitting. it doesn’t work, the best way to handle safety information is ongoing, in short durations, and timely to your operation. This system meets all of that criteria and makes you look good in the long run. Here is how you set it out, every month decide the topic you want to promote. Lets use speeding, the first week you put up a poster in key locations where your employees will see it. The next week you hand out or include the safety cards in your employees statements or communications. The third week you send out the related safety article to your team either by mail or email. The fourth week you send out your own communication from the company, possibly outlining related incidents, statistics, and so forth to your employees. The next month you start at the first week with a different topic and follow the same routine. Why does this system work? As the cards and posters are humorous, the message is serious so both factors weigh into the topic. The cards stand out that the message will be kept longer than an email. The cards are small enough to be used as bookmarks and other at hand items. They may get pinned up on bulletin boards, kept to collect or handed to kids that love cartoons. Either way the safety message is getting out there. So if safety is of interest to your organization then this is a great addition to your existing safety program. There are currently twelve cards in the group and more to be added on CSA, and leadership. To preview and order the cards please visit http://shop.bruceoutridge.com or visit www.bruceoutridge.com

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is an artist, author, business consultant, and leadership speaker for the transportation industry. For more information on Bruce or his businesses and other products please visit www.bruceoutridge.com or www.outridge.ca

Speed Kills Safety Card

Speed Kills Safety Card Sample

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps

March 29, 2012 in Business articles, Entrepreneurs | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

For those of you in the visual arts I have released a book this month on how to get your business going. To purchase the book just visit my page at Lulu Publishing by clicking the link below.

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps

Are You Blocking Your Own Success?

March 22, 2012 in Entrepreneurs, Leadership | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 comment

Have you ever heard the phrase, “You’ll succeed if you get out of your own way?” There are variations of this but many people fall into this category, they stop listening. I used to work with an individual that did this constantly, he wanted to improve, get promoted and the like. He even pretended to listen and go to seminars and workshops paid for by the company of course so that he could get that certificate in his file. The problem is that he never applied any of the solutions learned in the workshops. When confronted about being a team player he would be good for about a week then fall back into his old ways of bullying those around him. It was his way or the highway. I have come across this when consulting clients in the business world. Many people only listen to their own voice and therefore push out information that can change their world. The funny thing about this is that the people who need to listen the most are the ones that listen the least. Think about it, Prime Ministers and Presidents listen to their cabinets, CEOs listen to their board members, yet entrepreneurs won’t listen to many that try to help them. Even in the workplace many that want to climb the ladder to management don’t listen or look at what is required to make that happen. Climbing the corporate ladder is more than just job performance, it is about changing your mindset as well.

So how do you change your way of thinking to create a better roadmap to the future? First open up your mind to others. You may have an opinion and may even be correct in your way of thinking, but you have to listen to others and how they feel on certain processes and operations. Become an information sponge and learn about the industry you are in and what is moving it forward. Learn how to deal with people, this alone could be the single best thing you do for your career. Dealing with people is paramount to success whether as an entrepreneur, supervisor, or CEO. You will always be dealing with people no matter what position you hold so get good at being someone that people enjoy being with. Most of all learn about your position, and the positions you strive toward. Let your peers know you are interested in other positions. If needed go back to school and upgrade yourself on computers, business or any other subjects that interest you. Management positions need people with initiative and learning without being told to do so is a great way of showing you are not afraid to step up to the plate and learn new things. The final piece is to complete your goals personally or on performance appraisals. Completing goals in a timely way is a great way to let people know you are someone that can be counted on. It is up to you to make the opportunities, the luck part is the timing.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for the transportation industry. More information can be found on his website at www.outridge.ca

Jumping off the Business Cliff with Your Own Parachute

March 15, 2012 in Business articles, Entrepreneurs | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

It was one of those things on his bucket list he just had to try, bungee jumping, this certainly was not for the faint of heart. Standing on the edge of the bridge being hooked up to the rope by the guide he felt his stomach sink to his knees. It was too late to back out now however, he would have to go forward. His mind was riddled with fear, what if the rope broke? What if he fainted and had to be rescued? What if something went wrong? With the swing of the arm by the guide he jumped without a second thought, terrified all the way down and laughing all the way up. Welcome to the world of business!

In extreme sports you are putting much of your faith in your equipment, guide experience, and other factors such as training and conditioning. In business you are putting your faith in your products and services, marketing, commitment level, and work ethic. There is always the possibility for something to go wrong. For those of us in business things probably will go wrong at some point, but that shouldn’t stop you from going into business. Just like the folks that do extreme sports preparation and training are steps that make the sport safer for the person participating. Ask yourself who feels safer, a person making their first sky jump from an airplane, or the person that has jumped four hundred times?

Starting off in business is scary for everyone and for those that can stick it out past the first couple of years usually can find their track and begin to find success. The scary part is commitment and jumping off the cliff. The secret to the success of your business is planning. Just as a sky jumper plans where to jump, where they may land, what gear they need and so on, a business owner needs to plan how they will reach their intended goal, what products and services they will offer, and how they will market themselves to the world. We all take stabs and try things, but overall the successful businesses have a plan written down that is showing them the way to their goals. There may be construction on that road now and then but you will eventually arrive at your intended destination. If you don’t plan for success you may find yourself in areas you don’t want to be.

So if you are thinking of a going into business and wonder if you are going to make it or not, the answer is yes, you may or may not make it? By creating a plan you have given yourself the best possible chance for success.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant for entrepreneurs. He helps small to medium sized businesses become successful. Form more information visit his website at www.outridge.ca

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps Book

How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps Book

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Collar to Collar Magazine

Collar to Collar Magazine

Collar to Collar Magazine

Business Cartoons by Bruce Outridge

Business Cartoons by Bruce Outridge

Business Cartoons by Bruce Outridge

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