Mercury is in retrograde . . .

“If you do "lose" something this month, chances are you'll be better off, dear Taurus. Eclipses tend to delete parts of our lives that we no longer need, even if we think we do. Let it go. You never know how much better life can be until you end one situation and begin a new one. . .”

This was my horoscope this month. Ok, I am not normally one to overly concern myself with where the planets align, but geesh this month was a doozy!! After about two years, we shut down a venture we had been incubating. A lot of the market indicators suggested that this was going to be a tough one from the start, but never under estimate hubris when it comes to launching the next best thing . . .

And while we never thought this idea was going to be the next great IPO, we did have high hopes, as does anyone starting a new venture (why else would you start it, if you didn’t?) And one of the most challenging aspects of this whole experience was letting go. Honestly, we should have wrapped it up about six months ago. For those of you familiar with The E-Myth , we had long ago shifted to working in our business instead of on our business.

So, on a particular gloomy and rainy day – reality came a callin’. I could spend the next six months trying to figure out how to fix a broken business or I could move on. We had spent a lot of money, time, and energy in this venture – was I prepared to throw that all away? Well, apparently we were going to spend even more, if it was going to be salvaged - and the outcome remained dubious at best. It was time to move on.

While the decision was painful, I think it was the right one. The clouds didn’t exactly part, but blue skies surely appeared on the horizon. We had back-burnered some projects, and now we could free up some resources to explore them. With the weight of the old project lifted, new ideas came flooding in like the old days. A sense of possibility had returned.

According to Entrepreneurial Engineering - “In general, entrepreneurs fail three times before they succeed.” Apparently, I still have 2 lame ideas left in me – LOL.

Last month’s horoscope closed with “Keep strong. Later you will see that, oddly enough, things worked to your favor. The universe works in wise and mysterious ways. Trust it . . .”

I can hardly wait for April’s horoscope!!

Are you being served? – Part II

In the past, I have written about how the little guy can be competitive with the 800 lb. gorilla. As small businesses, we have the ability to be flexible, responsive, customers connect with decision makers, etc . . .

If you were to simply follow that line of thought, we’d all be successful and corporate America wouldn’t exist.

I have something to confess, so please be gentle. . . .

I go to Starbuck’s every morning . . . there I said . . . Yes - I support the corporate behemoth . . .

Let me explain - I moved into my neighborhood about six years ago. Starbuck’s hadn’t arrived, as of yet. So, I would grab the dog and head to the local coffee shop. It was the routine. This probably went unchanged for about four years or so, and then came Starbuck’s. Ok, I admit it, I may have stopped in if it somehow worked into my travels, but for the most part I remained faithful.

My coffee shop was the place where everyone knew you name. Every morning, I chatted with a few regulars, the dog got a biscuit and the manager (who had a penchant for Journey) and I (my prom song was “Open Arms” circa 1981) always exchanged our daily pleasantries.

About six months ago, my life was thrown in turmoil. The manager took a new job and I was left to fend for myself. The old manager always worked the morning shift, the new manger preferred afternoons. So, my new coffee barista was a late teens/early twenty something perpetually hung over and typically running on an about two hours sleep.

The first to go was the morning pleasantries. The next to go was the morning selection, there used to be a variety of offerings, but the new barista only felt compelled to make a really, strong dark roast and decaf. And finally, there was the wait - every morning this new person was usually engrossed in a phone conversation about last night's adventures - and really - my order was an inconvenience (who in the world do you call at 6 am?).

It wasn’t long to I was seeking out the Seattle Elixir. “I’ll have a Grande breakfast blend with room for cream . . .”

Here’s the deal - no matter Starbuck’s I walk into, there is always someone at the counter ringing customers and a barrister preparing drinks. It doesn’t matter how long the line is, I know I out the door in less than ten minutes. When I order my Grande breakfast blend, it tastes the same, whether I am out home, on the road, or traveling abroad (OK, I did order it in Shanghai and it wasn’t same, but I think that was the cream). So Shanghai aside, I get consistency in both product and service whenever or wherever I step into a Starbuck’s store.

This is why we go to corporate merchants. Local businesses do well when there is a face to them – be it an owner or a dedicated employee. But as we grow, the oft lacked processes diminish the customer experience. You open your second location, you can't be in two places at once - do your employees treat the customers with the same care that you did? Do your clients experience the same level of consistency every time they visit, or is it dependent upon whose working that shift?

If they don't, you've got some work to do!

International Women's Day

As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, it’s time to reflect on the advances made by women. Women have more opportunities for education and stronger legal rights in many countries; but many still suffer oppression around the world. It is important to remember the struggle is far from over and women still face challenges with regard to health care, family planning and economic opportunities.

According to a study released in October 2005 - “After surveying Fortune 500 companies, not one had a woman among any of their top-five compensated officers,” said Nat Ehrlich, survey specialist for the office of survey research at Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

International Women's Day is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. This date is also commemorated at the United Nations and is designated in many countries as a national holiday. Among other relevant historic events, it commemorates the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire (New York, 1911), where over 140 women lost their lives.

Until women are fully represented at senior leadership levels of public, professional and economic life, women do not have equal rights nor an equal voice.

Check out http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

Doing you homework . . .

It was about 3:00 yesterday afternoon and the phone rang. A gentleman was calling asking for me say the he had been referred by so and so. Well first off - he got so and so’s name wrong, but I knew who he meant, so I was receptive.

He was soliciting me to speak at a conference. I was impressed. He then went on to outline the criteria of the speaker position, none of which I met. Now, I am confused? When I informed him that it probably wasn’t something I was right for, he became annoyed and ended the call. Apparently, I had wasted his time.

Hmm, he had called me. He had done no research into my background, nor had he bothered to at the very least check out our website to learn what it is that we do do!

A few days earlier, I was invited to a lunch meeting by a mutual associate to explore a business opportunity with a third party. The meeting was to potentially solicit our services to the third party’s firm. Gotta love a business referral!

At the meeting, a manager of the firm made introductions all around including me. He was well versed in my background and was familiar with some of the projects I had worked on. Wow, my friend must have done a good job pitching me.

The meeting went and I left with my associate. “I was really impressed by all that you told Mr. Smith about me,” I commented. “I didn’t,” he replied, “he asked for you web page, and must have done some research.” This gentleman had taken the time to do his homework.

Who would you rather do business with? Which one are you?

To get ahead in this world, you have to do your homework!