Join TAB Fort Worth today!
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| TAB Fort Worth Anniversaries
April
402 Board
Jennifer Carter
Jon Pastusek
501 Board
Jon Brancato |
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| Hear How We Help Our Members |
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| Event Details |
| Watch for Upcoming Events
Summer 09 - LinkedIn Business Online Network presented by Ed and Valerie Riefenstahl, Certified LinkedIn Instructors
Fall 09 - Email Marketing Workshop presented by Julie Niehoff, Development Director at Constant Contact |
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Attend Business Bites Lunch 'N Learn on May 6, 2009
Dealing with Challenging People and Situations
Presented by Dr. Connie Sitterly, Senior Human Resource Consultant, OneSource Virtual HR
Does dealing with challenging people seem to drain your time, energy and focus? Does morale, productivity or service suffer?
Is 80% of your people time going to that 20% challenging?
Dealing with different types of people day in and day out can prove a challenge in today's fast-paced environment. Reduce frustration and gain practical solutions by learning how to deal with challenging people and situations in this interactive session (challenging people may include employees, customers, suppliers, etc.).
This course is designed to help you:
- reduce frustration in dealing with challenging people and marginal performers
- respond in ways that get results and sustain goodwill
- communicate with tact and sensitivity
- gain practical solutions to dealing with challenging people and marginal performers
The Workplace Doctor™ is in. . .
Wed. 5/6/2009; 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM
Tech Fort Worth, 1120 South Freeway, Fort Worth 76104
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| Schedule a TAB Speaker for your organization |
| The Alternative Board (TAB) of Fort Worth possesses a Speakers Bureau comprised of individuals from various companies and industries. The range of topics is varied (finance, the environment, new technologies - such as LinkedIn business network, ethics, energy efficiency, and small business management, to name a few).
Click here for a list of topics.
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| Quick Tips |
New Employee Retention
When looking to hire a new employee, include in the recruiting process a description of the company and the potential growth opportunities of the position being filled. This will help applicants get a feel for a possible future with the company and positively impact employee longevity.
Steven Oh
Ameriprise Financial
Long Island, NY
Handling Declining Sales in a Competitive Market
Maintain contact with competitors in your area. Market conditions may make them look at closing or selling at a great price. We have taken over two companies in the last six months and have the opportunity for a third.
Tarrie Richmond
Richmond Paper and Ink
San Antonio, TX
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| TAB in The News |
For a full listing of press hits, please visit our In the News page.
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| Now Available: Click on the above book cover to order your copy of The Wall Street Journal business book best-seller the 9 Elements of Family Business Success by Allen E. Fishman, Founder and Chairman of The Alternative Board®. |
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Touted as the most valuable and beneficial business advisory organization in the world, The Alternative Board® (TAB) has been featured in leading business news sources from the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, the Washington Post, CNN and many others.
The essential and critical counsel and value The Alternative Board® consistently delivers to small and medium size businesses, and the immediate impact it brings to its client organizations is an essential element for any organization that intends to thrive. | |
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| Financial
Find Time for Tax Planning |
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I find many business owners are both frugal and always pressed for time, until it's too late. It's rare to find business owners who have a routine of spending an hour or more with their CPA's or other Financial Advisors planning for the current and coming year as it relates to something as potentially profitable as taxes.
What follows is a starter checklist for you to consider as you start next year's planning and saving:
1. Review your business structure and consult with your accountant. Ask if it is the best for you.
(sole proprietorship, C Corp, S corp. LLC, etc.)
2. What tax planning ideas and processes do we need to put more energy into? (tax credit opportunities, 179c options, un-document expenses, etc.)
3. Should the firm consider reviewing its retirement plans or installing one? (cost, type of plan, what options
could bring more benefits in a more efficient manner)
4. What business suggestions from the CPA's point of view might benefit your outcomes as an enterprise?
This is a simple illustration that rarely fails to deliver tangible financial benefits to those people who take the time and ask advisors to help them make better choices. By the way, please let your Accountants/Financial Advisors get past April 15 before starting these discussions, so they'll have time to focus on YOUR needs and concerns.
Have a great month!
David H. Diesslin, MBA, CFP® Diesslin & Associates, Inc. |
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Showcase your company's elevator pitch
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We recently refined our elevator pitch and developed a wallet size card for all our team. On the front of the card is the 50-word elevator pitch, which includes the top three reasons our clients hire us. On the reverse side of the card, we included three questions our team members can then ask as a follow up conversation should the opportunity arise. ("What challenges are you currently facing in your business?"). At monthly team meetings, members rehearse the elevator pitch and share examples of how the pitch and questions have been useful in developing client contact.
Beth Chase, C-3 Consulting, Nashville, TN
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Member Highlight Common threads found in TAB |
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Jon Pastusek, Co-Owner, XS Sight Systems, Inc., Horizon Tech and Practical Industries, Inc. (402 Board)
Jon became a member of TAB after graduating from TCU's MBA program. His reasons for joining TAB: continuing education, an opportunity of personal growth and challenges separate from family, and most of all accountability from a peer group who can see the business from an outside perspective.
He definitely got that and more from TAB. He found a lot of common threads among the different owners in personal motivation, desire for continual self and business improvement, a strong will to help others succeed and most of all. . . business owners don't quit (though sometimes they consciously change direction). The friends he has made at TAB, including Ed and Val Riefenstahl and fellow board members, will surely endure through his business years and beyond. Jon is a member of Board 402 which he proclaims to be the best board in the history of TAB!
Jon states "as a co-owner of family businesses, TAB has proven to be an invaluable outside resource to help us improve a controlled direction of each company and especially the collective future plans of myself and my father. All the shared experiences and resources of the other board members have greatly facilitated my personal growth and most importantly be a much stronger partner."
XS Sight Systems, Inc. manufactures, distributes and sells premier pistol, rifle and shotgun sights as well as scope mounts and other supreme tactical accessories. XS Sights is a provider for many firearm manufacturers including: Berretta, Remington, Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. XS Sights are currently in use by Federal (DEA), State and Local branches of the police force, and many different levels of the armed forces (including rangers, delta & navy seals).
Sister company Horizon Tech Industries, Inc. is a high precision CNC job shop that manufactures all the components for XS Sights. Horizon Tech has been manufacturing for over 23 years in most major industries including medical, automotive, aeronautical, defense, industrial, oil and gas.
Practical Industries, Inc. was founded with the intent of designing new or improving old technologies throughout various industries. The mission of the company is to develop top tier products and services from concept to completion in large and niche markets that will make a positive impact on people's lives. |
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New Member Highlight Joining TAB to learn and gain insights |
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Randy Hudson, CEO, New Era Transport (401 Board)
From TAB, Randy Hudson seeks the benefit of a variety of experiences from other business owners in diverse industries, where he can learn and gain insights into implementing processes and practices that will enable New Era to better weather and manage the vicissitudes of uncontrollable economic cycles.
New Era Transport is a shipping broker focused on truck transportation in the U.S. and Canada. Randy has had over 20 years experience in shipping. Though New Era Transport was launched in June 2008, its genesis stems from Swan Transportation DFW, where Randy and his former partner were the first agents signed by Swan in 1998.
In the 10 years leading up to the launching of New Era Transport, the DFW office was the top producing office in the Swan Transportation System in all of those 10 years. In 2004, Randy bought out his partner.
Randy is an active member in the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), from where he attained CTB certification (Certified Transportation Broker). His vision for New Era Transport is to "be the standard for integrity in his industry," and to provide transparency and timely updates for clients to make their "shipping experience easy and one of trusted comfort."
Randy has previously been part of a Mastermind group. He loves learning and helping others grow.
A guitarist, every weekend he plays in a group that performs at the Unity Church in Dallas. He and Lisa have been married 14 years, and have a "blended family" of five: three boys from Randy's first marriage and two girls from Lisa's first marriage. Ages range from 22 to 29.
"New Era Transport is the 100% best thing we have going right now, you communicate well and stay in contact with us in transit. You are willing to work with us on anything we need. You guys really embody the term "partnership" and it means a lot to us! Thanks for the fast reply: you continue to be the best we have done business with."
- Jason Houp, Alliance Airlines
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OneSource Virtual HR Tip Follow these steps for employee terminations
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If you discovered an employee committing an illegal act, terminate the employee by following these suggested steps.
Call internal security if available and notify law enforcement authorities. Next, arrange for their final paycheck and secure a room for private discussion with a third witness attending, preferably another manager.
Professionally and calmly state the observed offense and allow the employee to respond. Listen, then inform them that their employment is terminated and allow them to ask about their termination. Obtain the return of all company property. If appropriate, allow the employee to gather their personal items from their work area.
The terminated employee should be escorted from the premises and understand that returning is viewed as trespassing. And of course, document in detail.
Copyright 2009, Dr. Connie Sitterly, Independent Senior HR Consultant, OneSource Virtual HR
Connie Sitterly, "The Workplace Doctor," is an independent consultant with OneSource Virtual HR, a human resource consulting company based in Euless, Texas. She is an international speaker, trainer, executive coach, author, management consultant, You may reach her by phone 817.737.2893, e-mail csitterly@onesourcevhr.com or www.onesourcevhr.com |
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| Google Ads and Your Phone Number |
In your Google Ad words account, edit your ads and have your bottom line be your phone number. I recently did and it made a huge difference. For example, "Experienced Dog Movers Expert Dog Relocation Services, Call now! 1-877-738-6683 www.PetRelocation.com". This is great because many times you save a click, since they will just call and you are getting them right when they want it, not after a few clicks and call backs from your office.
Kevin O'Brien, PetRelocation.com, Austin, TX |
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| The Three Parts to Delivering Unpleasant News to Your Employees |
We sometimes have to relay unpleasant news to our employees. When communicating a negative message, such as reductions in workforce or reduced compensation, it's important to remember the three parts of such messaging:
Part one - "This is what we have done". Don't let your employees agonize over an upcoming event. Take action first, and then tell them what you have done. Employees are more likely to continue working as before when they are presented with a fait accompli.
Part two - "This is why it will work". Your message must include assurances that the action taken was appropriate, adequate and aggressive. Employees want to know that you are on top of the situation and their jobs remain safe.
Part three - "This is what you have to do". If a situation warrants negative action, employees want to help. Finish the announcement with a call to action and a sense of urgency. Remind them that their efforts are the key to recovery in the future.
TAB Board 503, San Antonio, TX
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ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE BOARD®
The Alternative Board® is comprised of members who are business owners, CEOs or presidents who run businesses in non-competing fields. During a TAB Board meeting, you receive the benefit of the collective experience of the board members, who offer practical solutions to your problems-not theories.
You can learn more about TAB, which has been helping business owners succeed since 1990, by visiting TheAlternativeBoard.com |
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