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Ed Riefenstahl, Facilitator, TAB Fort Worth
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| | TAB Fort Worth Anniversaries | |
Sept./Oct. Anniv.
Justin Hewlett | |
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| Hear How We Help Our Members |
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| | Quick Tips | | Getting the Return Call
When trying to reach a new prospect with a call, if I reach their voice mail I always leave a message: "It's Ian, from Tandem Medical. Please give me a call at (phone number)." This brief message is assumptive; it sounds as if they're supposed to know why I'm calling, yet they are curious because they don't know what it's about. And it works. I frequently get that return call.
Ian Alpert
Tandem Medical
Smithtown, NY
Eat One "Frog" Each Day
As owners of small businesses, we usually have to wear many hats each day. Often we put off doing the one thing that will help our business really get traction. Commit to "eating one frog" each day. Stay focused on what's important and do one thing every day that may not be your favorite task but will bring measurable value.
The Alternative Board of Western Michigan | |
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| | Event Details |
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Upcoming Events 10/6 - "Health Care Reform Audit for the Small Business Owner" - Gentrie Reisinger,
U. S. Health and Life
11/3 - "Year-ending Tax Planning Strategies for the Small Business Owner" - Susan Roberts, CPA, Tax Partner, Sanford, Baumeister & Frazier, PLLC 11/12 TAB DFW Quarterly Business Improvement Workshop 12/1 - "Financial and Business Controls to Protect the Assets of the Small Business Owner" - Josh Agren and Karanae Barrey, CPA, Audit Managers, Whitley Penn, LLP | |
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TAB Tips published in the Fort Worth Business Press | |
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| | Schedule a TAB Speaker for your Organization |
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| | TAB in The News | |
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| 4 TAB DFW companies - "Nation's Fastest Growing Companies" |
 Inc. Magazine's 500 I 5000 list showcases the nation's fastest-growing private companies, measured by revenue growth from 2006 through 2009. The following TAB DFW companies have been included in Inc. Magazine's recent listing: Magic Logix, Dallas, TX - rank #194
1488.4% growth in 3 years
WnR, The Colony, TX - rank #428
659% growth in 3 years
Microconsult, Carrollton, TX - rank #1858
43% growth in 2009 despite the economy
Skyline DFW Exhibits & Graphics, Grand Prairie, TX - rank #3329 57% growth since 2006
This distinction demonstrates the power of TAB business owner advisory boards.
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TAB Fort Worth October 6 Business Bites
Health Care Reform Audit for the Small Business Owner | This presentation is designed to be a frank and open discussion of Health Care Reform, its impact on the small business community and options for the small business owner. Our speaker is Gentrie Reisinger, U. S. Health and Life.
More details to follow soon. |
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New Member Highlight
Joining TAB for Positive Impacts
Chad Cline, Managing Partner, Tarrant Technology Partners |  For Chad Cline, being part of a local, community peer board, such as TAB, makes sense. He sees benefit in being a member of a board that is diverse. Chad joined TAB as a way of seeking new ideas, accountability, and camaraderie. He also seeks to be challenged and to be pushed to another level so that his personal improvements will positively impact on his firm and team members.
Tarrant Technology Partners (TTP) is a computer services firm founded in 2000. Over the last 18 months, Chad has moved TTP to a Managed Services model, by using a hybrid model including both "Break-Fix" and "Contract for Handle All." TTP focuses on Microsoft's "core infrastructure" products, bringing "IT Best Practices" to clients. He and his team are known for the relationships they develop with their clients.
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Perfect Day Celebration | Last February, Heinrich Envelope began a "Perfect Day" celebration to reward employees for contributing to the company's success. A Perfect Day at Heinrich involves three things:
- Zero safety incidents
- 100% on-time shipments to customers
- Zero internal or external quality complaints
When a Perfect Day is achieved, a drawing takes place to reward one employee with four hours of PTO (Paid Time Off). A certificate signed by the company president is also presented to the winning employee. All employees, except management, are eligible for the drawing.
The program has been very well received by Heinrich employees and has served to bring visibility to several key metrics. Results are posted in the lunch room daily. The program enables timely feedback to employees so that successes are rewarded immediately, and shortfalls are recognized and communicated so the team can react and perform better next time.
Tyler Thomas, Heinrich Envelope, Golden Valley, MN |
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Q/A The Workplace Doctor™
Discussing Poor Work Habits |
Changing work habits is not easy. Four factors to keep in mind when it is time to discuss poor work habits, or marginal performance, one on one, in private:
1. Share your perception of the situation with specific facts and impact of such actions. Stay focused on behavior or performance.
2. Invite the employee's point of view and their solutions for correcting the situation.
3. After both agree on next step actions, commit and recap when and how specific steps will be taken to correct and prevent reoccurrence.
4. Follow up and reinforce any progress or improvement toward achieving the desired behavior.
Poor work habits, like marginal performance, will continue until they are no longer acceptable.
Copyright 2010, Dr. Connie Sitterly, "The Workplace Doctor™" President, Sittcom, Inc., Management Training Specialists. Connie is an international speaker, trainer, executive coach, author, management consultant. You may reach her by phone 817.737.2893, Connie's email / Visit Connie's website |
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Measuring Customer Satisfaction | | When asked "What is unique about your business?" many business owners will respond: "We provide exceptional customer service." Yet, when asking that same business owner, "How do you measure customer service?" most will respond: "I don't."
We should all regularly survey our clients to determine how we are truly doing. Valuable information can be gleaned from a properly constructed survey. In addition, depending on the industry you are in, a proper survey can reduce your liability. Taking the time to measure and manage customer satisfaction is a critical component to maintaining that which is most unique about you - the experience the customer has with your business.
Cameron Inglis, Germinate Inc., Winnipeg, MB |
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Use Annual Reports for Industry Benchmarks |
Are any of your competitors public companies? Annual reports from publicy-traded companies are a great source of competitive intelligence, providing KPIs, benchmarks and industry trends for your business. You can buy a single share in the other company and automatically receive their annual report and quarterly updates.
Following their format, you can also then develop a "mini" annual report with a 5-10 year history of key metrics for your company.
These tools can be very useful when looking for new financial partners, hiring key employees and negotiating with new suppliers or customer prospects. Your own annual report can also help you obtain top dollar if you decide to sell your company, as well as ensure everyone in your business understands the environment in which you operate, your company goals and the health and history of the company.
Marcel Vouriot, Vomar Industries Inc., Lasalle, MB |
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Become a Visionary | |
A recent board meeting discussion debated suggestions for becoming more of a visionary leader and less of a crisis manager. One comment that resonated with the group: owners who consistently run their business like they plan to sell it, even if the sale is years away, are being visionary. For us, this long-term perspective embraced the essence of being a visionary.
Develop the vision first, and then be sure to focus on the right things. This is much easier said than done. The challenges we face every day increase the risk of spending disproportionate attention on unimportant matters. What matters the most should never be at the mercy of what matters the least. Without day-to-day progress focused on the right things, your vision may become an empty dream.
The Alternative Board of Northeast Wisconsin |
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Training Event for Sales, Marketing and Non-Sales Professionals | |
Capital One Bank's Sundance Square Branch in downtown Fort Worth will be hosting a training event for Sales, Marketing and Non-Sales professionals. Strategic Sales Solutions, a Fort Worth-based consulting firm, will conduct the training sessions.
TAB members receive a 30% discount ( contact Cheryl). Four training sessions are scheduled on Fridays from 9 AM to 4 PM beginning September 17. Lunch provided by Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. For more details and registration information, CLICK HERE. 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the service, simply notify Strategic Sales Solutions within 90 days. |
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Fort Worth Chamber - 2011 Small Business of the Year |
Nomination form due September 15 and application due October 15. Participation is a positive experience not only for the business owner, but employees as well. In addition, valuable marketing exposure through a variety of opportunities is granted to each applicant. |
| Few Can Be Better | When I talk to my business clients, many complain they directly supervise too many individuals, and consequently, do so ineffectively. I remember learning as a trainee that the Marine Corps hierarchy is structured to limit levels of responsibility to three: three members to a fire team, three fire teams to a squad, three squads to a platoon, and so on. Think about the hierarchy in your business and whether your managers might do a better job if they had fewer direct reports, too.
Craig Smith, Partner Retained Earnings, Appleton, WI |
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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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Nominate or apply now for Fort Worth Chamber's 