Now a few words from guest blogger Doug Campbell

As a CEO Coach and Business Owner, I am constantly looking for ways to make businesses more efficient and easier to operate. About 9 years we began accepting credit cards for our tutoring business (Sylvan Learning Center in Darien CT). It seemed like a big step at the time, and it was also potentially costly because our average charge is $100+. Nevertheless, it has been widely successful. Within 6 months 70% of our clients were using credit cards, and it is now close to 85%. The time spent preparing bills and mailing each month has been cut by 6 hours. The money is in the account almost immediately each month. Cash flow is less of a worry, and the rent check can go out on the 3rd of the month.

If you are a small business and still not using credit, reconsider the benefits in time, administration, and cash flow when you think through your strategies. If you are using credit, you should also periodically review your vendor – we lowered our fees substantially after 3 years with the first vendor and now receive better service. There are also incredible new tools to help you with cash flow and profitability in your business that are constantly being developed. Don’t let your competitors get a leg up on you. Make the time to talk to a credit expert – you will be surprised on the upside.

All the best.

Douglas Campbell III "The Success Coach"
203-975-0320 cell 203-952-1161
www.thesuccesscoach.com

Speaker * Author * Entrepreneur * Executive & Career Coach

Coaching Top-Performing Executives & Business Owners to Achieve Even Higher Levels of Success

The Success Coach on Networking (7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boKH8yfYFNk

Business Conference Speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b61rV19JAk

The Success Coach, Business Expert, for Wells Fargo Bank on Onboarding New Employees

https://wellsfargo.imaginationdigitalmedia.com/business-insights/?episode=C7 (5)

Author Where To Go From Here: Reinventing Your Career, Your Business, Your Working Life (2009). It is available through Amazon, at Barrett Bookstore (Darien), Elm Street Books (New Canaan), and through the author as a book or ebook.

Mary Travers, we will miss you

The coo of Mary Travers' voice singing "I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane" was one of the most memorable tunes of my teenage years and one of my first 45s.

Her musical activism against the Vietnam War and racial inequality was a defining characteristic of the protest movement of 1960s. The history and the change she saw! She will be missed and the music will be treasured even more than before.

Why are some people so RUDE?

What a week!

Obama is heckled and called a liar in the Capitol by an elected official! Imagine!

Pity the young singer at the music awards ceremony accepting an honor for her musical talent only to be interrupted and preempted by a rude and obnoxious celeb upset his favored singer did not win. At least the honoree kept her cool.

Not so in Flushing Meadow. Did you see the tennis player explode in anger and unsportsperson-like language on the US Open tennis court? $10K and an apology later, it's all but forgotten.

Today a former client called to let me have it, for nothing I did wrong. It was entirely her fault and she can't come to grip with the fact that she messed up. A shame.

Finally a friend was just laid off from her job and given 1 hour to clear out. No warning.

I sometimes feel like the world has gone mad and taken formerly polite people down with it. We all want what we expect is ours, and we want it now, in just the way we expect it to result. Dealing with our errors and disappointment is tough. But there is a proper way to do so, and with grace. Let's all try to find that grace.

Myself included, I suppose...

blog block

From time to time people create new phrases that actually describe something I have witnessed yet searched for a term for its correct and concise description.

Blog block.

In the meeting this morning some of my colleagues expressed a reluctance to start their own blog as a means of marketing themselves. As if they were not capable of this (not the case), they had a block preventing them from starting, like the dreaded "writer's block."

My blog block comes from time to time. But in my case I want to express something and keep a regular schedule blogging but don't know quite what or how to say it in virtual words. Or I know I can't say it completely effectively and then just move on to something else more tangible.

Blog block.

I wonder if some of my colleagues and fellow bloggers also experience this, as misery LOVES company--do you ever get blog block?

Sage advice

Aim with your heart, adjust with your head, and always, always, always, do all you can.

A new client sent this to me; thanks, Linda! It epitomizes what we all need to do better, continuously, in our business and personal lives.

No soapbox ranting form me. The words themselves say it all. Let's all practice this!

Optimistic

Daughter moving to Seattle, spreading her wings. Anyone know any architecture or urban planning jobs out there?

Many irons in the fire for a busy August/September. Waiting...

4 speaking engagements booked for September alone.

Fall coming, change in weather, change in perspective.

Optimistic that new developments bring new experiences.

Twitter for Business 101

The whole world seems a-flutter about Twitter and I have been a bit of a sitter on the sidelines, at least until now. I have been tweeting for a few months but am always looking for new ways Twitter can help my business.

Mashable ran a piece called Twitter 101 which is a great guide to ideas on how Twitter can benefit your business. Here it is in hopes it helps you somehow.

Let’s follow each other: I am @marchalpert