Leadership Seminar

Our team enjoyed an afternoon filled with business education and training over the weekend. The team heard from top performing industry professionals and was also able to network with others in our industry! Thanks to the events team for coordinating the event, and also to all of the speakers for their preparation, time and dedication.

Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Business Advice

No matter how you look at it, starting a business is hard. One of the hardest things you may ever have to do. There’s the business plan to think over, a name, government policies to consider, how it will affect your family, finances and the list rolls on from there. Some hardened entrepreneurs suggest spending a long time thinking about if that’s really the path you want to take. If so, there is plenty of advice floating around to help you with the grueling journey. Entrepreneurs are always willing to lend their words to the younger generation of business seekers and give them assistance when the time comes. Below we have asked entrepreneurs for their best business advice.

Take every advantage possible to meet new people

The most important lesson I’ve learned in business (which I’d wish I’d known years ago) is to take every advantage possible to meet new people; Efficiently communicating and never dismissing a single soul– you never know who you’re talking to, who they might know or how they’d be able to contribute to your business. You’ve got one shot out there. The only thing you have to lose is an opportunity.

Make cyber security a priority

Cyber security probably isn’t a priority for small businesses – but it should be. Contrary to popular belief, neither your bank nor the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) is obligated to cover losses to business accounts. The usual advice – choose difficult-to-guess passwords, keep your firewall on, install antivirus software and so on – applies, but you need to do more. Consider having a separate computer solely for financial transactions and authenticate everything (hackers start small, so that unknown 23-cent transaction may be a warning sign). And consider buying insurance specifically for cyber theft protection; the policies are inexpensive, offer peace of mind and protect you from the type of event that can kill your business.

Don’t get overwhelmed by growth

In the early stages of a company, it is easy to become preoccupied. Over the years we have gotten overwhelmed by our company’s growth. While keeping your start up afloat can be challenging, a number one tip we have learned to not get overwhelmed with growth is to keep Accounts Receivable a top priority. We have learned to keep our invoices on time, every time, because late invoices result in a shortage of cash and show disorganization. We also adjust terms to require deposits for product or services and offer incentives to prepay in advance. For example, we offer free after-hour support in exchange for our services prepaid quarterly. All of the above means more cash to afford a next new hire, paying vendors on time, and keeping credit in good standing.

Run your business, don’t let it run you

1. Run your business-don’t let it run you. Instead of simply attempting to feverishly grow my business wherever I can, I look first at what I am seeking personally. I then adjust my business growth and development plan to suit these goals. It’s now no longer just about getting more; it’s about finding a reason for wanting to get more. 2. There is no such thing as self-made. Not only is it important to have your own vision but it’s important to understand the vision of those around you. I really hate all of the I-did-it-all-myself style business stories. Everyone needs help, or has had help at some stage from someone. Years ago, I used to think I was the epicenter of my business success. It wasn’t until my business almost wasn’t a success that I realized I needed the help of those around me. 3. Know the difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is driven by ability, truth and honesty; arrogance is based on ego and fear. A confident leader inspires people such that they want to be led. An arrogant leader threatens people to follow.

Read the rest of the article online. 

Walking with The American Cancer Society

Team members from Matchpoint Consulting met up with local residents and businesses from Southern California on Saturday for The American Cancer Society's Annual Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. We helped fund-raise and rally support for a great cause. Thank you to all of our team members and members of the community that participated.

Can Introverts Get Ahead in the Workplace?

By Kristina Cowan

Are you an introvert? If not, someone you know probably is. Studies show that one-third to one-half of Americans are introverts, according to Susan Cain, author of the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.”

While no one has an entirely introverted or extroverted personality type, people tend to be more of one or the other, experts say. Someone more introverted is energized by time alone, is an excellent listener, thinks carefully before speaking or acting, and prefers to express feelings in writing instead of talking, according to Beth Buelow, the Tacoma, Wash.-based founder of The Introvert Entrepreneur.

If you’re an introvert looking to gain ground in your career, you may be sitting on a gold mine. Leadership in the American workplace is imbalanced, some experts say, and in need of more introverted styles.

Cain says our value system hinges on “the Extrovert Ideal — the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha, and comfortable in the spotlight.” Introversion is now “a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology,” she writes. And while extroversion is “an enormously appealing personality style,” it’s become an oppressive standard that most people feel they must conform to, she says.

Ray Williams, president and CEO of Ray Williams Associates in Vancouver, Canada, says our culture portrays strong leaders as men who are aggressive, outgoing and dominant—a stereotype perpetuated by movies, TV and the press. We have a preference for leaders like Donald Trump, he says, even if their performance records are lackluster.

“The status and reputation of quiet, introverted leadership is undervalued and underappreciated,” Williams explains in a Psychology Today article. “Despite decades of research on leadership pointing to other less demonstrative skills that are needed, extroverted leaders are still favored in recruiting and promoting decisions. Yet recent research reveals that today’s workplace may be more suited to introverted, quiet leaders.”

Making the Most of Quiet Strengths

Williams says our reliance on extroverted leadership styles has led to business failures such as those on Wall Street. The workplace needs a better balance of introverts and extroverts, he says, not just at the leadership level, but throughout the ranks.

The strengths of an introvert, such as being a good listener, are not always obvious. Yet such skills are invaluable to employers, and introverts are in a prime spot to capitalize on them, experts say.

Growing awareness about what it really means to be an introvert is opening a window of opportunity for so-called quiet leaders, according to Buelow. “Being an introvert doesn’t mean you are shy, or don’t like people,” she says.

Buelow offers several steps introverts can take to highlight their talents and move their careers forward:

• Get comfortable discussing your accomplishments and strengths. Offer stories and examples of how you contributed to a past success. Share the spotlight with your colleagues, your project or process, and the company, to keep it from feeling self-oriented.
• Recognize strengths you can cultivate and use to promote yourself. Listening, focus, making one-on-one connections, introspection and establishing safety all lead to increased transparency and communication.
• Focus on your listening skills. If you’re more of an introvert, you’re likely to be a good listener, one of the most valuable traits of a leader. Introverts absorb information and consider it from all angles before taking action.

Read the full article online.

Matchpoint Consulting Travels to Boston

Our team had an action packed weekend in Boston! All employees entered a performance contest this past month, and the winners earned an all expenses paid trip to Boston for the weekend. The contest winners enjoyed their time touring the city, attending a Red Sox Game, and participated in a project for Habitat for Humanity. Can't wait to see who wins the contest next year!