Yosemite Falls

What Yosemite Falls Taught Me About Business

Yes, it was perseverance, passion, and purpose that got me to the top of Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in America.  I recently took a vacation to Yosemite where I hiked 2,700 feet of steep vertical terrain up the Yosemite Falls trail. It was a steep 8 mile and 8 hour round trip hike. The last hour to the Falls was brutally steep. The sun was pounding on my back. My feet were screaming at me and my muscles were beyond tired. To say it was a grind would be an understatement. Did I mention how steep it was? Look, I am not going to tell you that I was holding a VISION of getting to the top. Nor was I using any kind of mind over matter mental strategy. It was just 3 things; perseverance, passion, and purpose. I began thinking how these three words can easily be applied to business:

1. Perseverance

I wanted to give up and turn back.  Instead I took a lot of breaks along the way. In business, sometimes we may need to take a time-out and reassess our game plan. Don’t be afraid to pause and reflect on what you need to do next in order to keep moving forward versus throwing in the towel or worse, taking action with no results. Isn’t that called chasing your tail? Or, throwing stuff at a wall and seeing if anything sticks? Staying the course and focusing on your goal is what perseverance is about.

2. Passion

I was intent on getting to the top, but there is no way I would have made it to the top if I did not have a passion for moving my body within nature. With every step I took I grew weary, but at the same time I became increasingly ALIVE! I was grateful for my legs for propelling me forward. I became aware of my breathing. I felt my life-blood pulsing through my veins. I could see and smell the water fall cascading down the stunning sheets of granite. I was conscious of how nature was dancing all around me. I witnessed the beautiful rhythmic motion of wildlife as I climbed the mountain. Are you passionate about your business?  I believe it’s that passion that will get you out of bed in the morning when times get tough. It’s the passion that is going to motivate you when you feel stuck.

3. Purpose

I  had one purpose in mind. It was not getting to the summit of Yosemite Falls. It was to move my body within nature on a beautiful trail. That day was definitely all about the journey, not the destination. An added bonus was reaching the top, but my main purpose was to connect with nature.  Are you clear on the purpose of your business?  Does your business have some kind of meaning or purpose for you? Yes, we all know that the purpose of business is about making profits or else they cease to exist. Pardon me for stating the obvious, but beyond profits, why are you in business? What is your purpose?  Are you clear about your purpose?

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Setting Guidelines for Strategic Business Meeting

I recently facilitated a strategic business meeting where the leaders within the organization were very hostile towards one another. It would be an understatement to say that the tension in the room was thick. Morale was at an all-time low. The people present had some unspoken mistrust and fear.  Furthermore, egos were getting in the way of their decision-making process. They were blinded by their own self-interest versus the best interest of the company. So, I did something completely unorthodox in a business environment. I told everyone that before we get started, we needed to close our eyes, take 3 deep breaths and meditate for 10 minutes on the following:

1. I will bring a servant leadership attitude (inflated egos oftentimes lead to arrogance.)
2. I will be a Solutionary (be a problem solver, not a complainer.)
3. I will not interrupt when someone is speaking.
4. I will not blame, judge, or criticize.
5. I will be professional and civil.
6. I will stay Human.
7. I will bring an open mind (don’t be so attached to your way of thinking.)
8. I believe anything is Possible (allow yourself to imagine the impossible.)

Communicate Clear Expectations Upfront

Setting clear expectations upfront and voicing the desired outcome was critical to a successful meeting. As the meeting continued, the big egos melted away. Open and honest conversations took place, which was so desperately needed. Laughter erupted throughout the day as they worked together during problem-solving sessions. Dialogue flowed freely. It was truly amazing to witness the transformation from the negative energy in the room when I first arrived to the positive exchanges at the end of the day.  How did 10 minutes of silence create an atmosphere of collaboration versus competition? The power of PAUSE is oftentimes underestimated. Being still and quiet allows for people to get grounded and centered. By taking a few minutes to be silent while other humans are in the room, allows for an intimate exchange of breaths. In the  yoga world, we practice what is called Prana, meaning Breath. It is our breathing that reminds us that we are alive and connected to one another. By focusing on our breath, it gives time to reflect on our own humanity as well as others.  I am happy to say that all parties are now working harmoniously together and have a newfound respect for one another. It’s a good thing because that strategic business meeting I facilitated was for my own company, Hware.

Thanks for reading Hware’s blog!  Feel free to leave comments and share your thoughts.

UCLA Graduation 2010 History Department

Do You Have An Aptitude For Business?

I attended my nephew’s graduation ceremony from UCLA this past weekend and the businessman who gave the commencement address carried my memory back to when I was graduating from college.  He gave me much to ponder about my own personal journey towards becoming an entrepreneur. You see, my nephew has graduated with a Liberal Arts degree in History and the commencement speaker holds a degree from History too.  The point he was making is that just because you get a degree in a non-business school does not necessarily mean you won’t end up working for yourself someday. Nor will you keep the same job for long in today’s rapidly changing business environment.  I obviously did not know that I had an aptitude for business, networking, sales and marketing, customer service, self-motivation, strategy, and leadership the day I graduated from the College of Communications at the University of Texas in Austin.  I guess I should have known had I been paying closer attention to what interested me and what activities I was drawn to. The signs were there all along:

• Spear-headed the occasional summer sno-cone stand in my neighborhood (self-motivation and sales & marketing.)
• Thrived in sports competition since grade school (strategic.)
• Captain of the Varsity volleyball team in high school (leadership.)
• Could not wait to get my first real-paying job as soon as I was old enough to start working, which was the local grocery store (self-motivation.)
• Fired from the local grocery store in high school because I was spending too much time talking to the customers (networking.)
• Always had a dream of doing something on my own even though I had no idea what that would be (entrepreneurship.)
• Ignored people (teachers, bosses, aunts, uncles, neighbors, etc.) in positions of power whom I perceived to be incompetent (self-confidence.)
• Received numerous awards for outstanding customer service as a flight attendant for major airline company. (This was my first job right out of college.)

What Has Been Your Personal Journey Towards Entrepreneurship?

I believe there is not one RIGHT path to entrepreneurship.  I meet hundreds of small business owners every year and I am always intrigued and interested to learn how they decided to go work for themselves.  Personally, I can definitely say that I have grown into becoming a business woman over the years. Let me give you an example. Upon graduating from college, I had a yearning desire to travel the world. I wanted to experience other cultures, places, food, and people. So, I became a flight attendant for a few years. While flying the friendly skies, I had my first real business experience with cutting costs. The CEO of the airline decided to cut out the olives in the salads in First and Business Class travel. That seemed like a minor decision. However, that one decision saved the airline $40,000 a year! That was chump change to a very profitable airline, but it nevertheless was an expense that was removed, which meant every expense mattered.  Obviously, one could argue that the CEO should have renegotiated the olive contract with the supplier. Or, he should have found a cheaper olive vendor that wanted to expand market share. The story here is that I learned a lot about business from being a flight attendant. Not because it was the airline’s intention, but because by the time I graduated from college, I started to pay closer attention to everything around me. I was observant. I learned a lot about company culture, branding, customer and employee attitudes, diplomacy, top-down leadership, how upper-management was perceived by the laborers, procedures, etc. I also learned a lot about myself and one thing was clear. I was definitely not the corporate type. How about you? When did you decide to become an entrepreneur? When did you realize that you could no longer work for someone else? What was the turning point for you? Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur? I Would love to hear your story! Please post your comments below.

Incorporating Social Activism into Business

While at a fundraiser in San Francisco last week sponsored by Ben and Jerry’s Ice-cream company, I had the good fortune of meeting Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry’s. The growth and success of their small business over the last 32 years is quite extraordinary. What makes their story exceptional and inspiring is how they have cultivated a company culture of fun, transparency, and social activism while growing their business. It seems they were way ahead of their time as much of the business world today is struggling to understand how to implement transparency and activism into their own business model.

In the social & environmental assessment report in 2008 from Ben & Jerry’s CEO, (Chief Euphoria Officer) Walt Freese, he states the following:

1. Use our company to further the cause of Peace and Justice.

2. Harmonize our global supply chain and ensure its alignment with our company values.

3. Take the lead promoting global sustainable dairy practices.

The report also has a section called, Leading with Progressive Values Across our Business:

“We have a progressive, nonpartisan Social Mission that seeks to meet human needs and eliminate injustices in our local, national, and international communities by integrating these concerns into our day-to-day business activities. Our focus is on children and families, the environment and sustainable agriculture on family farms.”

Here is a link to the entire content on their social and environmental report.  This BOLD report, which they proudly display on their website, caused me take great pause in how any business would go about incorporating something similar into their own strategic and/or business plan.

We are now entering the second half of the year.  And here at Hware, we are preparing for our own upcoming two-day strategic and business planning retreat. We will be looking at our financial projections, marketing campaigns, sales forecasts, product development, etc. We will be using our own business planning methodology called Envision Plan Act to help guide us through the two day meeting. Ben and Jerry’s company model has given me much to ponder as we reassess our business model, redesign our website and update our content.

What about you? Have you found a company that inspires you to grow your small business in a more creative and daring way?  Who inspires you? What inspires you? Please share your comments below.

Desire  Passion  Commitment  Perseverance

Lance Armstrong along with 128 of the world’s top cyclists rode through my neighborhood yesterday. They were racing in the  AMGEN Tour of California.  The racers whizzed by me on Dog Bar Road as I tried to capture the moment with my digital camera without getting run over. Nothing could have prepared me for the sheer adrenaline rush I felt as I witnessed the power of intensity and laser-focus on the faces of these determined men. I was overwhelmed with INSPIRATION! As I began to reflect on my experience that morning, I realized that entrepreneurs have a lot to learn from these peak performing athletes.

Their desire to race is fueled by passion.

Their passion is sustained by commitment.

Their commitment is surely tested by challenges and obstacles.

Their challenges and obstacles are overcome by perseverance and resolve.

Because of their perseverance and resolve, they have qualified to participate in a world class sporting event.

They are prepared for this opportunity called the AMGEN Tour of California.

How about you?  What opportunities are you preparing for in your business?  What makes you get back up every time you hit a roadblock in your business? What keeps you focused on your business goals?  What fuels your passion for your business?   Or, do you need to get out of the way because you might get run over?  For me, it’s knowing that I am building a business that serves humanity in a useful way.  Whether it be our customers, vendors, employees, or partners, it’s about holding a clear VISION of impacting and improving the lives of many people on many different levels.

She Hated her Job

Have you ever had a job that just felt so wrong for you? Monday morning would come and you would get this sick feeling in your stomach. Or, you’d show up to work and felt like being anywhere else but there? But you sucked it up and made yourself stay there because you had “financial obligations.” Or, you told yourself that you would do it for X amount of time so that you could build your resume.  Recently I sat next to a young woman on an airplane. It was a crowded flight and I could feel the intensity of her “don’t-talk-to-me” energy while moving towards the seat next to her. Reading her cue, I did not initiate a conversation with her for the two-hour flight time until we flew over Lake Tahoe, at which time she blurted something out that was barely audible, but I nevertheless took the opportunity to strike up a conversation.  Fast-forward 30 minutes later, I found out that she HATED her job. She was miserable and felt that she was trapped in the corporate world going no where. Being the curious and inquisitive person that I am, I asked this 20-something year old loads of questions about her interests, strengths, talents, attributes and what she believed her gifts were to the world. Some of my questions stopped her dead in her tracks and some of my questions validated what she was already feeling – unappreciated, not using her strengths, feeling stifled by not sharing her talents at work.

A Mediocre Life

Life is Short! It is too short to not work, play and live LIFE sharing your STAG with the WORLD! Too often, we stay with meaningless jobs, unfulfilling partners, we surround ourselves with mediocre friends and uninspiring people, we consume highly-processed foods that give us heart-burn and make us bloated, and participate in uninteresting conversations because we feel obligated to do so. The young woman on the plane seemed as if she was waiting for someone to give her permission to quit her job and start living the LIFE she envisioned for herself. I know because I was once that young woman…waiting for someone to SAVE me or validate me or give me the nod of approval. She reminded me of how often we succumb to society’s rules and standards that have nothing to do with our inherent gifts. We are bombarded daily with images of who we should be and who we should look like so that we can fit in…while we gradually let go of who we really are.

2010

I want to encourage and remind all of us that when we work, play, and live from our strengths, talents, attributes, and gifts, life is so much sweeter and when our life is sweet, that in turn makes for a healthier and happier family, community, society, country, and world.  Here are some short definitions I created for STAG:

1. Strengths – Something that comes naturally for you, i.e., numbers, words, speaking, athletics, etc.

2. Talents – Taking a strength and turning it into a talent, i.e., mathematician writes algorithms, writer becomes an author. Oprah took her strength of speaking and became a talk-show host. The founders of Google took their strength of math and developed software that created a search engine.

3. Attributes – Attributing one’s strengths and talents to a person’s character. For example, Oprah’s ability to visualize her OWN network. Or Lance Armstrong’s discipline and ambition to win.

4. Gifts – Your LIFE is a gift to be shared. It is honorable and sacred and it is to be shared in relationship with humanity and the WORLD. When we are clear and fully understand the importance of our STAG, we will no longer wait for permission to be wh0 we already are.

In the famous words of Alice Walker, “We are the Ones we have been waiting for.”  So, what are you waiting for? 2010 is just around the corner. I would love to hear your stories when you felt you were at a dead-end job. What was your deciding moment to leave? How did you feel?