You Are a CEO Blog - Leadership Accelerator For Entrepreneurs & Professionals

5 Secrets the Ocean Teaches Us About Wealth

Tue, 20 May 2025 21:14:48 GMT

Let’s break down five things the ocean teaches us about wealth.

Today, I want you to think about wealth a little differently. Not in the way we usually talk about it—money, saving, investing—but through something we see every day and often take for granted: the ocean.

Right there in the middle of these vast bodies of water are powerful lessons. Lessons that can grow your wealth, give you the fulfillment you want, and help you live the life you were made for.

Let’s break down five things the ocean teaches us about wealth.

1. Most Wealth Is Hidden Below the Surface

Did you know 80% of the ocean is unexplored and hidden?

We’ve sent people into space, but we haven’t even come close to exploring all of the ocean. And guess what? That’s also true about wealth.

A lot of people only understand the surface stuff—saving, budgeting, reducing debt. That’s important, but it’s just the beginning.

When you go deeper, you start to learn the real strategies:

How to use tax planning for wealth
How depreciation works in real estate
How to legally reduce your taxes
How to use different types of assets to your advantage

Just like going deep underwater, going deep into wealth building tips requires learning and exploration. Most people never do that. They stay at the top where it’s safe and simple. But the true wealth—the kind that builds financial freedom —is found deep down.

If you want to master wealth, you’ve got to go below the surface.

2. Wealth Follows Patterns, Just Like Tides

Another thing we can learn from the ocean is this: it follows predictable patterns.

The ocean's tides rise and fall because of the gravitational pull of the moon. These lunar tides are regular. They can be tracked. And they never stop moving.

That’s the same with wealth.

Markets will rise. Markets will fall. Economies grow and shrink. These patterns are not random.

They’re predictable.

People who have a wealth mindset don’t panic when things change. They understand how to shift. They pay attention. They move early. They ride the waves instead of being crushed by them.

For example, when the economy slows down, smart investors might buy property or stocks while prices are low. They’re not afraid—they’re prepared.

So watch the tides. Know what to expect. Don’t react to the market. Anticipate it.

3. Wealth Is About Connection

The ocean is one big connected system.

It links continents. It connects marine life. It even affects the weather.

Nothing in the ocean works alone. Everything is interdependent.

That’s the same with wealth.

No one builds wealth completely by themselves. Every successful person has a network. They build relationships. They work with mentors. They partner with others.

You need people in your life who challenge you, support you, and open doors for you.

If you try to do it all alone, you’ll burn out. But when you build the right connections, you create opportunities you never saw coming.

Think of it like this: you’re not a pond. You’re an ocean. And oceans connect everything around them.

Want to grow your income? Join a community of entrepreneurs.

Want to level up your thinking? Find someone with a wealth mindset and learn from them.

Just like the ocean, connection creates growth.

4. Learn to Ride the Waves

In the ocean, waves are expected. They're not a surprise.

But when waves come into the land, and hit hard, we call it a tsunami—and that’s when things get dangerous.

Wealthy people don’t see waves as bad. They see them as part of the process.

When a recession hits or the stock market drops, people with a wealth mindset don’t freeze.

They look for ways to ride the wave. They know how to stay ahead of the change and use it to grow.

If a business owner knows a downturn is coming, they might cut costs early or shift their products to meet new needs. That’s riding the wave.

The truth is, the market will always move. Your job isn’t to avoid the waves. It’s to learn how to use them.

Don’t be afraid of change. Expect it. Prepare for it. Get in front of it.

That’s how financial freedom is built.

5. Pressure Creates Strength

Deep beneath the ocean is something called a coral reef.

It’s one of the strongest ecosystems on earth. But it was formed through pressure.

Pressure builds strength.

And it’s the same when building wealth.

The most successful people didn’t quit when things got hard. They didn’t run when they were under pressure. They leaned in.

If you want to create lasting wealth, you’re going to face things that stretch you. You’ll have to learn new strategies. Read books. Take courses. Talk to people who know more than you.

And yes, it will be uncomfortable. That’s how growth works.

Some people think wealthy people are rich because they have money. But that’s backwards. The truth is, they have money because they are already wealthy—in their thinking.

They’ve built habits. They’ve built systems. They’ve built a mindset that doesn’t crumble when pressure hits.

We’ve all heard of people who made millions and lost it all. Athletes. Entertainers. Lottery winners. Why? Because the money was in the account, but not in their mind.

Passive income strategies , tax planning , and financial freedom don’t mean anything if you don’t have the strength to hold on to them.

So embrace the pressure. It’s making you stronger.

Don’t Just Be Wealthy—Be Well

There’s one more thing the ocean reminds us about wealth.

Even though the ocean is always moving and crashing, the sound of the waves can still calm you. There’s peace in it. There’s beauty in it.

That’s the kind of wealth we want. Not just the kind that buys stuff. But the kind that brings peace. The kind that lets you sleep at night. The kind that helps others, not just yourself.

Financial freedom is not just about how much you have. It’s about how well you live. And how calm and centered you are while living it.

So build wealth, yes. But also build a life you love. One with joy. One with health. One with purpose.

That’s what true wealth is about.

Final Thoughts

The ocean teaches us so much.

It teaches us to go deeper. To expect change. To connect with others. To stay strong under pressure. And to enjoy the peace that comes with living well.

We’re not chasing money just to have more. We’re building something bigger—a life that’s full and free.

So take these lessons from the ocean. Apply them to your wealth, your relationships, and your health. Keep growing. Keep learning.

And never forget: the ultimate freedom starts within.

Is Your Mindset Destroying or Growing your Business?

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 21:25:55 GMT

Is Your Mindset Destroying or Growing your Business?

Having the right mindset is key to the success of any business. It’s the connection between our thoughts, emotions and behaviors; it affects how we view ourselves and our environment, and influences how we approach challenges and opportunities.

It’s important to have a mindset that allows us to stay motivated and drive forward even when it gets difficult. Without this attitude, we may find ourselves stuck in an unproductive rut or overwhelmed by difficulties.

The way you think can either build or destroy your business. Your thoughts influence the way you respond to situations and how you conduct yourself in difficult times. If your thoughts are negative, your reactions will reflect that, leading to poor decisions that could potentially damage your business.

On the other hand, if you keep a positive mindset and choose productive solutions over hasty ones, you’ll have more chances of success.

Before we dive into this deeper, I want you to think about the brain for a minute. Very powerful, right? But the question is, what are you using it for right now? We know the brain is so magnificent. We're still learning how to exhaust everything it can do, but we have to fill it with information.

We have to challenge it to actually get the most out of it. That’s where mindset comes in. We can use our mindset to contemplate, analyze, break things down, and build it back up.

When it comes to business growth, having a healthy mindset is essential for entrepreneurs. Some entrepreneurs don't go as far as other entrepreneurs simply because they don't feed their mind the right things. You have to create an appetite for feeding your mind with information that will cause your mind to grow and develop.

It's amazing how just when you start thinking differently, you get a new perspective or someone gives you a new perception or an angle on something, how much it opens up opportunity. When this happens, our minds are stretched and challenged and forced to adapt and grow.

Growth often requires taking risks which can be daunting if your head is clouded with negative thoughts and a lack of self-confidence. To achieve success in business, entrepreneurs must come up with creative ideas while simultaneously recognizing their limitations and finding ways around them.

With a positive outlook on life and on their businesses, they’ll be more likely to pursue growth opportunities instead of limiting themselves with doubts or fear of failure.

Having the right environment plays a big role in developing a successful mindset too. As entrepreneurs, we must create an atmosphere that encourages creativity, ideation and improvement - one where there isn't any pressure or judgment from others so they can work at their own pace without feeling overwhelmed or discouraged from making progress (or mistakes).

This helps them become better problem solvers as well as develop trust in their own abilities so they can handle tough situations without losing hope or giving up easily.

Finally, mastering the reaction process is key for entrepreneurs who want to remain successful in spite of external factors that may hold them back from progress. It’s important for entrepreneurs to understand their triggers; what causes certain feelings or behaviors in response?

Your environment has triggers. And from those triggers we really start to lead into some specific things that we start to think about that can actually improve business performance. Once this is established, then it becomes easier for entrepreneurs to control their reactions in different situations so they don’t get stuck in patterns that won't lead anywhere good for their businesses.

Ultimately, having a healthy mindset goes beyond just thinking positively; it involves understanding our emotions while also proactively managing them so we can make useful decisions backed by logic instead of rash ones based on impulse alone. When done correctly - being mindful yet also open-minded - this approach will help entrepreneurs reach greater heights both personally and professionally while avoiding unnecessary pitfalls along the way!

LeBron James: 7 Things Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Breaking the NBA Scoring Record!

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 21:51:42 GMT

We’ll dive deep into the parallels between basketball & entrepreneurship.

Yesterday, we all witnessed history being made!

Lebron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record of 38,387 points as he played against the Oklahoma City Thunder!

As many of you know, I love the game of basketball and have studied it for many years. So, this got me thinking...

What can entrepreneurs learn from Lebron’s accomplishment? Is there a way to apply this knowledge and mindset to entrepreneurship?

To answer these questions, I'm going LIVE on the You Are a CEO channel today – where I'll be joined by a SPECIAL GUEST from my team – to talk more about "Lebron and Entrepreneurship"!

If you're serious about taking your entrepreneurial journey to the next level, then YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!

Are you an entrepreneur looking to accelerate the growth of your business? Are you feeling stuck, and not sure how to get momentum moving forward?

Join CEO and Award-Winning Entrepreneur, Michael E. Parker

#MichaelEParker

#youareaceo

#LeBronJames

#entrepreneurs

#smallbusinessideas

Overcoming Fear Series: From Fear to Fuel

msmith@vcsinc.com (Marcus Smith) — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:15:55 GMT

Learn How to Overcome Fear

Do you want to learn how to overcome fear? Do you want to learn to turn your fear into your fuel? Last week we talked about the ANTs. We have an automatic negative response to many situations and we need to reframe those and eliminate them. Keep watching this important series on Monday, June 10th at 6:30 PM PST. Our next show From Fear to Fuel Part Two will continue the conversation. Get FREE tickets today at youareaceo.com/events

Tune in and learn the secrets to deal with fear and navigate it more successfully. This show is suggested for anyone and everyone who wants to grow personally and professionally past limiting fears and insecurities to greater successes in life, career, and business.

CEO TV is where we discuss everything, we need to be successful in life, career, and business. This broadcast is brought to you from You Are a CEO, a Self-Leadership Movement to help ready-minded people achieve their goals while maintaining their happiness. Monday at 6:30 PM PST.

Get your FREE tickets today at youareaceo.com/events

#CEOTVLIVE

#youareaceo

#ceosuccessclub

#howtoovercomefear

#overcomingfearparttwo

7 Secrets To Building A Strong Business

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Find Out How to Succeed in Life + Business and Earn Extra Money Online

Award-winning Business Mogul, Author, and CEO, Michael E. Parker reveals the 7 Secrets to Building a Strong Business . We've had enough of everyone else getting ahead while the rest of us get left behind. It's time to change the game, get out of the rat race, and earn some passive income. And it starts with how you think about success.

Purpose of the Event:

By the end of this event you will have a real opportunity to get ahead in every aspect of your life, career and/or business. Making money online is possible and we're unlocking the secrets for everyone who's serious about being successful. But we're not stopping there. Stay tuned and find out why some succeed and others fail. Find out the secrets to knowing who you are, what you need to work on and keeping a positive mindset. Register now and take the first step to begin the next chapter of a new you #newme2.0 #evolution #me2.0 #nextstepinhumanevolution #human2.0 #successiq

About the Speaker:

Michael E Parker is a passionate, success-oriented speaker who has used his experiences to develop life-altering strategies and methodologies that can be applied to your life, career, and business. Handpicked by Akio Toyota, Michael's early career sent him to Japan, where he was mentored extensively. This CEO shares his philosophy and tactics used to master himself, his team and taught to companies like Genentech, Kaiser, Comcast, Contra Costa County, Safeway, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Solano County, Ingram Micro, and the Riverside NAACP. Michael E. Parker has partnered with celebrities like #BorisKodjoe #NicoleAriParker, #NickCannon, #MrDannyGlover, #MagicJohnson, #SheliaEDrummer, #Ledisi, #SeanBlakemore #RobertFerguson #JacquelineDelRosa #BeverlyWilmore #LoriLongmore to encourage others and share his strategies.

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye...

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:42:19 GMT

PART 4 and 5: 5 Things to Know About You Are a CEO

Dear MintShow Users & Ambassadors,

In the coming weeks, you're going to hear a lot about You Are a CEO, the maker of the MintShow app. Because you're already familiar with MintShow, we want to make sure you have the latest information about what's happening and how it impacts you.

Over the next 5 days we're going to answer these questions for you:

What is You Are a CEO?
What is The CEO Success Club?
What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?
What's happening to the Ambassador app (AHQ)?
I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?

TODAY'S QUESTIONS

What's happening to the Ambassador app (AHQ)?

We appreciate your continued support in helping grow the movement with the AHQ app. Coming soon, you'll be able to do that and so much more. As we mentioned before we're introducing some new products (CEO Success Club) and upgrading some of our existing apps (like MintShow and AHQ).

Keep in mind, with these upgrades we're saying goodbye to some of what we had in the past. For example, we've decided to combine everything you're already doing in the AHQ app into a new app simply called You Are a CEO. Don't worry, this isn't happening quickly, we'll be sure to keep you updated when this process officially happen.

You can take the following steps to help in the transition:

In your current AHQ app confirm your email address and password, and update them both to match your MintShow account.
If you have a MintShow Account confirm your email address and password, update them both to match the AHQ app.
If you don't have a MintShow account, now is a great time to get one.
If you don't have an AHQ account, no problem, just wait until we release the new version and you'll be all set.

I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?

Don't worry about all the invites that you have, they will move right over into the new You Are a CEO App and it will be like nothing ever happened. We will update you regarding the launch date as it approaches.

For now, there will be no changes to anything you're currently doing. We hope this series of emails have helped you in keeping up-to-day with all the wonderful plans we have for you in the future.

Would I Trade My Life For A Car?

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 02:36:15 GMT

My CEO Moment

The moment I recognized I was the CEO of my life happened at a very challenging time. I had been taking the courses in a pilot program in High School which helped me become self-aware. This information enabled me to make a difficult choice based on my values and not my feelings. This was the moment I became completely empowered and it was like electricity filled my mind and I knew for certain I could achieve what I wanted in life, no matter what. The test of this was when my wealthy uncle back in Omaha made me an offer. He owns a contracting company, worth well into the millions, and I was just a sophomore in college when he made me one of the best offers I'd ever heard. He said, "How about you come work for me here in Omaha while you go to school? I'll get you set up with a free-ride at Omaha State, a good paying job, and I might even throw in car. What do you say?" The car alone, was reason to move if I allowed my feelings to run my life. This was so tempting to me at that age. The car was a candy-apple red 1970 convertible Camaro in near mint condition. But what seemed like the deal of a lifetime, could have easily destroyed other things I valued, like my friends, family and my relationship with my future wife. So, I turned him down -- without reservation. On the inside I was screaming because it was everything I felt I wanted: the car, the money, and schooling taken care of! But for me, my values were more important, and I could not just walk away. Believe me, it wasn't easy. But I know and understand I am the CEO of my life and today I see that by saying no I achieved my real dream, career success, and the love of my life, my beautiful and amazing wife, LaToya.

No Silver Spoon In My Mouth

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 02:21:20 GMT

No Rich Parents, No Skills, But I found A Way To Win

MY CEO MOMENT

When I first started out in life I used to feel sorry for myself because I didn’t grow up with a family that had a lot of money. I remember that I learned from previous You Are a CEO YAAC classes that I had the power to change my circumstances. I surrounded myself with knowledge resources to level up. You Are a CEO helped me achieve my dreams of owning my own business with no investment, money, or formal training or initial plan. I began this venture in my twenties and am continuing to grow it as a self-sustaining business. I always use what I’ve learned in interactions with my clients. You can control yourself and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, that’s where you can grow. You can’t grow inside your box, you have to step out, otherwise you’re just stagnant. I am Brandi Watkins the CEO of my life and my business. I believe in You Are a CEO and am living proof that it works.

The Leap of Faith from Employment to Entrepreneurship

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 02:12:20 GMT

Neiman Marcus to Styles International, Finding The Passion toPursue My Dream

I heard about You Are a CEO in 2006 but it wasn't until 2015 that I had my CEO moment when I realized I was ready for Entrepreneurship and to live my passion. I was working at Neiman Marcus, and I became an ambassador for a couple very large brands including Giorgio Armani and Peter Millar. My pay was 100% commission based and I realized that I was an entrepreneur and the CEO of my life at heart already. I realized I could do what I was already doing for myself. Through the years I have attended many workshops and events from You Are a CEO and the Founder Michael E. Parker has often inspired me. It finally clicked that if I provided my customers with true value that the sales would follow. I knew to built the trust factor into our relationships and it caused great loyalty amongst my clientele. Through my network at You Are a CEO I have been able to expand my business and gain quality customers. They come back to see me again and again because of my personal service brand which I credit to the amazing courses from You Are a CEO. I am fearless now, building a new home and expanding my store to another state soon.

Poverty to Photography

Sat, 15 Sep 2018 02:05:55 GMT

Once Homeless, Now She Runs Her Own Company

Statistics Say I should have Failed

As a child I grew up being poor and experienced many difficult living situations. One of the worst situations was when I almost failed in elementary school because I couldn’t go to school due to being homeless and losing all of my personal possessions. Sadly, I couldn’t read until I reached the 6th grade. Later I had to start working to help support my family at the age of 12. I was able to do this because I was in the You Are a CEO pilot program in middle school. Although this might seem like a tragic story to some, this is actually where I was made strong. I understand today that your life experiences and facing hard situations make you who you are. You can choose to look at them for the bad and retreat or you can face the fear and turn the situation around with the right thoughts and actions to allow the experiences to help you grow. I am who I am today through all the successes, struggles, and life decisions I personally made. I've learned that regardless of my past, my future is up to me. And so your life is up to you. Be a CEO and run the business of you!

The concept of You Are a CEO is About Self-Leadership

My CEO Moment came when I was dating someone and hoped our relationship would progress. I firmly knew the life I wanted to live, and he decided that my vision of our life together was not the direction he wanted to go. It broke my heart, but I had to be true to myself and break it off because I cared way to much about my values and the commitments I had made to my friends and family. I cared so much about him and wanted a life with him, but I knew that I could not let my emotions get in the way of making this decision. I was able to execute the right action based on both of our values and realizing certain non-negotiables. In my head it was the logical choice rather than have a problematic relationship. But in my heart, it was the hardest decision because I wanted to have love in my life, but fundamental conflicting beliefs will only bring conflict. Thank you You Are a CEO. I avoided a potential lifetime of conflicts in the relationship.

CEO Success Club Achievements

One of the greatest achievements I have made was leaving a full-time job at Kaiser to do a full-time business as a photographer. Although I was very thankful for having a job a Kaiser, but I was not happy going into work every day knowing my passion was really to become an entrepreneur and photographer. I had a lot of people telling me that I couldn’t be successful at it and that I wouldn’t bring in enough money to support myself, but I knew I could do it because I already was experienced as an entrepreneur in my teens. These experiences along with the help of others and the mindset to succeed gave me courage and confidence and today I am doing what I love every day. It's a joy to get up and go to work. It's not a job it's my passion and I love the life I am living. I see my business and my life as a great success. I personally use the You Are A CEO philosophy in my everyday life and in my business. When it comes to goal setting, personal awareness, building relationships, time management, etc. I have training to tackle these areas and I navigate life easier than others. These are just a few of the workshops and courses I have taken. I tell people go to the events and you will learn how it works. There is just too much to mention. I’ve personally come across many fellow entrepreneurs in the same wedding industry as me and many of them ask for my thoughts and question me about how I go about my business. I point them to You Are a CEO but do often share it is the mindset, a fearless mental state of empowerment you have to have. You can’t have a mind set for the moment or the week or the month, it has to be continual. To power yourself up you need the input of fuel and motivation and I get that from the CEO Success Club. I have learned you have to always improve yourself, before your business can grow. You must master yourself to lead others to follow you. If something doesn’t work out, try it in another way, don't get discouraged but fight. If find yourself down on your luck, ask for help from those you know care who can lift you up and encourage you to keep going. Find quality coaches and mentors who believe in you and your work and will lend a hand when needed. Don't try to do it all alone that's what friend and family are for. Lastly, if you have goals make sure they are realistic and achievable and in everything you do make sure you have a positive attitude and a grateful heart. With that mindset you can accomplish anything.

What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

PART 3: 5 Things to Know About You Are a CEO

Dear MintShow Users & Ambassadors,

What is You Are a CEO?
What is The CEO Success Club?
What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?
I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?
What's happening to the Ambassador app (AHQ)?

TODAY'S QUESTION

What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?

We'd like to thank everyone for using MintShow and giving us valuable feedback about what you love in the app. We can’t wait for you to jump in and see if you can figure out what’s new. Some changes are subtle and some are big, so make sure your speakers are on and your volume is up. Let us know on Facebook what changes you see! There will be a new app to download and you can use the same username and password to login. Rest assured all of your points will be transferred over.

PART 4: I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?

Like Mintshow? You’ll love the CEO Success Club.

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

PART 2: 5 Things to Know About You Are a CEO

Dear MintShow Users & Ambassadors,

What is You Are a CEO?
What is The CEO Success Club?
What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?
I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?
What's happening to the Ambassador app (AHQ)?

TODAY'S QUESTION
What is The CEO Success Club?

The CEO Success Club is an inspiring network dedicated to creating success readiness in life, career, and business. You Are a CEO has created a members-only platform for people who want to stay motivated and inspired to succeed at anything they do. Members of the club will pay a monthly membership fee to access premium content, exclusive apps, live events, expos, networking opportunities and other perks.

PART 3: What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?

MintShow is Evolving....Find Out What's Happening

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

PART 1: 5 Things to Know About You Are a CEO

Dear MintShow Users & Ambassadors,

What is You Are a CEO?
What is The CEO Success Club?
What's happening to MintShow and is anything happening to my points?
I signed up to be an Ambassador, what will happen to my invites?
What's happening to the Ambassador app (AHQ)?

TODAY'S QUESTION
What is You Are a CEO?

You Are a CEO is a movement that was born out of a simple idea. We believe everyone is the CEO of their life and can take charge of their personal success.

Our mission is to spread this message all over the world and create opportunities for anyone who is determined to be successful. To achieve our mission and expand our reach, we decided to create a company that builds digital products accessible to everyone and shares its revenue with those who help spread the message.

PART 2: What is the CEO Success Club?

Incorporate Mentorship into Your Management Strategy

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

For many individuals, starting a new job can be exciting and, perhaps, a little intimidating. Training can be demanding and diving into a new role quickly can sometimes be a challenge. Incorporating a mentorship program into an organization’s management strategy, however, can be a seamless way of integrating new employees into the organization.

Pairing a new employee with a seasoned worker does not always fair well; the process is not always productive and the information may not be adequately transferred and understood by the new employee. Instead, implementing a mentorship program for willing participants to be accurately matched with a mentor or mentee would have a great impact on the training procedure as a whole. By creating a questionnaire for willing mentors and mentees to answer regarding their communication styles, their career objectives, and what they’re looking for in a mentor or mentee, mentors and mentees will be matched with an individual based on similar interest, personalities, and goals.

While a mentorship program is a wonderful onboarding tool, it can be developed for so much more than that. A mentorship program has the ability to create an open and inviting culture for employees to share their ideas and thoughts for improving procedures and the company as a whole. According to Accountemps report, “93 percent of the workers surveyed said goal setting is important to their work performance.” This discussion, however, does not always happen with their managers. Mentors are able to assist with goal setting by providing feedback on performance, as well as recognizing them for their achievements. Additionally, mentors can provide access to additional training and development opportunities in an effort for the mentee to reach their goals.

It is important to note that mentoring relationships vary from person to person and from one organization to another. Establishing the roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees is equally as important. Mentors are not supervisors and can offer guidance and advice, but they do not dole out tasks and tell mentees how to do their jobs. To ensure both parties are benefiting from mentoring, scheduling regular check-ins via email or phone is important, but it is even more crucial to incorporate face-to-face check-ins.

The benefits of incorporating mentorship into a management strategy are astounding. There is an opportunity for an increased transfer of knowledge, higher job satisfaction, professional development, and accountability, Additionally, mentorship lends to leadership development, demonstrates to superiors the ability to take on more responsibility, and increases the likelihood of reaching goals and objectives for both mentor and mentee. Moreover, mentorship increases the diversity of skill sets of individuals by pairing employees with different areas of expertise and generations.

Boeing is a great example of a company that incorporated a mentorship program into their onboarding and management strategy. Boeing believes that mentoring provides the opportunity for leaders to learn and define and model leadership. Additionally, mentorship increases the ability to retain and develop talent. The program at Boeing includes orientation, training and an agreement that establishes objectives, goals, and definition of roles, as well as regular evaluations and check-ins once a month. The combination creates a mentoring program that is satisfactory to both the mentor and the mentee. “Past research tells us while mentors are overwhelmingly satisfied with mentoring programs, mentees often are not. And that defeats the whole purpose.”

Excite Your Employees To Create Leaders of Tomorrow

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Wed, 02 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Developing better future leaders requires that as a leader you understand that leadership comes in different shapes and forms.

For a very long time, it seemed that leadership had to look a certain way. Presidents, popular CEOs, and icons provided a framework for this thinking and created a formula whereby many leaders developed an instinct to brandish authority and offer powerful speeches. The notion of stern and swift leadership is a stall one. Leaders, like autumn leaves, are all entirely different. While it’s essential for all leaders to be passionate about their projects, ideas or company, leaders should feel free to follow the written formula or change the blueprint.

Leadership can be more inventive , fun, and inspiring. Leaders see things that others don’t mind. They understand and interpret the value of technique, they search outside of their industry to find inspiration, and they are guided toward new ideas by looking to underlings, giving them permission to have great ideas.

There isn’t simply one way to be a leader, not in a world where technology has allowed more people to connect and share their thoughts and ideas. Blossoming leaders have never been more able or fortunate than they are right now because they have a whole world of experience at their fingertips in addition to the collection of leaders in their community.

Unfortunately, finding inspiration or innovation can be a challenge for some leaders who want to see new things in their companies or industry. Read on to find ways that you can invite success into your workplace.

Excite Your Employees

Find the time and energy not only to prepare and train your team but excite them about opportunities at the company and the tasks ahead. The more energized a team is, the more likely they are to stay at the company and bring new ideas to the table. It’s truly beneficial to the health of a company and those who work there that everyone feels supported and encouraged.

Take A Break

Breaks are incredible! Not only are humans not built to sit and stare at a screen for 8+ hours a day, but it can be bad for the back and eyes. Encourage your team to take a two-minute lap around the office each our, which will help to keep them perky, help them to see how other team members are doing, and it’ll help them burn a few calories. For more extended breaks, a brisk walk outside can undoubtedly help to draw ideas that may not have found you or your underlings if they hadn’t interacted with the world.

Ask Question

No one knows everything. That’s just a simple fact of the world. With that in mind, ask your team members essential questions about their skills and their passions not just in the initial interview, but in the midst of the work experience. Contributing in a meaningful way is extremely important to employees, particularly those who are millennials.

What are your thoughts on leadership and how to create innovation?

Foster A Creative Work Environment With These Tips

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

What are some things you might do to create a creative work environment?

Fostering a creative environment can be a challenge for some companies and organizations. That’s particularly the case when there’s a determined bottom-line that hangs over the heads of employees as they attempt to plan their days and execute essential projects. The question then becomes, ‘What are some things you can do to invite innovation and creativity into one’s company culture?”

There are several ways that companies sculpt and cultivate a creative and thriving company culture . Often, companies consider budget, environment, behavior and a location when grooming a company for creative success. At the same time, they understand these varied circumstances don’t change the fact businesses need creatives, and creatives are often a chief ingredient when designing a team that’s talented a promising, and ultimately able to push a company light years ahead.

While some businesses create an inspired workplace, fixed with showers and kitchens, to a creative culture for employees, others choose grant flexible work hours to employees. Read on to learn some of the other things that business attempt to establish an imaginative workplace.

Unlimited Vacations: Sounds too good to be true? Some companies offer teams unlimited vacation days, helping employees know that companies care about the mental health and the personal wellbeing and work-life balance.
Address Team Needs First: Virgin Group’s Richard Branson and Zappos’ Tony Hsieh are examples of CEOs who’ve reframed the thinking around “customers come first.” Instead, they take the needs of employees and team members seriously, putting their concerns ahead of customers and stakeholders.
Take Risks: Risk-averse teams don’t have as much fun or success as organizations choosing to use creativity to break tradition and bend the rules. Risk can be the gateway to cool disruptive ideas and exciting discoveries.
Encourage Debate : There’s little point in having a team who agree on everything all of the time. That would be boring, and wouldn’t be a great way to thrive. Instead, encourage work-friendly discourse among a diverse team of professionals.
Problem Solve As A Team: Rather than going at it alone, use that excellent group energy to support each other and work toward a solution. Observing the skills and perspectives of different team members can spark a breakthrough.
Inspire and Motivate: Executing larger projects, and smaller ones can be rewarding employees with responsibility. If employees feel respected and acknowledged, they’ll do a better job.
Outside-the-Box: Invite innovative thinking into the group, and encourage invention, conversation, and imagination. If you must, transform your office into something inviting, artistic, and attractive. Watch other companies with creative reputations, such as Google and Apple, and take notes.

Would you open up the floorplan to create better flow and introduce an uninhibited workspace? Would you develop team-building exercises? Would you make an effort to understand the needs of employees ? Are there other ways that you might encourage a creative working environment?

Introverted Leaders Can Foster Incredible Success

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

When people think of a great leader, many people tend to think of the stereotypical alpha male or female that can almost effortlessly take over the top job in a company and use their charisma and influence to lead the company to great success quickly.

In accomplishing the many things that are required of a leader, it should be no surprise that the direct, in-your-face approach of extroverted leaders tends to be very effective because of all the constant engagement with those directly involved in carrying out the company’s mission. Overall, this tends to be the kind of leader that companies seek out to fill their top positions.

Conversely, unless their reputations preceded them, executives with introverted personalities that do not exude the same intensity and excitement as the alphas may face a greater challenge persuading and influencing management and labor alike. There’s the idea that someone who isn’t very outgoing isn’t as capable of leading others. With this stigma attached to an introverted leader, this can create a major challenge to win the hearts of the people. Fortunately, there are ways to be effective ultimately.

Author Jennifer Kahnweiler says that introverts need to be mindful to not drift off into too much solitude and neglect building important relationships within the company. They need to keep others informed about what they are doing. In an article written by Forbes Coaches Council , they suggest that introverts leverage their strengths, such as listening and observing, as well as making sure that one’s performance indicates to others that not being extroverted is not a weakness or shortcoming.

Introverts tend to like more personal conversations with people one to one or in small groups rather than addressing a large audience. This can work greatly to their advantage. Victoria Fine writes that regardless of people’s personalities, important meetings ought to have only a small number of people – no more than seven – in her and other experts’ opinions. Due to how we are “wired,” having large groups of people meeting together greatly reduces the effectiveness of the meeting.

In conclusion, introverts face unique challenges, but if the executive truly possesses great leadership qualities, he or she will eventually get everyone on board to help fulfill the company’s vision.

3 Necessary Leadership Lessons You Didn’t Learn In The Classroom

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

There are many ways to gain leadership skills and learning them in a classroom setting is only one such way. Other lessons are learned in life , through experiences and through making mistakes. By combining these two ways of learning, you can become a better leader in a short time.

Communication

Sure, you can take public speaking courses in school, but they don’t really prepare you for addressing employees or those working beneath you in a hierarchy. For that, the only real-world experience will suffice. That’s because this type of communication involves the ability to listen as much as it requires a skill for engaging people in a common goal. By listening and addressing the concerns of those on your team, you’re better able to draw them in and instill a deeper interest in accomplishing the task.

Keep Calm and Focus on the Job

Things will rarely if ever, go perfectly. Either through mistakes or just the hand of fate, things will go wrong and that may end up causing conflicts with deadlines or meeting customer expectations. When this happens, it’s important to keep your cool and look at the situation rationally. This is easier said than done when your nerves are frayed and you feel the temptation to place blame. Instead, focus on getting the job completed and discuss how best to proceed with your team. By refocusing everyone’s efforts, you can complete the project more efficiently instead of dwelling on the past.

Learn How to Inspire Others

This is something else you’ll learn as you go and, if you pay attention, you can develop this into a finely honed skill. Being able to inspire the people on your team takes an ability to read those people and draw out their best traits. When you’re able to do this, you’ll be surprised by what the team can accomplish together.

These are just a few skills you’ll learn as you practice your leadership skills. The important thing to keep in mind is that your own energy will define how the team operates. If you can be a force for positive change, that will filter down to your team and they will perform better and feel free to share their ideas. In the end, boosting the confidence of your team members will boost your own leadership capabilities

How Might the Role of Leader Change In 2018?

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We see vast changes in our society, primarily brought about by technological innovations. As we adapt to a more sophisticated way of doing things, we’ll also have to change how we relate to one another. Our relationships in the workplace, as well as at home, will have to be altered if our society is going to advance along with our tech tools.

Recognize That Change Will Impact Everyone

People fear the unexpected, which is why change is so troubling. Even when the organization as a whole embraces change, it’s up to the employees to face the effects of that change. Leaders are going to have to recognize these experiences and find ways to alleviate the fear associated with change. This means practicing patience, while your subordinates attempt to accommodate these new processes.

Remember Your Decision-Making Skills

Even though you may be eager to see changes implemented, it’s important to remember you’re leading a team of individuals. For that reason, engage good decision-making practices that outline the change and the expected results. If your team feels these changes are forced upon them, they will feel skeptical and resistant. By talking openly about it, you’ll find your team is more responsive to the situation.

Be Willing to Sacrifice for Your Goals

Change won’t be easy for anyone, including the leader and, as such, you should expect obstacles along the way. While you may be tempted to relent, it’s important to stick to your guns. To do otherwise means you’ll lose integrity with your team and they’ll be less open to your next idea. Work through it and make sacrifices to accomplish the goal.

Don’t Let Your Focus Become Clouded

As you begin to implement a new course of action for your organization, you may start to see other things that could be done differently. Similarly, others might offer their suggestions to help improve the situation. While you want to listen to these thoughts, don’t let them distract you from your current strategy. If they are good ideas, write them down somewhere and revisit them, once this project is complete.

Being a leader in 2018 is about embracing change, but it’s also about holding onto the values and ethics that have guided you to this point. It’s a challenging balance to achieve, but it can be done. Leadership in the coming year is about versatility and compromise.

7 Suggestions For Millennials Pursuing Effective Leadership

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We deal and trade in skills and performance. That’s the nature of contending in any given professional setting as a leader.

Millennials, who are known for their creativity , bravery, and supposed abbreviated attention span are changing the way workplaces communicate, produce, or even manage their day. However, even with new mobile applications and digital ideas introduced to the workforce by millennials, there are some bits of understanding that hold true, and they’re relevant to anyone working, thriving, and leading.

Read on to learn suggestion Millennials may want to adopt when pursuing leadership:

You Can Lead | We all know that there is no one way to lead. There are a plethora of diverse leadership styles, and it’s essential to try on the different styles, so you learn which will work best for your professional organization. Consider your company’s values, and examine how your personal how style may compliment the performance of people you lead.
Surround Yourself With Doers | Steer clear of “chill” people who never seem motivated. Instead, choose doers who focus on completing goals and reaching accomplishments. A leader can’t help but be inspired by a spirited team member who wants to see great ideas brought to fruition.
Practice | Being ambitious isn’t merely enough. For some, they have to practice being a better leader. Because being a good leader doesn’t happen overnight, it’s important to read books, chat with mentors, listen to podcasts, and shadow others who might be able to feed you a greater understanding of what it might mean to lead.
Be Confident | You should look the part, and you should take that part. That means that you should put away the white t-shirts and put on a button up, which will help you to exude confidence. Confidence can beat away conceptions of weakness and it can help others to see you as a visionary because others can see that doubt doesn’t plague you. Be outspoken and be ready.
Look To Other Leaders | Across industries, business and institutions, some business leaders can look to for inspiration. Think of young leaders like Lebron James, or Mark Zuckerberg, who use those platforms to do dynamic things in their spaces, but also beyond. Use your voice to be head, as they do.
Identify Needs | Identify the needs of your business and your team and be of service. If you do this and adopt a way to help to lead and direct your squad closely directly, you’ll empower them.
Be Flexible | There should be hard set rules, but there should also be room for our underlining to voice concerns, work in experimental groups, and implement their values. If you embrace the needs of our collection, you’ll see better results.

If there are other tips you may have for Millennials seeking leadership ; please be sure to share!

Leadership 2018: 7 Leadership Habits To Put Into Practice In The New Year

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

While there are many different habits that are formed through education and experience, there are essential habits that should be put into effect as the New Year begins in order to meet specific business objectives or goals.

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, an innovative company that provides solutions for all types of leaders in business, leadership requires strategic actions in order to move towards success and to achieve desired expectations.

Plan Daily

Leaders should have a plan set for the day. If they’re not preparing for a productive day, then they are willingly accepting whatever comes their way. A willing bystander is not an effective leader.

Use Forward-Thinking

Every day potentially brings new sets of challenges or obstacles; therefore, it is better to be prepared. As a forward-thinking leader, they become better prepared for establishing boundaries which raises their awareness for better results.

Measure Results

A leader should measure each day as if it’s the start of a new project. They should have a measurement of specific daily tasks and establish check-points for measuring those results in order to monitor where they’re headed.

Set Daily Goals

All leaders are responsible for goals within their company on a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. There should also be daily goals to hold themselves accountable to reaching certain business objectives each day which makes them more confident.

Be More Mindful

Being more mindful establishes a better opportunity for staying fully focused and present which brings better results. Leaders should go through their day mindfully knowing what they should be accepting and what they should not be accepting to accomplish the day’s planned outcome.

Stay Timely and Organized

Leadership meetings should be accepted timely as well as addressing the team’s communications timely. This is critical for a leader’s credibility. Disorganization can be extremely detrimental to a person in a leadership position.

Respect all Relationships

Good relationships at all levels are imperative for a person in leadership. Therefore, treat people kindly. From the receptionist to the highest executive in the office, everyone should be treated with respect.

Leadership is essential to any organization. By continually assessing their habits, the ability for a leader to achieve success for their team greatly improves.

Beware of the Pessimist: Five Personality Types More Likely To Experience Delayed Success

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

There are many obstacles to success in life, including some of our own personality traits. It can be difficult to overcome ingrained traits or behaviors, but in the end, it is often worth it to do so. With hard work and practice, anybody should be able to tamper the traits that delay success. So what are some common personality types that we should work to avoid?

The Lazy Type.

This person often lacks motivation or drive. If you don’t have a goal or an ambition in mind, you cannot move forward in life. Try to develop an ethic of discipline in order to avoid this personality type.

The Procrastinator.

The procrastinator has a lot in common with the lazy type. This person may have come up with plans to complete a goal, but they don’t bother trying to complete those plans. This type can get easily distracted by other life occurrences. They might make excuses to put things off. Don’t delay your plans. If you have a goal that you want to achieve, come up with a solid plan and schedule to follow in order to accomplish that goal.

The Entitled Type.

An entitled person believes that they have the right to success without putting in the hard work to achieve that success. They don’t have the passion or the diligence to reach their goals because they believe that they should be able to reach their goals without much effort. Avoid this type by asking yourself, are you actually working hard enough to meet your goal?

The Anxious Type.

An anxious person often overthinks everything. They become fearful of taking risks or of investing a lot of time into certain ideas. This type may begin planning on achieving a certain goal, only to become too paralyzed with the possibilities of what could go wrong. This type might have an idea for a goal, but they become too indecisive about how to achieve that goal.

The Pessimistic Type.

A pessimistic mindset is toxic to success. This personality type is often already resigned to a lack of success. You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t bother even trying. Being constantly negative can lead to self-sabotaging behavior. Develop a positive mindset and tell yourself you can achieve your goals.

5 Psychological Traits Known To Those Who Effectively Lead

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In today’s competitive marketplace, you need to be a strong leader. One of the most essential skills is to possess psychological traits that put you above the rest. If you don’t utilize them, you could miss opportunities to get the most out of your team. Here are five traits to make sure you’re putting to use today:

Empathy

Empathy has been proven to increase your ability to lead others. When you show understanding, you demonstrate that you genuinely care about your employees, coworkers, or team in general.

Because they feel you understand them, they will be more likely to follow through on requests and work with you to achieve challenging goals. Empathy is always a great policy. When in doubt use the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do to you.

Motivation

Great leaders can motivate. It may be natural for some or learned from others. Whether you are a born inspirational leader or you need some training, make sure your skills in this area are up to par. The last thing you want is to miss an important opportunity because your workers are deflated. Motivation carries teams through even the toughest of times.

Uncertainty

There is only one certainty about the world of business: there will be uncertainty. You cannot predict every turn. Instead, you need to harness the ability to navigate through muddy waters and come out ahead. It’s not about knowing everything, but about having the confidence to figure it out as you go along.

Fear

Even the most successful people on the planet have fears. It is a natural human emotion. However, being beholden to your fear is not what a leader does. A leader must feel the fear and act anyway. They must pull through to show their team that it is possible.

Honesty

No one likes a liar or manipulator. Don’t create a bad reputation for yourself through dishonesty. In business, as in life, honesty is the best policy.

When it comes to leadership, psychology is key. If you have the right skills in this area, you can get others to perform at high levels. If you lack them, your business could suffer from the lower output and lower revenues. So take the advice above to heart and start utilizing these traits in your approach with your team today.

Organizational Psychology: 5 Books That Could Make You An Expert

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Human behavior in the workplace is the definition of industrial-organizational psychology. Performance measurement, reward systems, training and development, recruitment, selection and placement, quality of life, and structure of work are among the issues addressed when discussing organizational psychology.

Likewise, conversations about administrative, statutory, and ethical considerations are raised. Specialized knowledge and training can be developed and applied to the solution for problems at work, through performance evaluations, coaching, and training.

Croissants vs. Bagels: Strategic, Effective, and Inclusive Networking at Conferences by Robbie Samuels : “Croissants vs. Bagels” is a practical guide designed for beginners, as well as veteran experts looking to learn more about priority, drive, and networking. The book also prescribes insights on how to build relationships, conference, and take practical steps when working a room. Samuels is a networking expert who brings big thoughts to everyday ideas.

Profit from the Positive: Proven Leadership Strategies to Boost Productivity and Transform Your Business

by Margaret H. Greenberg and Senia Maymin : The ability to streamline, restructure, and increase productivity is expressed in this book. Examining the practices of forward-thinking and successful companies, the book advises readers, showing them how they might set habits, not just goals; turn strengths into team sports, and how to stop asking the wrong questions. It’s a straightforward, actionable manual for managers who want to find answers regarding management and leadership.

Finding Clarity: Design a Business You Love and Simplify Your Marketing by Amanda H. Young : The publication that highlights insight for service-based businesses. The path to success can be made more enjoyable by identifying clear steps, inviting fresh perspectives and simplifying marketing processes. Young has spent her career enabling visionary entrepreneurs and developing creative solutions for clients, fortifying her as an expert.

Free the Idea Monkey to Focus on What Matters Most : How the Most Successful People Make Big Ideas Happen by G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Viton : “Free the Idea Monkey” focuses attention on how one might use energy to fuel ideas and boost brainstorm sessions. The book lists true stories, illustrations, and useful tips that can encourage genuine progress and facilitate profitable partnerships in business and life.

The Spark and the Grind: Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity by Erik Wahl : Balancing creativity and discipline is the primary focus in this book, as well as how one might embrace creative breakthroughs. Wahl borrows from his own experience so he can paint an accurate idea of what it means to find spark and wisdom in the corporate sphere. He hails discipline that collaborates with inspiration, which makes this book an ideal read for young entrepreneurs and non-corporate individuals.

If you know of any other books that highlight the importance of organizational psychology? Please share! Also, please check out my book, “ Who Said So?: The Questions Revolutionary Businesses Ask That Make Them Successful.”

Be a Good Leader By Being a Good Person

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re teaching a class or running your own business, leadership is a valuable trait. Leaders possess the ability to get things done, with the help of others, even if they are not in a position of authority. How do leaders become leaders? What makes people want to follow them? Leaders pull their strength from the force of their character.

Integrity: Leaders earn trust by displaying integrity. That means living honesty and with strong moral principles, acting fairly. It also means holding yourself accountable: admitting to your mistakes and keeping whatever promises you make.

Personality: As a leader, you want the people working for you to feel personal loyalty to you. And that requires you to have a personal relationship to them. Obviously, if you run a big company or occupy a government position in a large municipality, you won’t be able to get to know your constituents on an individual basis. But you can still take steps to seem available. Learn to listen to complaints and concerns, and prove that you are willing to address them. Be open about yourself. That doesn’t mean you have to open your entire personal life up to scrutiny–in fact, you probably shouldn’t. But you do want your followers to realize that you are a person.

Self-awareness : Leaders are defined by themselves, not their environment. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and trusting in yourself, you will be able to maintain a strong presence even when dealing with criticism or failure.

Flexibility: As a leader, you need to have a clear plan for the future. But good leaders know that these plans are not set in stone. Leaders need to be able to change their plans in response to any setbacks they encounter. Furthermore, leaders should be flexible enough to embrace good ideas even if they go against the plan.

Humility: A lot of people believe that being a leader means presenting an air of infallibility, never showing weakness. But this tactic can backfire in the long run, because it will make it much harder to bounce back when you’re ultimately proved to be fallible. So admit freely that you don’t know everything, and apologize freely when you make a mistake. Rather than weakening you, your ability to face your weaknesses will likely earn you respect.

Why Bad People Aren’t Good Leaders

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Bad people aren’t successful leaders. They may receive the credit, accept the accolades, and take the promotions when their work goes well – but eventually, their underwhelming people skills will ruin their chances at long-term success. At that crash point, bad bosses will have to take up the less glamorous responsibility of leadership: shouldering a crippling share of blame when their work falls flat.

Poorly managed business campaigns can prove devastating to a would-be leader’s career, and often result from a manager’s poor leadership skills. This makes it all the more important for those in management to value the people they lead as individuals , rather than as mere contracted labor.

As Lynn Taylor, an expert in workplace management, explains in an article for Forbes : “[Effective corporate leaders] realize that trusting relationships built on diplomacy and respect are at the heart of both individual success and corporate productivity. An ounce of people sensitivity is worth a pound of cure when it comes to daily human interaction and mitigating conflict.” Unfortunately, the trip into office tyranny can be all too easy for new managers who care too much about productivity and too little about their employees.

As Taylor suggests, successful leaders are good, charismatic, and, above all, thoughtful people. A savvy manager realizes that their behavior sets the standard for office behavior, and has a heavy influence on the productivity and positivity of the working environment. A leader should always keep the following in mind when fostering a positive and productive work environment.

CONFIDENCE

More often than not, employees realize when business is on the rocks and will look to a leader for guidance and security. A good manager is honest, confident in the face of adversity, and approaches looming deadlines and missed targets with a plan for improvement. On the flipside, managers who exude anxiety and snap at their employees create a toxic workplace environment hurt performance and creates stress. To achieve success, leaders must always be levelheaded and aware of their place as a behavior model in the office.

However relieving it might feel in the short term, snapping at employees and displaying uncertainty is never a productive approach to long-term success.

COMPASSION

A good boss realizes that employees are people first, and workers second. Leaders must be compassionate and aware that different members of their team will need to be addressed in different ways. For instance, one person may take constructive criticism as validation, while another employee will find that approach demoralizing and stop trying. Figure out how to approach your employees as individuals, then validate the hard work they put in!

Additionally, remember to check in with individual employees if they underperform or seem to be having problems in the office. A bad boss might take an employee to task for not meeting a deadline, only to find out that the worker’s partner had been diagnosed with a serious illness that week. Good leaders proceed thoughtfully, and work with their employees rather than above them.

Moreover, team members will usually work harder and be loyal to leaders who care about them – so be compassionate!

COMMUNICATION

Transparency is at the heart of success. A manager who obscures their plans from their team or forgets to pass along vital information will quickly foster resentment in the office. A good leader is thoughtful and works hard to communicate effectively. Inefficient bosses often attempt to take on extra responsibilities for themselves, refusing to trust their team members with work that could easily be delegated. However, that approach often results with vital tasks being dropped, and produces shoddy work.

Leaders need to trust their teams and share relevant information.

When all’s said and done, being a leader is more than delivering a product. It requires thoughtful consideration of people and feelings, an excellent work ethic, and communication skills. Success may come to thoughtless leaders for a while, but only good people can foster the productive, positive teams necessary to engendering long-term success.

9 Expert Tips for Becoming A More Authentic Businessperson

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Whether dealing with revenue, sales, or cash flow or managing economic development, physical capital, financial capital or human capital, t here are numerous ways to be a businessperson. A business person can be someone who identifies as an entrepreneur, a founder, a majority shareholder, an upper-level manager, an administrator, or an executive.

Authenticity in business has been described as “oneness in our thinking, speaking, feeling and doing.” It’s each part of the body simultaneous communicating the same message. Being your true self at work can help in every aspect of the job, with regards to fulfilling goals, as well as maintaining professional influence and credibility. The idea of “faking it until you make it” mantra is that’s well practiced, but can be detrimental to your overall presence at a company, simply because many people aren’t very good at faking it.

Instead, they should get ahead in an informed, intentional way. Your unrefined gifts, talents, and values are likely to get you further in life than feigning excellence in areas where you aren’t equipped. It’s vital that you use your natural abilities to develop your business into something that you love.

Sorting through monotony and financial obligations can stifle creativity, and businesspeople often find it difficult for them to be their authentic selves in business. Below, please find eight tips a businessperson might employ if interested in becoming their most authentic self in business:

Values Ahead of Power : Power and money can get you far, but your personal values can help to propel you and your business forward. Achieve fulfillment in the workplace by staying true to your identity and your ambitions.

Enjoy Yourself ! Bring enthusiasm to your workplace everything. That brightness and vigor is contagious and will energize everyone in the workplace.

Identify Goals : Know what problem you aim to solve, and provide a service to clients. The ability to offer a valuable solution through continued service you’ll win loyal customers. Create a meaningful connection, which will inspire longstanding success.

Use Online Reviews To Boost Your Company : Take control of your social media presence and attempt to generate positive online reviews. After all, approximately 79 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations. Today, an online presence is essential, and being able to promote oneself in a quality way is the best path for a businessperson can their company and clients’ story to future customers.

Remember to Maintain Life Balance : Ensure that your work life makes room for your home life. Be sure that you’re caring for yourself throughout the day, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Be absolute that your work supports your life.

Know Your Limits : Set boundaries for yourself and other. Burn the midnight oil, but don’t burn out. Care for yourself more than you care about your business so that when you arrive to work, you’re present. Don’t compromise your well-being, and don’t allow anyone to challenge you when it comes to personal wellness.

Find Proper Support : Rather than lining up an assembly of individuals who don’t have your best interests in mind. Find smart, supportive, and creative people who share your vision. All mentors, advocates, and collaborators should be experts in their respective field. Likewise, you can focus on excelling where you shine best. Be sure to delegate, and find aid if you require assistance with maintaining individual projects, bank accounts, and newsletters.

Preach Your Personal Brand : Whether you have a product or a service, be sure that you’re clearly communicating what you offered, as well as personal style and core values. If your clients are acquainted with the identity of your brand then they are better they’ll have a better sense of the service, and they’ll view this as transparency.

Expand Your Knowledge Base By Acquiring New Skills, Features : You risk becoming antiquated if you don’t do the work to update and modernize your services and products. Modernity can be the difference between success and failure.

Be authentic as possible and create gratification in your work and home. Some other ways to demonstrate authenticity is to properly focus your energy, make everyone in your vicinity your ambassador, share your inspiration, and own your mistakes.

5 Ways Leaders Can Keep Cool During Difficult Times

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Self-possession and connectedness are essential when dealing with difficulty and challenges at the workplace, whether confronting competitive encounters or encountering the growing pressures of uncertainty and change. No matter how much acumen, maturity, and preparedness you have, you will be tested.

The question, however, isn’t if you’ll be tested, it’s what to do when you are tested. Leaders are always expected to be equipped with the right answers and armed with the right knowledge, but the truth is that sometimes, it’s a bit difficult to know what one ought to do next to maintain composure. Looking to an individual’s body language, attitude, agility, and availability are important indicators. For leaders in the workplace, what’s valued is elevated performance, acumen, the management of staff, and aptitude. Before attempting any extraneous efforts to combat difficulties in the workplace , be sure to address workplace culture, ensuring that employees and peers feel comfortable and secure in their jobs. More than that, they should feel appreciated.

During moments of crisis, composure isn’t merely invaluable, it’s essential. It’s the ability to handle; it’s the barometer of effectiveness. The competence to change one’s stripes, reinvent, reevaluate, and reimagine during times of professional adversity could mean the difference between boosting yourself and losing your job. Don’t panic; instead, look to past challenges and mentors and construct a way to solve whatever issue, employing a troubleshooting mindset. If that seems impossible , view the following tips for maintaining fortitude and self-assurance:

Don’t Let Emotions Rule Your World : Motivated and sufficient leaders tend to have a few things in common, and one of those things include an ability to keep their cool. They don’t scream, yell, lose control, or even react physically. These true captains of cool understand that unleashing emotions can confuse, distract, and intimidate underlings, and so they instead focus their attention on care and concern.

Don’t Take It To Heart : Often, it’s just business. Leaders understand that some criticisms, circumstances, and decisions aren’t personal jabs or agendas. Many time office politics and other influences impact changes within a space. The important thing is to maintain perspective and steer clear of defensiveness. If you’re finding it difficult to maintain composure, consider taking a walk or having a cup of tea to settle yourself. Obstacles can be a major test for you and your team, encouraging you to seek out proper solutions.

Maintain Positivity : While it’s easier said than done, practice being upbeat and tone-positive. Leaders are always being watched, monitored, and mimicked. Through your demeanor, you’re demonstrating being positive enables a leader to foster an attitude of hope and inspiration in their peers. That positive can also signify strength to employees who are weary due to chaos or dilemmas. Beat away uncertainty and focus your team toward improvement and involvedness.

Be Confident and Fearless : Fear can get the better of anyone, whether you’re at the top or near the bottom. Fear can be the item to undermine a cool persona, and complicate the ability to behave rationally or objectively. When that fear begins to seep in, pause and ask yourself why this is happening, what’s the worst that’s going to happen, and who you can look to help you realize that the problem has a solution? You’ll find that those answers are a bit closer than you think.

Take Your Time : Rather than being reactionary, take the time to edit out doubt and anger, and respond to issues with authority, confidence, and conviction. Leaders who deal in intentional decisiveness will find that their messages are better received and leaders are better respected.

Leaders should be accountable. Assuming responsibility and correcting actions is the best way to solve a situation before it blossoms into something uncontrollable. Also in the same vein of things, it’s important to feign familiarity with a new situation. When leaders demonstrate to underlings that they have knowledge, experience, and control, this garners respect and confidence. Ability to master and manage a situation sets the tone for success.

Youth Summit Keynote Address at Jesse Bethel High School | Parts II, III

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

As we know, Michael E. Parker paid a visit to Jesse Bethel High School to share inspiration, motivation and thought. The first part of this speech can be viewed here . The following footage, published in two parts, showcases Michael E. Parker’s Youth Summit Keynote Address at the Jesse Bethel High School.

Michael E. Parker Youth Summit Part II from Michael E. Parker on Vimeo .

Michael E. Parker | Youth Summit Keynote at Jesse Bethel High School, Part III from Michael E. Parker on Vimeo .

Please visit following link to view the beginning of the commencement.

Youth Summit Keynote Address at Jesse Bethel High School

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Michael E. Parker recently paid a visit to Jesse Bethel High School for the Vallejo Youth Summit to chat with parents and teenagers about the future, his personal story, and the path toward success, with regards to education, wealth, productivity and goal acquisition. Please listen to the inspiring messages shared in the video below. This is simply the first installment. Tune in for the rest of his important message. Also, view the rest of the footage from the youth summit, please click here .

Youth Summit Keynote Address at Jesse Bethel High School | Michael E. Parker from Michael E. Parker on Vimeo .

To view the second and third videos in this series, please visit the following link: http://michaeleparker.net/youth-summit-keynote-address/ .

MintShow App Launched at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, September 12-14

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I am very excited to announce that I will be taking my team to TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco September 12-14! It is time for the world to have a place they can go to Live Uplifted .

We have created a safe place to share the things in life that make us happy and celebrate achievement, positive moments, and inspiring actions or thoughts. Our goal is to enhance the lives of our users by providing an environment to encourage healthful behaviors that improve relationships, increase productivity, keep us motivated and productive. Through gamification and habit design, we have found a way to help people maintain an uplifted and inspired state of mind.

Introducing the MintShow App and online community. MintShow celebrates Moments IN Time (MINTs), using High Fives, CompliMints, and ReMints that allow members to share their everyday accomplishments and encourage other members. MintShow posts are organized to motivate, inspire, or educate, and use specific Showrooms to target posts by area of interest and achievement. Beta users can sign up by downloading the MintShow app from theApp Store or Google Play. MintShow is also available on the web at www.mintshowapp.com . Wish us well…We are delighted to be able to debut MintShow at TechCrunch!

The 4 Myths About Millennials and the Keys to Their Success

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

What if you had a high-powered, thoughtful, intelligent, and entrepreneurial-minded individual with something to prove in your organization, giving everything they have to make your company better?

Well, that’s exactly what the millennials bring to a workplace! Bruce Tulgan, author of “It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss” stated, “They (millennials) will be the most high-maintenance workforce in the history of the world, but they may also be the most high-performing.” So who are the millennials?

They are the 54 million adult Americans between the ages 19 and 37, constituting nearly one-third of the American workforce. Their professional profile can be described as “can do” attitude, goal oriented, tech-savvy, well-educated, environmentally conscious, socially responsible, inclusive, efficient, high producers, collaborative and innovative. Although these characteristics are favorable, why are millennials misunderstood by older generations?

Myth #1: Millennials are lazy.

The truth is they value work-life balance. They work hard to land their job. Once they accomplish that, they don’t equate long working hours with working hard. Millennials like to be efficient at work and they are achievement oriented. The key to connecting with the millennial population is to be flexible. Offer schedules and telecommunication options.

Myth #2: Millennials lack respect and shouldn’t ask so many questions.

The truth is they value leadership. They should be encouraged to ask questions. They may be insecure in applying their skills and they are asking questions because they want to glean from the mentorship and work experiences. The key is to lead and guide. Establish mentorship programs, explain decisions and welcome questions.

Myth #3: Millennials are not as driven as we were at their age.

The truth is they need to be challenged. The world has drastically changed and what we are accustomed to, they do not share the same experiences. They process quickly and bore easily. They seek fast-paced growth rather than slow advancement. The key is to give rewarding work. Allow them to solve real business challenges and provide small, frequent perks for meeting milestones.

Myth #4: Millennials are not committed.

The truth is they want you to invest in their skills. Increased unemployment and high turnover rates create instability. The key is to invest in their development. Show your commitment to millennials with an organized multi-faceted development program.

If we take the time to implement these four keys we may tap into the hardest working, highly respectful, extremely driven and committed workforce our history has ever seen!

Be Flexible
Lead & Guide
Give Rewarding Work
Invest in Their Development

The 7 Fruits of Positive Thinking

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

You have to understand what an unhealthy mindset does to your reality before you can overcome a negative mental approach to life. Consistent negative thinking can derail an individual, disallowing them from achieving excellence because those negative thoughts overwhelm positive thoughts. Negative thinkers live their lives always preparing for the worst, and they’re mentally consumed with the idea that something may go wrong, making it impossible to ever muster positive thoughts.

It’s important that you learn to submit yourself to positive thinking in every situation, whether facing tough, but expected challenges, or unexpected pitfalls.

Now, I’m going to be frank with you: positive thinking doesn’t always feel good, nor does it feel comfortable or fun. Nonetheless, positive thinking is a surefire way to escape the insidious trap of negative thinking and it’s the best way to bear positive fruit. Focusing on the right things at all times helps us to steer clear of the six traps of negative thinking. Those six traps of negative thinking are Ignorance, Fear, Anger, Jealousy, Procrastination and Laziness.

Each of these traps has their own nature, personality, and characteristics. Nevertheless, positive thinking combats ignorance and the other traps. Maintaining a thought process that strives for excellence in every and all situations demonstrate an ability to overcome negative thoughts. Learn to build and maintain a positive mindset by outlining a few things to focus on as you approach each day, and you do this by adhering to The 7 Fruits of Positive Thinking:

1. Achievement : What have you accomplished in your lifetime? Being positive is the first step! Developing and maintaining a positive frame of mind will allow you to experience a lifetime of personal achievement.

2. Balance : How do you spend your time? A positive thinker will focus their time and energy on things that matter to them because they understand the value of harmony and life balance.

3. Confidence : If you are negative, you will not believe that you can do it. A positive thinker will first develop the knowledge and skills they need to achieve their goals, which produces all the confidence and belief they require.

4. Diligence : Do you give up too easily, or become satisfied, lazy and complacent? A positive thinker refuses to give up! They develop the mental strength to overcome obstacles and the discipline it takes to “run through the finish line.”

5. Excellence : Are you ok with ‘Just Getting By’? A positive thinker refuses to “Just Get By;” rather, they always strive for excellence and go beyond what is required to ensure they achieve their goals.

6. Growth : Has fear limited your mental capacity for growth. A positive thinker will expand their mind through continuous learning and life experiences and are never afraid to grow and develop.

7. Other-Centered : Do you always think about yourself? A positive thinker understands that real joy and satisfaction comes when you can make the lives of others better!

We must keep our goals before us and work to toward them. We must strive to meet our goals no matter how it feels, no matter the circumstances. Remember that success is not optional, it’s optimal. We must work tirelessly to intensify our improvement and accept nothing less than excellence, which is the mindset we must maintain each and every day, when we go to bed at night and when we rise in the morning.

The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

What are the characteristics of a “good team?”

That’s a question I’ve been asked time and time again and deciding how to answer that question requires a fundamental understanding of interpersonal relations, utilization of talent, and functional team structure.

More often than the not, the first words to come to mind when answering that question is “effective communication,” “excellent collaboration,” and “everyone understands their role within the team.” Yes, each response is correct, but so much more is required to build a “good team.” More important than knowing how to answer that question is the answer to the question, “How does one develop and manage a “good team?”

‘The Behaviors of a Cohesive Team’ is a model based on Patrick Lencioni’s book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” Following the completion of the book, Wiley and the Patrick Lencioni re-partnered and created a positive take on the book, composing “The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team.” This book provided fresh, positive answers to questions about idealistic actions and engagement within the workplace. Included in this team building model is the Everything DiSC Assessment .

After a team takes the DiSC Assessment, team members are asked to answer additional pre-determined questions about team views and roles. Responses from team members get compiled in a detailed report while teams become acquainted with The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team model. The Everything DiSC Assessment and the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team model are used in tandem to gain a better understanding of what tools can be used to mature a team into a truly functional, truly cohesive team, which is known to achieve and receive desired results.

The assessment-based learning experience provides organizations and individuals with a unique opportunity. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team helps to build a coherent and efficient team in a fashion that’s competent, approachable and capable. The assessment brings teams together, and teams learn to hold one another accountable, focus on achieving collective results, commit to decisions, engage in conflict around ideas and trust one another.

The Michael E. Parker team became an Authorized Partner of the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team because we’ve seen the results. To learn more about The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team visit www.valuecenteredsolutions.com .

Using The DiSC Model to Improve the Workplace

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Collaborating with some people can be an absolute dream while working with others can be like pulling teeth. Why is that?

There are numerous reasons why complications arise between two individuals when completing a project, including conflicting personalities and disorganization. Nonetheless, more attention should be concentrated on understanding why it’s simple to work with some employees and it takes so much more time and energy to collaborate with other colleagues. Working with the latter can leave you inexplicably frustrated and exhausted. I’m confident that many of us felt this way or similarly during our careers.

With that said, there are tools available to help us navigate and improve working relationships with teams, bosses, colleagues and customers. The DiSC Assessment is a vital instrument for this reason and it’s the best DiSC Model to date, in my opinion. Everything DiSC Assessment developed the research-based model, which helps individuals improve self-awareness, learn more about fellow colleagues, and gain an understanding of their co-worker’s day-to-day. Educating oneself on the lives of others is a powerful tool, one that’s proven to help to improve working relationships, create a better work environment, and develop rewarding workplace dynamic.

DiSC isn’t a test, nor does it assess your skill set, abilities, or strengths. Instead, the personality assessment measures tendencies and preferences, identifying particular types of characteristics, traits, and behaviors. Pinpointing these things is a necessary step for improving the quality and culture of a workplace. Also, utilizing that information is essential for building and maintaining more effective relationships.

DiSC is an acronym, which means dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness, and it can positively unearth priorities, motivations, fears, notable attributes and limitations of any given team member.

The success of DiSC is why the Michael E. Parker team has become an Authorized Partner of Everything DiSC because we have seen the results. To learn more about Everything DiSC go to www.valuecenteredsolutions.com .

Money & Time: Two Are Better Than One

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Our lives are prolonged gathering periods. We spend much of our early years learning about money and trying to earn money. Then, we spend much of our later lives hemorrhaging cash when attempting to get more time. The struggle is absurdly real.

Money and time can be at opposite ends of the axis while simultaneously behaving as cornerstones of life, which can be good and bad. It can be favorable if you’ve mastered the art of financial planning.

Develop a strategy where these two giants work in harmony. It will increase the probability of personal success. When doing this, don’t focus too heavily on the power of money. You’re likely to lose sight of time and unseat a work-life balance. Conversely, focusing on time without a clear focus on finances can lead to a desperate life. Money is the power to do what you want to do, but time allows you the space in which all things can be done. When these two things aren’t aligned there will be an eventual breakdown. Discovering the best avenue toward sustainable success requires a partnership between money and time.

Do Life, Do You

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Your life is defined by what you do. Nothing else.

Unfortunately, good intentions, deferred dreams, and unaccomplished goals mean very little when you leave this earth. We’re remembered because of the things we’ve accomplished and measured by the things we’ve said.

The clock works against us and it only moves in one direction. It does not pause. It does not grant a second chance. Every tomorrow only comes once, and yesterday will never happen again. That’s important to know. It’s critical information for accepting our realities and our limitations.

You have to do as much as you can with the time that you’re given. You have to decide what you want to accomplish and work consistently at it. “Living is doing and doing is living,” so “How do you?” remains the profound question that only you can answer.

Dressing the Part

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

As you enter the world of business with aspirations of eventually leading your own company, you will hopefully approach your dreams and objectives with a concrete plan of action. The beginning of your career will focus on learning as much as possible about your industry and receiving relevant training. You will then likely enter the workforce in order to learn more about leadership and the process of running a business by observing those that lead the company that you work for. From here you may feel ready to take the reins in your own hands and start to build and/or lead a venture of your own. This process can of course vary and will be tailored to the particular circumstances of the individual. No matter what your path, it’s important that you keep your long-term goals in mind, keep learning, keep moving, work hard and connect with other individuals in your field.

While this is where most of your efforts should go, there is another aspect of your professional life, that’s worth ad dressing. Your wardrobe. Whenever you find yourself in a professional environment or potential professional environment, make a point to dress accordingly. This doesn’t mean that you have to look or dress like everyone else, it just means that you should be aware of the image that you are projecting with what you wear and how you present yourself. Although style guides about the well-dressed young professional often showcase pieces that are very expensive, don’t let that discourage you from dressing well.

Make sure that your clothes are clean, ironed, mended, and fit well. It’s better to invest in one or two pieces and make sure that they really fit than spending the same amount on a number of pieces that don’t fit you well.

Although what you wear doesn’t reflect anything in terms of how smart you are, your potential or who you are as a person, how you look is the first thing that people notice about you. Therefore, make sure that you are happy with the image that you are presenting to the world. And if you aren’t take stock of where you are and where you’d like to be, and come up with a plan of small steps (that don’t cost too much money) in order to enhance what you are projecting. Here are some tips on finding affordable and classic men’s fashions and women’s fashions . And here is a great guide that outlines the kinds of pieces that you should consider purchasing for men and women when building your professional wardrobe. If these styles don’t suit you, just make sure that you pay attention to detail when it comes to your own. Keep your clothes clean and mended and make sure that they fit well.

Valued-Centered Solutions and the Success of a Small Business

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

About Value Centered Solutions

What is Value Centered Solutions or VCS, Inc ? Value-Centered Solutions is a consulting company that provides training as well as customized solutions that empower businesses to overcome the common and specific obstacles that they face regularly. Michael E. Parker founded this company with a desire to merge his interest in helping other businesses grow, with his background in lean management and interest in focusing on customer value. As the CEO and Founder of VCS, Inc, Michael has designed a solutions system based on the idea that a company starts with its customer. With the customer as the focal point of the business, Value-Centered Management utilizes Lean fundamentals as the basis for the management practices then utilizes the three channels of; customer value, business culture and value stream flow to support the overarching structure and strategy of the business. But what does this look like in action? Although the businesses that use this revolutionary and effective solutions based system may appear completely different at first glance, the beauty of the system is that it applies to all companies regardless of the sector. While the industries vary, the caliber of excellence and efficiency do not.

Jovance Salon and Barbering is a great example of Value-Centered Solutions at work. At Jovance, the company’s mission is to “deliver speed, quality, and care to both men and women of all hair types. Jovance is also dedicated to providing exceptional hair, skin, and body care through products, services, and continuing education. Our unwavering commitment to Value-Centered Solutions (VCS) and methodologies is to work as one team to provide superior service to our customer, the cornerstone of our success.”

At Jovance, the entire business model centers around the customer and functions accordingly. From the layout of the establishment itself, to the types of treatments to the level of care, Jovance is dedicated to understanding catering to the client. Jovance Bridal was even an offering that originated from the desire to fully cater to the needs of the customer. Jovance is just one of many success stories when it comes to the Value-Centered Solutions methodology system. To learn more about Jovance Bridal, see the video below.

Keys to Maximizing your Productivity Like a CEO

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most common issues that we all face today – regardless of our field, age or stage in our career is an epidemic of not having enough time. Our schedules at home and at the office can easily become overly packed with too many items. While this frenetic pace that we all seem to share can feel overwhelming or even impossible, there are certain ways to address your schedule in a way that ensures that you complete the most important things each week, and approach the items and tasks that you need to in a way that is consistent and manageable. The key to time management is to accept that we only have a fixed number of hours each day, each week and each month. Even with all of today’s cutting edge technology and advances in modern science… we can’t create more time. So once we accept the fact that we need to accomplish our tasks and goals within a certain framework, we must plan accordingly.

When it comes to time management – particularly in the case of a CEO, it’s important that you review how you currently spend your days. It is highly likely that the events that fill your day fall under two main categories, fixed time and variable time .

The Power of Fixed Time

As its name suggests, fixed time refers to events or activities that happen regularly, for a defined amount of time. Perhaps you have a meeting with employees everyday from 9:30am to 10:00 am. Or you have lunch from noon to 12:45pm. These are events that are easy to account for, and very helpful from the perspective of time management – because they are expected.

The Disadvantages of Too Much Variable Time

But the other items on your itinerary may fall under the second category, of variable time . Agenda items like this are difficult to plan for because they are inconsistent in frequency and duration. Everything from client visits to personnel issues, phone calls, email follow ups, planning and of course unexpected meetings can drain time from your schedule. Additionally, these kinds of unexpected issues always seem to demand attention and act as a priority, even if this is not truly the case. They essentially act as random disruptions throughout the day.

Keeping this in mind, the objective in auditing your daily calendar is to move agenda items from variable to fixed times. There are a few ways to go about this.

Gain Control and Reduce Variable Time

When it comes to things like answering emails or scheduling phone calls – be particular about your availability. Choose to respond to emails or take calls at particular points throughout the day, so they don’t interrupt you when you are in the middle of something else. Additionally, consider using the parking lot system. When an unexpected issue (that isn’t an emergency) comes to your attention, instead of responding to it immediately, write it on a post it, or add it to a designated list. And going forward, designate a certain amount of time to these sorts of unexpected things that come up. Block out 2 to 3 in your calendar everyday, and let that be the time that you devote to these kinds of activities. While the hour that you allot for this may not be enough, it’s a start, and helps shovel these kinds of unexpected events into a sort of “standardized chaos”.

Don’t Be Afraid To Re-Prioritize Throughout the Day

Another habit that I would recommend is to continuously prioritize and re-prioritize your objectives and tasks for the day. Remember that something that was important yesterday may be less important in relation to what you need to complete today. Therefore, you should not follow “to-do” lists blindly. Instead, make a point to re-prioritize regularly.

For more tools to help you accomplish your goals, visit my collection of apps and services here .

Lessons in Charity for the Entrepreneur

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

While there’s no question that finding a way to give back is a meaningful experience, it’s worth noting the particular benefits of getting involved with charitable work from the perspective of an entrepreneur.

Marcus Samuelsson and Harlem Helps

Marcus Samuelsson, the Head Chef and owner of popular Harlem-based restaurant Red Rooster was interviewed by Inc. magazine and shared his own unique perspective on how charity can and should fit into the vision of an entrepreneur or business owner.

Recently Samuelsson hosted a benefit to support the efforts of Harlem Helps – for the families that suffered as a result of the recent murders at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Samuelsson said that, “As a restaurant owner in the community, I feel it’s integral to provide a platform for people to gather and show their support. We have the ability to bring people together to show support, and thus a responsibility to the community and to the families to do so, to help in the face of this adversity.”

Know Yourself, Know Your Customer

Although this is a very specific cause and a unique neighborhood with a historically significant past, the ideas that Samuelsson presents translate to much broader contexts for all entrepreneurs. Regardless of the venture, product or service that you are promoting as an entrepreneur, knowing your customers is key. Samuelsson is well aware of his restaurant’s place within the immediate community of Harlem. The restaurateur noticed that this particular tragedy struck close to home for many of his patrons and for people living in Harlem. Realizing the importance of responding to this tragedy, Samuelsson joined right in and acted accordingly.

Ask Yourself The Important Questions

When considering what charities or causes to support and how to get involved, not only do you need to know your customers, but you need to understand the way that your company fits into their lives. When rallying around a particular philanthropic or charitable cause, what can your service or product offer to your customers that will be most beneficial to them in relation to that cause? You can also come at this from the perspective of truly knowing your company’s strengths. What does your company do best? How does your product or service relate to a cause that speaks to your customers? Figure out a way to offer a great solution using the tools that you already have in place. This ensures that your clients will find true value in your charitable offerings, but it also means that you will be equipped to deliver whatever it is you are volunteering.

Help Your Customers Help Others

Whether you choose to develop an ongoing relationship with a specific charitable organization, or you come up with a way to get involved with a very specific cause, it’s not only a chance for you to help others, but it’s also a way to act in solidarity with your customers and show that you both respect and reflect their values.

Pro Tip: The 4 Ps of Marketing

webadmin@vcsinc.com (Web Admin) — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

For those of you just starting a business, the 4 P’s of marketing are pretty essential. The idea of the Marketing Mix became popular in the 1960s, but the concept had been around before then and it still holds true today. The 4 P’s – Product, Place, Promotion and Price are the 4 controllable categories that help deliver a product successfully to your target customer.

Product: The cornerstone of any business is the product. Even with all of the corporate structures in place, if you don’t have a strong or clearly articulated product then your business is not sustainable. You should be able to identify what value the product brings to the market. It’s important to keep in mind that a product doesn’t have to be a physical object, but it can also be a service, a level of quality, or the way you conduct business. Thinking broadly about the idea of a product is another key to success in this area.

Place – When it comes to selling a product to a customer, the idea of place is extremely integral to the proces. Place can refer to the physical place where you intend to sell your product, as well as the product’s place in the market. Logistical considerations and planning are necessary in figuring out how customers can physically get to the product. As a business owner, one should consider what “proper placement” is and what segment of the market should be seeing your product first. Poor placement can hurt sales, even if you have a great product. Really plan out and consider the logistics in timing and placement and how your product will move throughout the supply chain. and system.

Promotion : Advertising and sales are the traditional ways that we are trained to promote a product. However, there are a variety of ways to approach promotion. Focus is key in order to really hit your target. This means you should know your audience. Who are you selling to? Who is most likely to not only buy your product, but to support future products and talk positively about it? Make sure to do your research and focus on timing. If you’re just starting out and haven’t developed a target audience yet, aim for mass appeal. Make an impact on people with your product – your customers can become a promotional campaign on their own. Word of mouth is a tried and true form of promotion. This is an opportunity you don’t want to lose.

Price – The final “P” in the Marketing mix is as important as the others. The price point either invites or discourages the customer. Another area that requires some research is figuring out where your product’s price falls within the market. Figure out how elastic the price can be for your product. Elasticity relates to how the market responds to your pricing. We set a certain tone with the price, but ultimately the price should be dictated by the market. What is the competition like? What is the trend in demand for your product? These are all questions that help determine the right price point.

Each one of the 4P’s plays an important role in effectively providing a great experience with your customer. The customer is the root of the whole system, and it’s your job to provide them with the best experience with your product.