In my last blog I spoke of my Business/Biker friend who was experiencing the pain of a second wave of layoffs within his company.  We all know he’s not alone as thousands of companies have gone through it.  Not all get the same big press as when major corporations do it, but that doesn’t lessen the devastation. 

The toll paid on both sides is extreme as one person is left unemployed and the other still fighting for survival.  Screw the win-win scenarios of the past, this is pure lose-lose. So, as an entrepreneur, how do you get through it?  After all is said and done, your focus must be on the work to be done.  As much as you grieve for those left behind, it’s time to now turn your attention to those still with the organization and how to ensure against future cutbacks.

The first thing you need to do is re-calibrate where you’re going.  The landscape has shifted and you must confirm that your original destination is still valid.  The CEOs I work with have told me that their next 5-10 years goals have changed dramatically.  Some good and some not so good, but it’s their new reality. 

In order to define your new direction I recommend you get away from it all for a weekend.  Find a place where there’s no phone, no internet, little to no television or music and most importantly – no companion.  This is vitally important because there can be no distractions in order to really stop and let the background noise around you settle.  This time alone isn’t about structure, it’s about being.  It’s a time that HAS to be all about you and simply being alone with your thoughts.

It’s such a foreign concept to most people that the silence and aloneness will be difficult at the start, but clients have told me that after about a day or so they ‘get it’ and things begin to come together.  They begin to see more clearly and better understand where it is they are and more importantly where it is they now need to go.

Remember, at a time like this, there are no magic seminars or best selling books that can do as much to help you work through this situation than you simply getting away and having an extended conversation with yourself. After all, you’ve done a good job building the company to this point – now all you have to do is have faith in your abilities and in the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi – “trust in the force”.  It’s inside us all.

 Dwain

The Biker Guy

As always – This is just my opinion, I could be wrong.  So, if you disagree or simply want to pile on, please do so either here on the BLOG or email me directly at Navigator@BikersGuidetoBusiness.Com  I look forward to hearing from you.

Last week I received a call from a Business/Biker buddy that said it was time to ‘get some wind in his face and re-group’.  So early Saturday morning we rambled out to one of our favorite meeting places, The Cabbage Patch, a famous biker hangout near Daytona Beach.  It didn’t open for another couple of hours, but we planned it that way, as at that time of the morning it’s off the beaten path and a perfect place to talk. 

He needed to talk about the latest round of layoffs at his company and how much it hurt.  The first round was five months earlier and at that time he’d hoped it was the only one needed to ride out this economic storm, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.  Now he found himself having to do it again, and this time he was losing ‘muscle’ as many of those laid off were 20+ year employees who were like family. 

With tears welling in his eyes, he openly doubted his abilities as a CEO and leader.  For an entrepreneur, employees aren’t numbers on a balance sheet; they are friends who’ve sweated next to you for years helping to build a company – your company and now you have to look them in the eye and say goodbye.  You can no longer take care of them and you literally feel their devastation. 

It isn’t fair and no matter how many times you’re told “it’s the economy and not your fault”, the pain doesn’t go away.  It’s another one of those wounds that we have to endure and hope will heal over time.  But until then, we can remain confident in our abilities and hopefully have someone in our lives with whom we can talk about it. 

That day I was fortunate to be there for him. Who do you have? Will you be there when someone needs you?

Check back in next week and I’ll talk about strategies you can use if you are faced with laying off staff.” 

Dwain

The Biker Guy

As always – This is just my opinion, I could be wrong.  So, if you disagree or simply want to pile on, please do so either here on the BLOG or email me directly at Navigator@BikersGuidetoBusiness.Com  I look forward to hearing from you.

The word of the day, week and month these days is Twitter.  Some of you know what it is, others kinda know and most don’t have a clue.  Well, I’m here to offer up my thoughts on this latest techie phenomenon. 

First, let me say that I love the damned thing.  As an author with a book coming out in a couple of months it’s great to have the opportunity to connect with people all over the world.  This past Sunday I held an in-depth conversation with someone from New Zealand on the pros and cons of being a vegetarian.  She learned something and I learned something, which made it a good conversation. 

You see, the magic of Twitter is that it’s nothing more than a 24/7 networking event.  Just like walking into a Chamber of Commerce meeting where you’ll reconnect with old friends and make new ones.  Unfortunately, most people on Twitter have no clue how to use it.  Most people simply shout out inane things or hawk their services.  My favorite ones to hate are the “Quotables.”  These people do nothing more than sit there with a book of quotes next to them and transcribe one after the other after the other, all in the hope that someone finds them oh-so-interesting. 

Think about it – when’s the last time you walked into a networking event and were drawn to someone standing on a table shouting out quotes or their elevator speech to the entire room?  Exactly, you walk directly away from that individual…fast. 

Instead, you look for someone interesting and join that conversation.  This allows you to determine if it’s someone you want to go to the next level with in terms of interest.  In the old days of networking, that meant coffee or lunch, here it means moving it to Facebook, My Space or LinkedIn.  (Yes, there are others, but these are the big 3).  From there you begin to forge a 1-1 business relationship. 

That’s it…that’s all Twitter is!  No need to make it more complicated simply because it’s a new technology.  Just apply tried and true networking techniques to it and you’ll have success.  So if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to tweet now.

Ride On

Dwain

The Biker Guy

As always – This is just my opinion, I could be wrong.  So, if you disagree or simply want to pile on, please do so either here on the BLOG or email me directly at Navigator@BikersGuidetoBusiness.Com  I look forward to hearing from you.

Two years ago it was but a dream, and today we kicked off a national media campaign for my new book, The Biker’s Guide to Business. And to say it’s been an interesting ride is an understatement as along the way I’ve had the privilege of talking and riding with some of the top motorcycle riding CEOs in the country.

I was there as John Paul DeJoria of Paul Mitchell Systems took possession of his newest bike and led our group on a ride through Hollywood into Malibu.  I also hopped onto a Ducati and shredded an Arizona mountain with Bob Parsons, of GoDaddy.Com. 

Both men could not be more different, yet both couldn’t be more alike.  Indeed each loves the wind in his face on an open road but they also share an unique passion for both life and business.  Typical entrepreneurs, each got to where he is today by understanding and embracing reasonable and controllable risk.  They both know that life is meant to be ridden close to the edge and that success depends on their ability to master it.

And that’s what The Biker’s Guide to Business is all about.  It’s a no BS approach to business and how I along with other entrepreneurs have learned how to ride at top gear.  And now I get to share these stories and techniques with the rest of the business world. 

But what excites me the most is the prospect of meeting and riding with others who, just like J.P. and Bob have their own stories to tell and favorite rides to show me.  So do me a favor…aside from ordering your book today, send me an email so we can get to know each other and share our love of business and the open road. 

Who knows – your stories just might inspire my next book.

Just Ride

Dwain

The Biker Guy