Be The Change

Be the change you wish to see in the world – Gandhi

Long ago I realized you can’t change the whole world at one time. In fact, it is even difficult to impact a small part of the world. However, there is one thing that we all have the power to change. That one thing is ourselves.

This is probably why people make New Year resolutions. They want to exercise their power to change. Yet they typically don’t put a lot of thought into a resolution and they usually don’t think about how hard it is to change. Yes we have the power to change. But change is difficult. It is a process and it takes a commitment. The reality is that even if we have the will power to change we will likely still fall and make mistakes. The key is to keep working on change and keep moving forward realizing that it will be difficult and that there will be those that are not cheering for us along the way.

Did you ever make a resolution to lose weight? Maybe you buy a membership to the gym and you start out the year going to yoga and walking on your in home treadmill. But the first couple of weeks go by and you miss a class, and then you get knocked off schedule by a trip out of town. Soon you are snacking at midnight and there is someone right there to point it out and call you a hypocrite. Now the choice of change is really upon you. This is where the rubber meets the road. Are you going to quit and let them be right? Or are you going to persevere?

All goals require planning. Set yourself up for success. Put the patterns into place and then follow through. If you are a salesperson and you have a goal to make more money this is not rocket science. You simply must either make more appointments or increase the amount that you are selling in the appointments that you have. So book the calendar and make a plan. When you fall off the wagon, get back up and start again. Real change takes real perseverance.

If you think the world needs to be a greener place then focus on being greener. Be the example you want others to follow. If you think people should be bigger givers, then you become a bigger giver. If you don’t have anything to give, there is a nice Scripture to learn. It says to sell something so you can give. That is a great lesson for those who think sales is a bad vocation. J  Make more money to give more away. That is better than pointing the finger at those who make more money than you do and demand that they give more. Be the example.

Whatever you think the world needs… become that…

I met a business coach recently who was bemoaning the fact that many people do not realize they need her services. Really she is a mentor looking for people who want to be mentored. So I asked her who was mentoring her? She did not have a mentor and did not see the need for one. 

Interesting… She does not believe in her own vocation. Sad, she does not realize that if one wants to be the best mentor they must have great mentors to learn from. That is not something you are going to get from a book.

Whatever you think that the world needs… become that…

Recreate yourself in 2013

I know that I will…

Kerry George

Is “Idle No More” About To Become The Canadian “Occupy Wall Street?”

The drums are beating today across the country. The Mayans may have got the end of the world thing wrong but something is certainly happening of epic proportions. Have you checked out the websites? The blogs? The videos? The Tweets? The Facebook pages? Synchronized effort is going into this and it is drawing the attention of the world who are bored looking for their next “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Here it is only four days before Christmas and much of our nation is fixated on a woman in a teepee on a hunger strike instead of Santa Claus. That is pretty remarkable.

It is being said that nothing this big has happened with our First Nations People since Oka 22 years ago, but I think this has an even larger potential. Back then there was no social media to give any group a voice. The internet did not have the power to give flight to an idea or carry a cause. Today is a different day. One Tweet can change the world. One blog can shout if enough people engage in it. The American elections and the NDP gaining seats in Quebec are both proof that social media has a huge impact on popular opinion. Who is most trained in viral communication? Youth. Young Adults. And guess who else? Women. Especially moms. Mommy bloggers are gaining ground perhaps larger than any other group. So here we have it.

A movement born out of a handful of women in Saskatchewan. Suddenly there is a website coordinating events not just across the country but from around the world. People protesting in multiple locations across the country. Dances. Flash mobs. Youth have been engaged. Twitter is abuzz. It is brilliant really. You have to admire the gusto. And you have to admire the spirit behind it.

Unity of tribes. Nice. Just when you thought this would never and could never happen. Something is happening. Women leading the way. They are after all, still the biggest social media users. I am blown away. The First Canadians taking a stand on things they believe in. Wow.

So far it is peaceful and it may even be productive. We will see. Hopefully it goes well. There are a lot of issues and it could take years to see any difference. Sticking to the thoughts of water and land may allow them to make an impact. The water could get muddied though if too much more gets into the mix. There is sooooo much that could get into that mix…

But good on them for doing it. I have two Meti children of my own. As a Pastor years ago I spent many hours on reserves at funerals when things were not productive at all. I held more than one broken and crying old woman trying to make a difference in the youth. Anything that unites people with a positive cause is good in my books.

It will be interesting to see how Prime Minister Harper responds. Unlike some of his critics I expect that he will give this real thought. I don’t think he is an unreasonable leader at all. History has shown him as someone who steps up to the plate. Did we ever have a national leader who has addressed more uncomfortable issues than he has?  Consider that he has stood up for Israel in a very hostile environment and he was the PM who made a public apology to the First Nations People in 2008. He also made apology with some restitution involved to Chinese Canadians in 2006. I think the coming days are going to be very interesting indeed.

The drums are definitely beating. Hearts are being ignited. Let’s see where this goes…

Loyal2U and definitely Loyal2Canada,

Kerry George

Mentors and Friends...

A few months ago I realized that I needed to have some mentorship in my life. I became suddenly aware that I was not surrounding myself with people who were further ahead of where I was and that I needed that. I wanted to have someone I could bounce ideas off of and get some insight. I wanted to be stimulated and be challenged. I decided that I may even benefit from someone asking some hard questions.

It is good for a business owner to be around other business owners who are moving forward. If you hang around people who are always struggling you start to feel that life should be a struggle. If you spend time with debaters and those who are looking for conflict you will waste time fighting and arguing. If you hang out with people who are in lack, you will always think there is not enough and have a scarcity mentality. But when you are around those that are always looking for solutions you start to become a solution finder, and when you intentionally spend time with creative people you will become more creative. So I set out to find some good role models.

It is an amazing thing that when you make room for something new in your life and start thinking about that it just seems to find you. When the student is ready the teacher appears.

So new mentors are finding their way into my life. A really great couple began investing time into me. Nice, sharp business people whom I respect and admire. And then I realized I had another opportunity in an old friend I had not considered. He is very successful and busy so I did not think to bother him. Yet he seems to really enjoy investing time in me. This man is a real entrepreneur. Hard core. He started with nothing. He worked real hard and took some risks. He made mistakes, he recovered and learned. He got good in his market. He built relationships along the way. He was buying and selling hotels long before it was popular to do so. He has seen people come and go. His wisdom is staggering.

This week I had a tremendous opportunity to just sit at his feet and listen. He shared a few thoughts on what it means to be an entrepreneur. He said, “Kerry there is probably only 5% of the population who are entrepreneurs or even less. Expect to be misunderstood. They are not going to get it. You have taken the hard road, but it is a worthwhile road. You are going to make it.” That conversation made my week, and I had a pretty good week… But that is the stuff that matters.

When you are out doing something different and wondering if you are going about it right, or if you are making the right choices. There is no road map out there for the entrepreneur. Pioneering something is not often profitable at first. Only when you perfect your offering and establish your self-worth do you begin to get paid. Each step seems hard, yet looking back it was so precious. Remembering where you came from to stay humble and yet looking forward to where you are going to stay focused. Good friends who encourage you along the way are really important.

Wherever you are in life, think about where you want to be. Now who do you know that is closer to that place? Go find a new friend and learn some new things. You will be glad that you did.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry

Dealing With The Needy Ones...

I was sitting in an office listening to a colleague take a call that seemed to go in a rather brisk direction. A salesman was also there and we were having our own discussion while we waited for my colleague to get off the phone. As the conversation got more intense we stopped talking because it was just too interesting to politely ignore. Finally my colleague gets off the phone and says, “sometime it is just difficult dealing with stupid #&*%@&!!! people!” The tradesman and I both burst out laughing because it really was funny to hear a professional man of such integrity to come undone like that. We were both surprised at his outburst. He looked at us both incredulously and then said, “Why do we have to candy coat it? When someone is stupid, they are stupid!”

He then went on to describe without naming any names the needy client that all business owners,  entrepreneurs, and sales people dread. You know the one I mean. The one that you bent over backwards to get everything right for and they just refused to be satisfied. The one that calls you after hours and on weekends to ask about little details that are already being covered. The one that agrees that it is just what they want before they have it, but once it is done to their specifications it is slightly the wrong shade of color. The one that always wants more than what they paid for. The fact is that they are plain needy and now that they have given you money for a job they feel that you are the one that should fill that need. This is the one that you want to be sure signed a contract so there is no dispute about what you need to do and what they need to do and where the boundaries are, nice and plain. You may need that later…

The thing is when you work a job and you have an employer you need to learn to get along with these people. You often have no choice. Your paycheck may depend upon it. If you are unlucky enough to have a boss who behaves this way you are really hooped. The micromanaging may even cause your blood pressure to rise and make you sick. I had a friend who ended up in the hospital due to a “needy” boss.

If you have a significant other in your personal life like this that is a whole other challenge. How can you get around this? It can be a noose around your neck making it horribly hard to function. I would recommend getting and applying the book “Boundaries.”

The neat thing as an entrepreneur and business owner though, is that we do not have to keep working with these people. We actually can “fire a client.” It is not a bad thing to do so. We want to maintain clients and satisfy clients as much as possible, but if the relationship is becoming so expensive in our time, our emotional energy, or our resources we need to examine it carefully. It is the end of the year and it is time to do a little housecleaning in our businesses. Remember when we scrape things off our plate it leaves empty space that can be filled with fresh and wonderful things. So don’t be afraid to let a few things go.

Maybe you have a client that needs things you can’t offer. So give them away. Find someone who can easily and willingly meet those needs.

Maybe you have a client who needs a therapist, or even just a friend who they can unload on. Hook them up with someone else who can fill that void.

Don’t get hung up on what they pay you. Do the work you were paid to do and then give them away or just let them go. Be gentle if you can, but some needy people need to be told very plainly. “No. We are done here.” Thank them for their business and move on. It is a harsh reality but it is one of the lessons a business owner needs to learn to succeed. You need to make space for clients you can really please. You need to look after your own mental health so you can create. You have to keep your own oxygen mask on when you are in a crisis because every employee is like a child that you have care of. They need you to stay alive and stay moving so they can get paid. Don’t feel bad about hard choices that you must make for the greater good. Look after yourself.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

The Sky Is Falling!

My son bet his friend a significant sum of money that the world would not end. The friend is convinced that it will end and was willing to take on the bet. He apparently does not realize that my son cannot lose. If the world ends he does not have to pay. If the world does not end my son wins the bet. I am not sure if I should chastise my son for taking advantage of a mentally incapacitated individual, or congratulate him on his ability to capitalize on a market trend…

I am not seeing much evidence of a world preparing for doomsday. Y2K got way more action than this Mayan Calendar thing. Remember that? My best friend is still eating the rice from her storage bins 12 years later!

What if we all acted like Chicken Little and ran around saying "The sky is falling?" If we believed the end was nigh there would be no point to planning the business calendar for January. We should definitely open Christmas gifts early on the 20^th . I should have planned for this months ago because I could have had a website set up to collect donations to a “Save the world fund” and really cashed in on that. Now I may as well eat all of those shortbread cookies because the extra pounds won’t matter, and why not get a bucket of tiger tiger ice cream to go with that? In fact, we should have turkey tomorrow just in case and after that I will get out my bucket list and make sure that we get in at least the top 3 things before it is too late.

1.      Have a romantic dinner with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Well maybe due to the time constraints and his current relationship issues, I may have to settle to watching True Lies while drinking beer...

2.      Go bungy jumping naked. Although it may be a bit cold for that…

3.      Play the “Sweet Transvestite” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show in a live production. Oh, I already did that. Just forgot to mark it off the list…

So what would be your top three things to do if the sky was indeed falling? Would it be something crazy or would you rather spend it with the people you love? Is there someone you would want to be with? Is there something that you would want to say? Those are the really important things. And really why should we wait until the sky is falling anyway?

Today is a great day to do something awesome with someone that I care about. I don’t need to wait for the end of the world.

How about you?

I think I am going to curl up on the couch with my daughter and watch something on TV. Maybe we can find the Rocky Horror Picture Show and laugh and sing for a while.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

 

Tell The Truth - It Is Good For Business!

Recently I had someone tell me that they liked the fact that I was honest with them about projections for the success of a marketing campaign that they were inquiring about. Social media and online marketing companies have been becoming more and more prevalent these last few years. Anyone with a Facebook account can call themselves a marketing guru. “Real marketing experts” that were trained in schools more than two years ago are floundering trying to figure out how the newest tools are working. There are so many methods that include Google Adwords, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, webinars, YouTube and more. How they were working last year is different than how it is working today. B2B and B2C techniques are totally different. Some industries are capitalizing on it well, others have not even tried so there is not a real great trail marked out. So now I just tell the truth. If I have done a campaign similar to the one you are asking about I can say so. If not, I have only guess work and theory unless we do some research before we begin. I can also say that research is in your best interest. Costly yes, but better than just shooting in the dark hoping to hit something...

I didn't start out that way in marketing. In the beginning we wanted the client so bad and we believed our own crap. So we made lavish promises and then worked like crazy to try to make them a reality for our client. Sometimes it worked and the client was really happy. Sometimes though the client wanted to reach a market that we were really not that skilled in reaching and it took so many resources to get any action happening that we lost money trying to perform to their expectations. Eventually we got smart enough to charge extra for some of that work and we got really good at certain markets and we could confidently make measured projections.

These days I just tell the truth. I don’t actually need a client that bad anyway. We are not looking for new clients because the process of looking is costly and time consuming and my other business interests are lucrative so it has not been the best timing to pursue. Strangely though that attracts more clients. Tell them you are too busy for them and they want you. Odd people we are…

So there I was talking to a gentleman about the CalgaryBusiness Network and he was saying he wanted Loyal2U to take him on as a client, and why? Because I told him I could not promise him lavish results. He informed me that he had been sold marketing packages of exorbitant prices and got nothing from the experience but the “turn off” was not the result. The “turn off” was the fact that they lied to him. They had said that it would bring him new clients. He did not get new clients.

I like being honest as a selling feature. Why not just be truthful? It is easier to sell the truth. It feels good. Just say, “I can’t make that promise. I feel it should work this way based on these experiences but honestly your industry is tough. It may take planning and time and some consistency to see any results. I feel that a long term plan would bring the best results but I am not making any guarantees.”

I know that if you are in sales you are thinking I am nuts about now. How could one land the sale with that attitude? Recently I was listening to Kevin Trudeau who was quoting a mentor in his life. The man said, “You need to care, but not that much.” It is good advice.

We do need to care about the sale. We need to care about the client. We need to care about getting the contract or the sign up or whatever we are trying to get. We need to care that we can deliver what we say we can deliver. We need to care about being true to ourselves and being an honest and authentic person. Some will like that, but if they say “no” it shouldn't ruin our day anyway. There are other sales. There are those that are not impressed with bragging. There are smart clients that realize that just because we have had great success with Velda’s Grower Direct we may not know anything about the financial industry. So why fake it? It is like a marriage relationship. If you lie about little things or expectations and then your partner finds out, they are angry. They feel they can’t trust you. If you care, then care enough to tell the truth. Isn't that what happens in healthy relationships?

So why not tell the truth and then the ones who actually say “yes” we can go forward with and we don’t have to pretend at every meeting that we are achieving things that we are not. We don’t have to try to act like we understand things that we don’t. We can instead explore options together as a team asking questions and seeking real answers with all of our cards out on the table. Together we can be open looking for answers and bringing in other professionals when we need more information. We can say I don’t know the numbers on that. I believe that it may be this, but that is a gut feeling not an accurate market report or a study. Let’s find some of those and get them onto the table before we make our next move here. We can then brainstorm more effectively and real results are more likely.

If a potential client comes to me and says, “I am trying to achieve X,”  I now say, “I know nothing about X.” I have full confidence to say so. If I have a competitor that specializes in X I refer them immediately, as I realize that the learning process is going to be expensive for both me and my client. If I know that my competitors know nothing about X then I simply tell this potential client that really nobody is having much luck with X (that I am aware of.) I can offer to brainstorm with them on ways to achieve X and possibly we can come up with a workable plan but then they are paying for work effort, planning, research and content building based on the findings - not results. Together with some hard work we may hit on something profitable and if they are willing to take the chance with somebody who admittedly knows nothing about their challenge then we can start an honest relationship and move forward. In many cases I would be their best hope anyway in this market because others don’t know either, although they may not have the moxy to say so…

Isn't it better to tell the truth?

Always Loyal2U

Kerry George

I thought this was cute. The truth about internet dating. Not a good way to present yourself. Definitely leads to false expectations!

Remembering Today

This last week I was in Chapters when I met a remarkable man with an intriguing story. He was an older gentleman seated at a book table. His eyes were alive with spark and his voice was compelling as he shared the sequence of events surrounding his own family going into hiding from 1940 to 1945. He spoke of seeing the execution of two young women who had shielded him from danger with their own lives. He talked of Christian families who sheltered him and moved him throughout The Netherlands and the Dutch Reform Church that saved his life as well as the lives of most of his family. His story was unique in that there were many survivors in his blood line. Most from that part of Europe were not so fortunate. His was an epic tale of survival and then the joys of living and the thrill of seeing new generations grow up in Canada contributing to our common heritage as well.

Today I am reminded that this is a nation that is built on efforts of our forefathers. My grandfather was one who fought in that same war. He was a decorated paratrooper who dove into the heart of danger by leaping out of an airplane. He survived successful missions and lost friends in unknown lands. He was also there for the celebration that continues to go on every year when the Canadians freed the Dutch. When I was a child Remembrance Day was a really big deal. I watched my grandfather and my grandmother dressed in their Legion uniforms make the public march through the center of town and then there were the proceedings at the local hall. As a teenager I joined them as a cadet and then as an adult I joined them again as a member of our Canadian Forces. I never had to go to war because of the battles that my grandfather fought. I only had to stand outside in the cold for a few minutes at attention and then join the senior officers in the mess hall to reminisce.

There is so many documented stories of survivors, the pictures of the death camps, video footage of the carnage and yet there are in this modern age of information still those who use propaganda to try to tell another story. There are people who declare in the face of all this evidence that this holocaust never happened. That the Jews somehow deserved any ill treatment that they got. The voices that scream for tolerance at all cost are often also screaming that this was never a problem and we should ignore it today. Amazing isn't it?

I was raised to remember. I hope you were too.

It is no longer about forgiveness. Much has happened and much has been forgiven. Hopefully the world is a better place. Hopefully men were brought to justice years ago. Hopefully there has been healing.

But we better not forget. As Prime Minister Harper pointed out a couple of years ago there are still those in the world that involved in Anti-Semitism only today they have new guises for their propaganda. And we are all at risk of losing freedoms if we do not take a stand against it.

Hitler was full of hatred and he had charisma with a thirst for power. Bullies still exist today. We need to be sure that we never forget that and that we are vigil in our watch.

In Remembrance,

Kerry George

Being Connected

One of the best things about doing business in Calgary is the way that people do business in Calgary. I don’t know what your experience has been but mine has been truly awesome.

I spent 12 years in ministry and entered into the business realm with fear and trepidation about a year and a half ago. I was unfamiliar with business practices and really green in operational procedures. I had some ideas of how to do some modern marketing based on some experiences that I had and some great results that I had been able to achieve on a few projects. I felt that I could learn what I needed to, hire some experts and see some good things happen. It was not really a planned entrance into the marketplace so it is with great pleasure that I can announce that we are around and doing well at this time. We are beating the odds and seeing growth every month, hiring new employees and making a major impact in the marketplace.

Loyal2U is growing and with the acquisition of the Calgary Business Network we are in a very exciting place indeed. We are showing with the two companies an increase in profits each month and we are quickly establishing a market niche and seeing real results for those who choose to do business with us. This last month we took on beautiful office space in Douglasdale at the Destiny Business Centre. It has got to be some of the top lease property in the city. The whole building is absolutely gorgeous with floor to ceiling hardwood doors, glass and tastefully colored walls. There is a foyer, a marvelous boardroom and a great kitchen. If that is not enough the owner even provides coffee, tea and bottled water for us and our clients (There is space available if you need some 403-809-3146 and the address is 105, 11500 29 Street SE).

On top of all of that one of our clients for Loyal2U Jim Pescott has adorned the walls with his world renowned paintings. Jim is a pointillist who travels to Italy, New York and Toronto regularly. He has been written up in major third party magazines as a Master Pointillist and it is an honor to showcase his work here for personal and corporate viewing.

Things are looking very rosy for Loyal2U and The Calgary Business Network but did we do it all ourselves. It is true that over the last few months we have brought on some exceptional team players. We have a sales team that is absolutely gifted at relationship marketing making the customers interest the highest priority. We have some very competent people working behind the scenes as well getting out the message for ourselves and for our clients online. These are all good. However, our team is much larger than those that make the payroll.

I believe our increasing success has less to do with us and more to do with those that we have connected with. It has to do with people like Jim Messner who was the founder of the Calgary Business Network who took a chance on us when nobody even knew who Loyal2U was. It has to do with Velda Paynter who owns Velda’s Grower Direct and has become a friend and a contributor in many ways. It has to do with many of the business people that I met personally over the last year and people who have sown into my life and the lives of my staff through personal mentorship.  Guys like Pepsi Fortin and Alex Privalov who took a deep interest in the training and mentoring of our sales staff and personal mentors like Kathleen Mailer of Today’s Business Woman Magazine and Doug Tibben who have aided us with advice and service. I could list many more here as there have been dozens that have contributed and I am sure there will be dozens more in this next year.

In business there are many twists and turns. Connections to others that care and that know things that you don’t know are very important. The right connections connect you with more right connections. The right connections refer you. The right connections are easy for you to promote as well.

I recently re-read “The Go-Giver”by Bob Burg. I love that he left the connector until last. The connector was the link in the net that made networking so profitable for everyone else in the story. The connector made everything else possible. I hope to be a great connector when I grow up. How about you?

It is not what you know, but who you know that matters. And it really matters how well you know them and that they know you too. Really know you...

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

Addendum 

This is a video on how NOT to network. I had to chuckled at some of methods and catch phrases...

The Right Connection

At Loyal2U we go to a lot of networking events. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. Every week I go to at least one and sometimes three and I have trained the sales team to do the same. We love networking meetings so much that we happily acquired The Calgary Business Network just after Christmas this last year just so we could go to more of them and have a hand in what makes networking so awesome.

Between networking and the social media vortex that we have created online we get a lot of new business from these events. We build relationships with our customers by taking them along and connecting them to their ideal clients. We create relationships with new prospects by meeting them at the events or solidifying relationships that we made online. So having had a little experience in networking I always enjoy hearing a fresh perspective.

Recently I attended a Real Estate networking event. There was beer and food and lots of networking. One of my clients had asked me to come and she was a marvelous hostess introducing me to many of her colleagues and friends with tremendous edification. I was having a delightful time meeting new people and enjoying many conversations.

Earlier in the week an associate of mine had advised me to take stacks of business cards and to work the crowd, but I found myself instead drawn to just a few good people where I was truly building relationships. At one point in the evening I ran into another “networker” friend who made a profound point that I shall never forget.

This gal told me that her approach was entirely different. She no interest at all in making dozens of connections with people who would not remember her next week. No. She was there just to make 2 or 3 connections with key people that she would want to do some business with over the next year. She had not specifically targeted an individual. It was not a ploy to ‘get in good’ with the leader of XYZ Corporation. It was just a simple method that worked for her. She would meet up with friends, find out about people, and trust that timing, instincts or Divine intervention would put her in front of 2 or 3 great contacts that would really matter in the larger picture of life. She would simply be herself, be confident, and be available for something GREAT to happen.

What was really interesting was the fact that after she told me this method one of my long time colleagues became a fresh contact and an instant friend that very night. It was a pleasure to see two great people line up together to do future business endeavors.It was a moment of absolute Divine Appointment as her dream came true, her method worked and she made an important contact for her business' success.

Later in the evening I too found myself in a long and powerful conversation with someone that I had not spoken to in months. That encounter positioned me as well for some awesome opportunities in the next year.

So in the end I would recommend that we all could learn from her. It is not always the number of people that you connect to. Quality and real heartfelt connection are better in many cases than shear numbers. Enjoy your events. Enjoy your relationships. Enjoy your success. After all, what else is there but good food, good friends, family and the joy of a good life?

When In Cowtown...

In business we can always tell a newcomer to the area because they don’t recognize the culture. This last week a colleague of mine was telling me how they just got a job working for a company that has been doing business in Calgary for the last 25 years. This Oil and Gas Corporation has a longstanding reputation in the community and my friend was completely impressed that they gave every employee last Friday off with pay so they could take their families to the Stampede Parade downtown. This is a practice that is not uncommon with businesses in the area. Most will have employees break out the cowboy hats, decorate their establishments or even put on an annual free pancake breakfast. The entire city comes alive when the atmosphere of “The Greatest Show On Earth” spills over into the streets. This year especially with it being the 100 Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede just about everyone will get in on the action.

In contrast another company with over 20 years experience in their industry who recently arrived on the scene did not even acknowledge the festivities. They could not comprehend why people may not be willing to show up to leadership meetings hosted on the weekend. A corporate executive from yet a third company also new to Calgary was heard complaining about the decline in sales during the Stampede week.

Some people just don’t get it do they?

Calgary is Cowtown. If you just don’t understand why, may I recommend a little day trip out of town. In fact, take your kids, take your business partners, or just take yourself out to Bar U Ranch only 62 km south of Calgary and get in on the real picture of why Calgary is Cowtown. This was ranchland. It was wild and rugged and unfenced with some of the largest herds of cattle roaming free across the land for years and years. It was the stuff that legends were made of and heroes were born out of.

So when you see all of the cowboys (real, or playing dress up for a day) realize that this is the heritage of our city and whether your ancestors rode the west on the back of a horse or if they just arrived last year it is appropriate to put on a pair of boots and a hat and join in the fun.

In Calgary the Stampede is about as big as Christmas. So when in Cowtown – make like a cowboy, especially the week of the rodeo.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

ps. For all of my cowboy friends this is about the funniest video I have ever seen. For anyone who has ever tried to herd cattle, cats, or people you are going to absolutely love this!

Put Your Cowboy Hat On!

The Calgary Stampede means different things for different people. It is a time for Calgarians to show their heritage and get out their cowclothes complete with buckles, belts, boots and hats. Gentlemen are more likely to open a door and say “Mam” as they pass by and then there is the good ol’ hospitality of lots of free breakfasts, barbeques and beef on a bun.

Those of you in the tourist or retail industry are very likely pretty excited. After all this is a big time of year for you. If you are in the sales industry may be more or less excited depending on what you sell. In our industry of social media and online footprinting we are in a huge upturn. Every time of year is good right now. Everyone needs us.

Being part of the Calgary Business Network puts our team at Loyal2U around all kinds of business people within a variety of industries. I have had some professionals tell me that during the Stampede they send everyone on vacation because no sales can be made because everyone is stampeding this month.

Personally I am more of an optimist than that. I feel that every day is a good day for making a sale and that there are no bad times of the year, just bad attitudes that hold us back. 

So here are a few of my personal tips for making the most out of Stampede Week. I hope that you like them:

• Get out your cowboy hat and jeans and make contacts at the Stampede Tradeshow and book them all for the week after.
• Take potential clients with you to the rodeo.
• Take advantage of all the free pancake breakfasts by meeting clients there, taking sales staff there, making new contacts there. Use http://flapjackfinder.com/ to find out where they are.
• Get back on LinkedIn and see who you can do business with in another city where there is no Stampede going on.
• Take your camera along and get great shots of potential clients and put them on a Send Out Card with a note about getting together for coffee the week after the Stampede. (If you go to the link I have arranged a free one just for you.)

Got any other ideas? Send them to me at Loyal2Uinfo@gmail.com and I may post them for you.

What Is Courage?

According to online dictionaries: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty, or The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.

This morning I had posted a comment on LinkedIn about courage and a friend had commented on it which made me think more deeply about the subject.

Is a person who is courageous in general more likely to be courageous in most things? I think so.

I have known people who would not stand up to bullies and they typically are more easily pressured to lie and not stand for righteousness on the job either. I once knew a 50 year old man who lost his position at a large oil company for stealing an electrical cord by carrying it out in his backpack, but the truth was he was taking it for someone else who had pressured him to do it. Even when faced with losing his position he would not tell the truth about the matter to save his own hide and keep his $150 000 a year job. I have seen young boys bullied by overbearing mothers grow up and be abused by vicious manipulative wives.

On the other hand the kid that stood up to the school yard bully and bloodied their nose later became the one that dove into a freezing river in March to save the life of their best friend’s dog. That same person endured years of persecution to become fearless in business, an author and an authority in their realm.

Courage seems to me to be more of a choice and that choice is ongoing so that it becomes a lifestyle.

Do those who have shown a lifestyle of continual moral compromise suddenly change and become a person of solid convictions? Would they suddenly take a stand?

The day on the riverbank there were four people watching the dog die over a 45 minute drama. The young man who was 6 feet tall and strong as thunder tried first. The 15 feet of open water before the thin layer of ice that was 30 feet across to the quivering animal was deceptive. Although the water looked to be open jagged layers of ice cut into the man’s legs as he went deeper into the frozen liquid. He reached the ice layer and attempted to break through with his hands. After a few minutes he retreated bleeding and cursing stumbling up the bank.

Next was the dog’s owner who had been watching in horror. This was more than the family pet for the last 9 years, this was a trusted friend and family member. So this woman had formed a plan. She would pick up a rock to attempt to break through the ice to make a trail for the animal to escape the trap. She plunged into the river and made it through the first few feet of open water and began to smash through the ice with the rock. She had not been prepared however for the force of the river and the depth of the water. As she forged her path the ground beneath her began to disappear and suddenly she was up to her neck in a burning sensation. When she turned around a look of sheer terror was on her face as she fled the river.

Another man stood on the riverbank that day. His name was indecision. Indecision will never meet with courage. He was playing with the idea of using a rope that would not reach the animal and kicking at the ice on the side of the bank as though he was kicking around the idea of doing something while wishing that the whole situation would just go away.

The dog owner was now in a crumbled heap on the river bank sobbing her heart out as she could not reach her beloved pet and all seemed to be lost.

Yet there was one more person there that day. This was the least likely candidate. A woman who hated the cold, a person who was not that physically fit and someone who does not even care much for dogs. Yet this person loved the woman who was sobbing uncontrollably in the dirt. This was the best friend of the one who was in the most pain and although everything seemed to point to ultimate failure this person was one of strong convictions and the strength to never give up. Before the others even knew what was happening she had put on the already wet life jacket and lunged into the river. When the water burned her legs she pushed forward till the numbing overtook the burning. When it got up to her chest she fought past the panic and shut the switch off that screamed of her demise. When she reached the ledge of ice she did not attempt to break through but instead swam up to it and pulled herself onto it moving forward a foot at a time using the weight of her body to crush it beneath her chunk by chunk. As she got closer to the dog she locked eyes with it speaking calmly and then grasped it’s front paws in her hands and with one final push broke through the last few feet of ice taking both her and the animal into the drink. When they came up the path was clear and they pushed and pulled each other back to safety scrambling back to their cheering team on the riverbank.

Courage is a choice. Whether it is a child in a burning building or a dog in a river or facing a gunman we all have a choice to make. Whether the choice is to have the courage to do the right thing, say the right thing, or stand up for the one who can not stand up for themselves all of these take courage in that moment. Whether it turns out well like it did at the river that day or if it has the eternally damning consequences of failure the man of courage takes the stand and makes the decision. Come what may, the choice is made.

I believe it is the smaller choices that we meet head on every day that prepare us for the ultimate choices that we face in those larger moments.

What do you believe?

Do you believe it strong enough to face the frozen river?

Always Loyal2U

Kerry George

Website Tools For Building Families

One of the wonderful things about owning a marketing company is that we are often able to represent some fantastic new ideas and companies. When we find a really superb one we like to share it with others.

Me In A Tree presents one of those rare and amazing opportunities to help others and we would like to tell you a little more about them. They are totally focused on assisting parents in the parenting process with positive and upbeat methods that work for today's modern family. You can experience a whole new level of joy and unity in your home just by playing around with an online program with your kids while having fun!

I could talk about it all day, but even better, why not go and sign up for their FREE pilot project and try them out yourself.

Below I posted a link to another article of a friend of mine who is also raving about the benefits.



It's A Great Day To Be Alive: Website Tools For Building Families: MeInATree: My goal is to raise up balanced children who know how to love others even in the midst of conflicts. To me, life isn't so much about avo...

Focus {EAV:31f9adc2080cbf38}

It is easy to get wrapped up in the day to day struggles of putting food on the table isn’t it? In business I hear business owners always talking about how they have no time, and it is true that time is the one thing that limits us.

There are time stealers everywhere. Television, hobbies, church commitments, sports events and the work, work, work... Some of those things are even “good” things. It is important to spend time with the kids and the spouse. It is important to have some “me” time and some reflective time, but time gets away on us all too easy. We get busy working with our head down to the task and we forget to look up and around at the landscape. We forget to plan. If we do plan, we forget to look at the plan and to work on the plan.

Last week I was at an event with Doug Tibben and he encouraged us to find out the 20% of things that we do that creates 80% of our income, and then to double the time that we spend on that 20%. It immediately made me more profitable when I zoned in and focused on that 20%.

Focus is important.

When we play a game of darts we don’t just want to hit the board. There is a place on the board that we specifically want to target. We need to focus the same way in business.

There are certain activities that we do every day that we could train somebody else to do. So why do we waste our time there? Why don’t we hire someone to work for us for $10 an hour and get someone doing that for us so that we can focus on the things that make more money? There are other things that are highly specialized to our field and we are the only one in the company that can do those things. Those are the things that we should charge our premium time for. That is where we want to be. That is focus.

As the business owner we are the master of the ship and we are the one that steers the course for the entire crew. With compass and navigational charts in hand we need to keep going in the right direction. When a storm blows us off course we need to acknowledge it and redirect. When we have been making good time it may be good for moral for a quick stop at a sunny location to load up on supplies and have some R&R with the crew and then get back on course.

We need to let the team know the direction that we are taking. We need to engage them in the process and enlist their help in keeping us focused. It is great when one of them realizes their contribution and says, “I’ve got this, go and deal with that larger issue.” They can only do that though, if we first have taken the time to train them for it and then encouraged them by releasing them to do it. Having that person up in the lookout keeping an eye out for dangers ahead keeps us focused.

The owner of the business needs to know the plan and take ownership of the plan. If we don’t have a plan, then nobody has a plan. We can’t get bogged down slopping the deck. That is not our place if we want to get anywhere. Rest assured that the entire staff does not want the ship to be dead in the water. They want to be proud of where they work. They want to see benefits increase. They want to be part of something that is moving forward. They are happier when we are focused.

So how does one get focused?

Doug taught us that we should firstly write down 10 goals for the year. Then prioritize those 10 things. Then put a date on them. Next we should look at those goals every day for 7 days. I have been doing that and it helps. For myself I decided to go even a step farther and make a plan for the month based on those 10 things. What are the priorities? What activities do we need to do more of? What activities can I personally do less of? Who can I get to do some of the 80% activities so that I can be freed up to do the 20%? If we are going to grow this month what are the key areas where I need to focus as the owner to cause that growth to happen? Who can I enlist in the process to ensure success?

Focus, focus, focus...

This month we have hired sales people for Loyal2U and additional posting staff here in Calgary and in other cities. We are training others to do the 80%. We have also put specific people on specific tasks for the Calgary Business Network. We have goals for that company as well.

It is going to be an exciting month this month within our companies. How is it going to be at yours?


Always Loyal2U
Kerry George

Sacrifice - The Bittersweet Valentine

St. Valentine was a priest martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. His crime was sneaking out to the woods to perform marriages for Christian couples when the empire would rather be feeding them to the lions in the Coliseum. Once thrown into jail he was visited daily by the Jailor’s daughter who he fell in love with. Although he was unable to declare his love for her, Valentine did manage to slip her a note of his affection with a single red rose. Thus the legend that we today know as Valentine’s Day was begun.

The theme that was recaptured during the renaissance was centered around the sacrifice of giving it all up for the one that you love. Then Shakespeare stimulated the masses with the stories of Romeo and Juliet and Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The tragedies of love lost has burned in the hearts of men and women motivating songs, poems and now movies in this last century.

Love is a big deal. It is an inherent need within the soul of every individual. A place or a person to feel completed in, and there is nothing so lonely than living without it and nothing so delightful as living within it. There is nothing so comforting as to be in the midst of it.

And at the end of the day when all is said and done... is there anything more important?

One of the best movies I ever seen was “The Notebook.” It is about an elderly man reading the romantic story of their lives to his aging wife with dementia every day so that she would have a glimpse of the memory of their love. It is a fabulous story of two people who had every reason to be apart and could not “fit” into each other’s lives and yet could not go one with any other. It is about time and circumstance trying to wedge between lovers and how nothing could in the end succeed against the spark and the resilience of true love. The thoughts would not go away, and their affection never waned. Even in their old age he would not let her go, but every day drew her back to her memory of him by reading to her from the story of their lives.

It is a wonderful story and like most wonderful love stories there were times when it did not look so good for the couple. There were times when they had to let that bird fly the nest to see if it would indeed come back.

This week having lost Whitney Houston I was reminded of her song that has always touched that deep part of my heart. There is nothing more Divine than self-sacrifice and putting the needs of another before your own. Like the love of Christ on the cross giving it all up for the ones that He loves, or in the case of the singer knowing that she wasn’t the best thing for the man that she cared for. For anyone who has ever lost anyone or given them up for a greater cause, this is a beautiful Valentine memory.

And a great memoire to Whitney whom we have just lost as well...

I Will Always Love You

If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you ev'ry step of the way.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you. Hmm.

Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.

You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you.


For all of you, I pray that you find real and true love that knows the value of it and remains even in your old age when you can remember it no more on your own.

Kerry Lynne
Always Loyal2U

The Importance Of A Solid Foundation

Last year a friend of mine invited me to go to a networking group with her. Although I had been to a few groups before I had never really been to one that was focused on business so I was pleasantly surprised to find a variety of people from several different backgrounds and vocations. I enjoyed it so much that I joined a couple of them over the next few months and became a regular attendee of a few of them.

I found that there are some major differences in how some of them are ran. Some are really interactive, others are more of a spectator sport. At least three of the most major organizations in Calgary are very structured. Typically a meeting has an address from their leader, everyone does a short introduction of themselves and their business, leads are exchanged, and in some cases even extracted out of the members by forcing them to pay a toll fee if they don’t have one for someone in the group. Fees are charged at most of these groups and they don’t include the price of your meal.

The foundation of each group was interesting to study, because as goes the leader, so goes the organization. Usually in the beginning of each group somebody had some passion for something good and it got started, but none seemed to be thought out with any long term plan in mind. Some had began out of a need for networking while others seemed to be more focused on the agenda of the upper management. I encountered one that was a non-profit and therefore it had no profit for the participants nor the organizers. Another one was very politically motivated but seemed to shift sides as circumstances changed bringing a question of doubt to those who had invested in it previously. If the leaders were excited sales types they could draw a good crowd but typically they lacked sustainability, and many systems had no sense of accountability for leadership or membership. Two that I encountered had no qualms about using spam techniques to reach potential new members, and even though members knew of these practices they continued to participate anyway.

At first I too was caught up in all of the excitement of it and wanting to play nice in the sandbox, I paid my fees and went to lunch every week. I was not even deterred by the fact that I wasn’t getting much business from the event, I was having fun and it was a business expense. However, as the year progressed and I became busier in my work I realized that I had to cut some corners and focus on where I was actually getting most of my business. That came down to two things.

1. At Loyal2U we had created a social media vortex by using our own methods on ourselves first. We were getting new clients from our own marketing.

2. There was one network that was bouncing off our social media activity bringing us new clients. That network was the Calgary and Cochrane Business Network.

So what was different about CBN?

The first difference was their founder Jim Messner. He had also gone to many different groups over the years and had determined that networking organizations should be about networking. They shouldn’t be about collecting money to fund our political whims or starting our own little empire with a flashy website. Business owners want to get together to share what they do with other business owners, so why not provide an environment where that could be done naturally? Jim is a man of integrity so he attracted men and women of integrity. He is a networker so he attracted networkers. His first group in Cochrane was strong for years weathering the ups and downs of the economy and providing a steady base for entrepreneurs and sales people to meet.

The second difference was that the people that came out seemed to sincerely care about one another and want to give each other the platform. The atmosphere was friendly and truly non competitive. Even though other groups tried to eliminate competitiveness by not having more than one person from one industry present there was always a sense of striving. I remember taking a guest to a meeting who did data entry but she mentioned briefly in her introduction that she also took basic photographs while scrapbooking. A professional photographer told her at the buffet that she was not allowed to mention that because “he was the only photographer” allowed in the meeting, even though he had declared during his own introduction that he was too busy for anymore new clients. It seemed so petty, and worse yet, my friend did not want to go back again. Jim Messner though had always felt that a person should be secure in their trade. As a real estate agent, he has never been threatened by other real estate agents in the meeting because he knows what his unique offering is, and he is confident in that offering.

Ok so the difference was really only one thing. Jim Messner...

Really Jim built a solid foundation for CBN on trust. He had been in the RCMP for 20 years and he was and still is a man of his word. He built a solid reputation and an honest business and people felt comfortable with him. He felt that the networking should happen naturally as people got to know each other through interaction and through actually doing business together and then recommending each other would be the natural course of events.

I am really honoured that Jim has allowed me to carry that on.

We are really excited about the future with the Calgary and Cochrane Business Network and have several awesome announcements that are about to be made, but we go forward knowing that it is because there was a solid foundation that was already laid before us. Without a foundation it would be impossible to go forward. Jim and his associates and colleagues poured their hearts into the effort for many years and created something special that we can now build on.

Thanks Jim for founding the CBN and thanks for being a man of integrity. You built a solid foundation for us to go forward with.

Forever In gratitude,
Kerry George
Always Loyal2U

Get Over It!

It is amazing to me that small business owners are sometimes more savvy in the use of the internet than large companies who have unlimited budgets. It is also a phenomenon that many in government are not familiarizing themselves with useful tools at all. I wonder if they feel that they are already in a position of success and therefore have no need, or if they are still under the illusion that somehow their privacy will be compromised by engaging.

You see, the thing is about privacy... You don’t have any. It does not matter if you use social media or  not. You still don’t have any. You have not had any for a few years now; you just did not know it. I know, I know, I know...  I can feel your anxiety growing through the keyboard... But your discomfort does not change the facts. Have you gone to Google Earth and put your address in the search window? Do you realize that satellite is strong enough to read the mail off your table?

That is just one example. There are many more. Two years ago my 16 year old son had his friend in Edmonton hack my home computer near Calgary and read back to me my personal conversations on both Hotmail and Google, just to show me that it could be done. That was a teenager. Imagine if a professional hacker wanted your information? Would not being on Facebook somehow protect you? Unlikely...

Have you done a Google search on your name? You may not be on Facebook or Twitter but people may still be talking about you there. It is actually likely that they are. You just have no way of responding to it or defending yourself in the electronic marketplace if you are absent. Monitoring the chat is possible but you are not engaged. Silence is deadly to a brand and it is harmful to individuals as well. Social media is going on whether you are going with it or not.

I was horrified last week as I did some research on my favourite political party and discovered that most of the leaders can’t be found on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. Elections are being won these days by having intelligent campaign managers who use a combination of traditional platforms with social media elements. Those who do not engage – lose! But after the election is over ladies and gentlemen we need to wake up and smell the coffee. Do you want to stay in power? The fastest way to shift the heart of the nation would be to pull a Jack Layton and employ the efforts a bunch of college students and even staunchly committed Quebec could be temporarily duped into switching sides!

Companies that currently do 40 million dollars a year in sales with no social media presence are going to lose out to companies who are only doing $500 000 a year today. Why? Because online a good website and a great LinkedIn profile coupled with some active social media chatter redirects attention to a new brand. The end user on the computer can’t tell the difference between the two companies except by what is being said by the company itself and by the online chatter. How do I know? I create the marketing plans for several of those smaller companies, and we begin by collecting the data of where they are now and we examine where they want to be and that often means we are carefully analyzing the competition. If the largest competitor is not using social media or not using it correctly the conquest is easy. Time and engagement are the only factors we need to add to the equation.  The amusing part to me is that we would work just as happily for a large company but often they think they have it covered because they have a marketing department (that is older than 2 years old) so they don’t examine new methods. They are doing good, why change anything?

The world is changing. Five years ago Facebook was nothing. Today it is huge. Groupon had a rise and a fall along with hundreds of other daily deal companies. The Yellow Pages which were so powerful a force are wiped off the map. It is pretty arrogant to think that we don’t have to change.

We need to get over it. There is no privacy. It is an equal playing field again due to the internet. If you are ahead in this game, you will only stay ahead if you adapt quickly to changing methods.

The only thing that will endear you to this new market is relationship. Relationship with the masses can only be done through social media. The people are waiting to engage with the leaders of industry, the leaders of government, and the leaders of thought. Those who engage, will be those who win. You get to choose if that is going to be you, or your competition. Choose wisely...

So get over it, and get on with it.

Always Loyal2U

Kerry George


Just a little side note. This is my favorite scene from Indiana Jones The Last Crusade about making a bad choice. Don't let this happen to you.

Choose well...

Watch Video Clip

What Is Your Value?

I once heard Rick Ciaramitaro say that the twin towers of hell were competition and comparison. Yet I am continually comparing and being compared to. Aren’t you? And the competition is fierce in business. But I think he meant this more personally. At least I hope he did because I rather enjoy the competition in business...

Like when you as a woman see another woman and compare yourself to her. She looks better than you do, she is more confident than you are or she is thinner. Many women do that all the time and men do it too. I had two guys together for a coffee last week and for a few minutes I thought I was going to be in the middle of a dogfight as they sized each other up and down and took a few swipes at each other. Wild times at Starbucks!

People are always comparing to each other and usually I don’t let it bother me but I was thinking about the way that we value ourselves and it caught my interest. I noticed something.

People seem to allow another’s comparison to brand a value or a lack of value on them as a person. For instance if I tell you that I charge $50 an hour for a service and then I wait to see if you raise your eyebrows, or if you tell me that you could get it somewhere cheaper, how will I respond to that? Will I devalue myself by wimping away and lowering my price? The comparison of others use to bother me and I use to respond to it. But more and more, I am seriously getting over it... and I think that you should too.

What are you worth?  What is your service worth?

Is your offering unique?

If it is not unique then others can compare themselves to you. You have lots of competition.

However, if you think of ways to be very unique and then rebrand yourself, you can decide what you are going to leave on the table for your competition to have. You can decide what is simply not worth your time and you can let someone else have it. They will get so busy eating the crumbs you left behind you can get way ahead of them before they even know what happened. And then you have value. Real value.

When I started in business only a year ago, I was uncomfortable asking for $20/hour, but I am a fast learner and poverty is a good teacher. I quickly learned how to produce at $50/hour and by late spring I was charging $100/hour and I was pretty confident about it. Then I realized that I was worth much more than that. I had identified a unique offering and I was producing above what I was promising. So when a potential client asked me what I charged. I told him $200/hour and held his gaze. He exclaimed, “That is more than my engineers!” I responded, “Yes. It is...” and I did not look away.

The thing is though; I am worth way more than that.

And so are you!

So don’t set your value based on what your competitors are charging or based on somebody’s comparison of you. Do what you do with excellence. Do it with pizzazz. Think of ways of doing it that nobody else is doing it. Then multiply those efforts through staff and create a market niche that is so unique that nobody can compare with you.  When the group of “THEY” tell you that they can get it cheaper at XYZ Company, look them in the eye and tell them squarely, “Have fun with that then. When it doesn’t give you results, I will still be here and my price may have gone up, but it definitely isn’t going to be any less than it is right now.” And let them go.

It feels good to let a few go.

Don’t let negative people devalue you. Don’t take on high maintenance clients because you are afraid of losing money. Don’t work for immoral idiots, or law-breakers, or people who promise you time and help but they never deliver. You are worth more than that.

Spend your time looking after the ones who are loyal2U. Give your attention to the ones who pay you for your attention. Create positive experiences with positive people and enjoy the journey.

Seriously, what is your value?

Always loyalU,

Kerry George