Original post published on KahunaAccounting.com

“So after x (days/weeks/months/years) we found ourselves back in the same place.”

I've heard myself and others say it many times in the past. "We were moving along and growing quickly, and then XYZ happened. Now, we're back in the same place."

Working with Kahuna Accounting, not only do we hear this frequently — it’s a part of the company's past. Kahuna Business Group didn’t always focus on the accounting business. In fact, it was a part of the business that was overlooked for years, wasting time and opportunities.

Any entrepreneur who makes the statement “we’re back in the same place” is in denial.

The truth is that your business is NEVER “back in the same place,” and neither are your company’s finances.

The value of your business, money, employees, time, products and services is fluid. Even if you have exactly the same amount of money, value, clients, etc. a week from now, you’ve lost time while the rest of the world has moved ahead. Inflation may have accelerated, money may be devalued, and you will never get that week back at the end of your work life. And as we all know, we can’t get back lost time.

We are never “back in the same place.”

When making decisions for our businesses, it’s imperative that we consider these risks and consequences.

When Kahuna Accounting hired a single bookkeeper well over a decade ago, they didn’t consider what would happen if that employee quit unexpectedly or even stole from the company without their knowledge. They've been able to learn from experiences of this nature and create a solution to prevent other entrepreneurs from feeling like they’re “back in the same place” with virtual bookkeeping services.

Use this reminder as an opportunity to reevaluate vulnerable aspects of your business and what would happen if specific scenarios occurred. If your CFO quit, how would you recover quickly? If your accountant steals, what steps will you take next?

Take 30 minutes today to look at aspects of your business that could easily put you behind where you want to be if a small change occurred. After all, you can’t get ahead if you keep falling behind.

See What Kahuna Accounting Can Do For Your Business

Even with months or a year to prepare, gearing up for a TED talk can be difficult because of the format and the potential impact a motivational or inspirational talk can have. To help future speakers with their upcoming talk, whether being at a TEDx event or a different type of event, speakers from the first TEDxNormal answered the following question.

Q: What was most helpful to your success in preparation of your talk?

Liz Flores, “You Are Made for More”  

1.     Practicing my completed talk with a few close members of my tribe whose opinions I valued and respected. 

2.     Re-defining my definition of success so that success was not: I nail the talk, everyone loves it, it goes viral. Success changed to I get up on stage, and talk. 

Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, “What An Idea Needs to Survive”

Event support. “No question here. A significant part of the success of a TEDx event is the efforts of the local organizer in holding an entire group of highly individualistic speakers accountable and on track. Doan Winkel was equal part task master, coach, accountability partner, and gracious host. His skill as both an organizer of the event and organizer of the human dynamic was amazing. TEDx is as much a showcase of amazing ideas as it is a showcase of organizational performance so utilize the local organizer, they will amplify your TEDx experience.”

Kali Lewis, “My Semester in the Future”

Talking about it. I am most definitely an oral processor. I had numerous conversations about my topic, but probably about 10 hours’ worth of conversations about my outline with various coaches and friends. My Experience Institute classmates also helped me with my slides, so shout out to them for helping me look like a savvy presenter. 

Elisabeth Cardiello, “The Most Powerful Question You Never Considered”  

Brad Boyer! He helped me tap into the story behind the words of my talk and also helped me realize what was fueling me to give and share in this way. He helped me understand things about myself that I didn’t before and in the process made me a better speaker and a better version of myself.

Michael Luchies, “The Importance of Being an Unselfish Storyteller”

Other than the speech coach provided, who was amazing (Brad Boyer), getting a chance to perform on stage the day before the event was extremely helpful. I received great feedback from the other speakers, compliments that gave me more confidence, and a familiarity with the space and setup that made my actual performance less scary. 

Lisa Bodell, “How Simplification is the Key to Change”

Telling stories. People learn best through stories and remember them long after the talk is over. Forcing myself to tell MY stories was a great, transformative event.

Jeff Havens, “Why Aren’t More Of Us Engaged at Work?”

My business partner and I went through three drafts of my talk before we finalized it, and then I had one conversation with a speaker coach who whittled it down even more.  Having a few people to help me edit and edit and then edit some more helped me end up with a product that I am very happy with.

Nicole Loftus, “How Something You Do Every Day Gets $2.5 Trillion to Entrepreneurs”

I approached it like writing a book - started with outline of major objectives - and spent months distilling and crafting every word - all the while allowing it to evolve into something natural and not forced.  

Watch all of the 2015 TEDxNormal Talks on YouTube

Technology shapes our lives. Due to the rewarding benefits that technology provides, it leads many of our actions in a variety of interesting directions.

For example, look at what social media has done to storytelling due to the clear benefits of personal branding. If you're looking for a job, you'll likely spend hours fine tuning your LinkedIn profile, making sure that you look as good as possible for any potential employer that happens to view it. If your an entrepreneur, your efforts on social media will have a direct impact on your business, so it's only natural to think about this when creating blog posts, tweets, and Facebook posts.

There's nothing wrong with trying to benefit from social media or getting some value back from the stories we share about ourselves with others, but have we become selfish storytellers?

In my TEDx talk at TEDxNormal, I discussed "The Importance of Being an Unselfish Storyteller." To you, I'd like to pose the question "What if Everyone Became an Unselfish Storyteller?"

To define it, an unselfish storyteller is someone who recognizes and takes advantage of a potential opportunity to help someone else with a personal anecdote, piece of advice, or in-depth piece of knowledge with absolutely nothing to gain in return other than intrinsic rewards.

I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and have been on and off of a long list of medications since around the age of 13. My experiences with the disorder, although uncomfortable to share and potentially embarrassing, have value to other people who may be struggling with it or seeking information on the topic to help someone else.

In 2010, a friend of mine shared that one of their relatives had recently been in and out of the hospital due to panic attacks and high anxiety, which I have also had experience with. While my experiences may have been completely different, sharing some of the details of what I went through helped calm that friend and they then shared these experiences and offered my help to their relative. Although we had known each other for years, this topic had never come up because it's something we try to avoid discussing. By sharing it, I didn't save someone's life or help change their point of view on their own struggles, but personally, knowing that there are people to talk to about tough situations I'm facing is comforting and helps me deal with what I'm going through.

Social isolation is one of the primary causes of and reasons depression escalates to suicide. Even with the goal of proving to someone that they are not alone, sharing these tough and hard to talk about situations and experiences can make a real, tangible impact on the world.

If we all became unselfish storytellers

If everyone became an unselfish storyteller, the stigma around mental illness, LGBTQ, diseases, and many other issues would significantly lessen because people would have information on these issues that they previously didn't have. Just look at the legislation that has happened because of the stories and the open conversations that have been had about gay marriage. Imagine if other important causes received this same attention.

Suicides would dramatically decrease. Is that a bold claim? Yes, it is, but Suicide.org states that over 90% of people who commit suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death. 90%! Having other people who have struggled with similar issues open up will give comfort to those in need and may lead many towards getting the help that they need.

How you can become an unselfish storyteller

Starting today, I want you to think of the toughest situation you've ever gone through. Do other people have to go through this same experience? Are there parts of this story that could help someone else? Just by being aware that you have a story with the power to help someone else will help you find opportunities to share it.

Please, share your story not because of the power it has to add Twitter followers or Facebook friends, but for the purpose of bringing courage to those around you. 

What story do you have to share that could help someone else? 

Michael Luchies is a writer and entrepreneur. He is the Founder of TrepRep, member of the Kahuna Business Group team, Co-Host of the Entrepreneurs on Campus Radio Show, TEDxNormal speaker, and Co-Host of the Trepidemic Podcast. Connect with Michael on Twitter and email him to discover how to increase your personal and business brand’s reach and revenue at[email protected].

Image Source: Groupanizer.com 


Watch Michael Luchies' TEDx Talk, "The Importance of Being an Unselfish Storyteller," below! 

Have you ever asked yourself what you're doing to get ahead? 

For years, I worked so hard pleasing clients and working to build the reputation of the nonprofit organization I was working for that I missed many opportunities to advance my personal brand and career. When it was clear that I needed a change, it became vital that I start working to get ahead instead of just reacting after the fact. 

I started the Tips to Get Ahead series to help those of you who want to advance your brand and career by implementing things that have worked for me and many of others in the past. Tip number five is Be a Guest. 

The majority of us know that social media and content can help build an online following and get traffic to our websites, but few of us do this well for our personal brands. It's understandable because those of us that aren't authors, public speakers, or actors, don't see the direct benefit in promoting ourselves outside of something we're working on. We're not trying to book a gig or sell a book, so why do I need to "sell" myself? Because we have to sell ourselves every day. Interviewing, networking, and even participating in a meeting involves selling.

Selling yourself doesn't have to be completely selfish. In fact, there's a way to give to others while using their channels to promote yourself -- be a guest!

By using established networks, you're able to benefit from the hard work of others just for showing up. Over the past four months, I've contributed to two books, three podcasts, and four guest blogs. Although I've been working to build my own personal brand since 2007 at some level, seven of the Google search results that come up under my name in the first two pages are from the podcasts and guest posts I did this year. This may not seem that impressive, but I've published over 160 articles this year on LinkedIn, my personal blog and my business website, and my guest posts still outrank all of this content. 

Guest posts have led to new clients, more visits to my website, and new opportunities. My LinkedIn profile alone has grown over 150% since January. It's time to become a guest. Let's get started. 

Using The Tip: First, tap into the social networks and media websites you have at your disposal. Write a post on LinkedIn and Medium, and make sure you have established and maintained accounts on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Instagram, and any networking sites that target your industry. 

Next, look into your extended network for who is running podcasts, who has a blog, and who may know others that have these types of opportunities available. Often, you can find calls for content or sections titled "guest bloggers" on the website. Reach out to them (if the opportunity fits your skill set) and offer your help. By being a guest on their podcast or blog, you're giving them free content and promoting yourself, your business, and whatever else you have to offer. It's an easy and highly effective win-win. 

After doing the above, start reaching out to more established blogs and podcasts that cover areas that are of interest to you. Send samples of the blogs and other guest posts you did above to show off your skills and give yourself credibility. These outlets will want to see previous work before they give you a chance. 

It may take some time and hard work to get featured on major websites and podcasts (sometimes years), but the benefit is huge as this content will provide you value for years to come. Start today by writing a LinkedIn or Medium post. 

Was this helpful? If so, please share! 

Tips to Get Ahead Series: 

Make an Introduction: Tips to Get Ahead Series Part 1

Interview Someone: Tips to Get Ahead Series Part 2

Create a Target Market Avatar: Tips to Get Ahead Series Part 3 

 Publish an Article: Tips to Get Ahead Series Part 4

Imagine walking into a Macy's department store in search of a new outfit. As soon as you enter through the door, you see clothes on the floor, improperly marked shelves, unreadable price tags, and no organization whatsoever. Not only are you going to leave the store without an outfit, you're never going to return. 

Does your website look like a department store in chaos? 

Many website issues can give visitors an incentive to leave, but there's nothing more important than the content on your website. Not only does it serve as your greatest search engine tool, it's what helps guide users to a desire action. Regardless of the template or images you use for your site, the content on your website is what will determine if someone will make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or leave to go to a different store.

While working on website content over the past several years, I've recognized many common trends that push customers away instead of pulling them in. Here are seven ways website content can scare your visitors away. 

Formatting --

• Issues

Your text paints a picture of your business, products, and services. It helps visitors understand what you have to offer them and why they should get it from you. 

Formatting copy on a website is easy, but it's often screwed up. From alternating font styles to bullet points that don't properly align; formatting mistakes makes consuming your content difficult and will result in your audience not believing in your ability to pay attention to detail -- something that's critical in a service business. Keep a simple and consistent format for your website content. 

Lack of a Call to Action

Your content has a reason for existing (at least it should). Don't be afraid to point customers in the right direction of what they should do next. Should they share this blog post with people who would also find it valuable? Should they sign up for your newsletter? Are they ready to purchase your product? Make recommendations on your website using carefully and cleverly placed calls to action. 

Ur Grammer is Bad

Online content has turned everyone into a grammar cop. It's hard to find an article without critics in the comment section ripping apart both the writer and publication for a couple of errors. 

Website copy needs to be thoroughly examined and updated to attract your target market and to avoid errors. Errors stick out like a sore thumb and are hard to erase from our minds. 

Overly Promotional 

Lacking a call to action causes people to leave your site, but so does begging. Too many calls to action or blatantly overly promotional content is similar to you personally approaching every person you meet and asking them to buy something out of your briefcase. Sales copy can work extremely well depending on your target market and what your goals are, but it needs to be used very carefully. If your audience isn't looking to be sold to, you need to avoid promotional copy and carefully lead them through the sales funnel. 

Find your call to action sweet spot (mix of asking without being obtrusive) and always err on the side of caution rather than pushing overly promotional content on your home page. 

Outdated 

Having outdated content is just as bad as having grammar errors or images that don't load. If you haven't posted a blog for six months, you should remove your blog or get to writing. People will think you're no longer in business or you don't care enough to keep things current. Update your pages regularly. 

It’s Focused Only on Optimization

If you write for robots, don’t expect humans to like your writing. Clever writers find ways to work in keywords, but stuffing your pages is a good way to offend your audience. What good is getting people to your site if they hate what they find? 

Video-Only 

Web use is shifting to mobile phones, and content is being transformed into video, but written content is still king (for now). Nobody likes being forced to watch advertisements or listen to a video when reading is more convenient. Offer several forms of content for your audience to choose from, but make sure to cater to the primary preference of your target market. 

Do you need help with your website content? Contact Michael Luchies at[email protected] to schedule a free strategy call. 

Listen to Episode 1 of Entrepreneurs on Campus Radio Show on Your15Minutes Radio Network.

In episode one of the Entrepreneurs on Campus Radio Show with Michael Luchies and Katie Sowa, we discussed selling with Diamond MMA co-founder and Syracuse University student Dan Goldberg. Dan shared his experience selling mixed martial arts equipment and the world's most protective athletic cup. 

Asked about the earliest selling experience he could remember, Dan said, "When I was 14, I would go gym to gym on weekends with a huge duffel bag filled with boxing equipment. I'd tell my parents to pick me up when the bag was empty."

Dan had no prior selling experience, but credits his success to his belief in the benefits of his products. "I know that whoever is using the product -- it will truly improve the quality of their life, and there's a lot of value in that." When looking at each sales situation as an opportunity to improve the life of an MMA athlete, Dan has been able to take the fear out of selling his product. 

One of his pieces of advice for other entrepreneurs is to be transparent and willing to change your pitch. "Be open to changes. If something isn't working, I'll ask the customer what they're looking for. I'll ask, What could I have said that would've made a difference for you?" 

Listen to the full episode and interview here. Want to be a guest on Entrepreneurs on Campus? Interview us at [email protected]. 

--

Dan Goldberg is a serial entrepreneur and a senior at Syracuse University studying Information Management. When I’m not studying, he can be found hustling and growing his businesses, along with brainstorming the next big idea. He is the founder of protective boxing glove company, Golden Gear MMA, co-founder of Comforting Covers to provide sick children with no-sew fleece blankets, and co-founder of Diamond MMA, the world’s most protective athletic cup. Dan has been profiled in Inc. Magazine’s Coolest College Startup list of 2014, was a Semifinalist in the Cupids Cup Business Competition, received the Idea of The Year Award for 2014 from Syracuse University and was 2015 US National winner of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Student Entrepreneurs Award Competition. Follow Dan on Twitter.

I’m Michael Luchies, an entrepreneurial writer, father of a one-year-old, and a big sports fan. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

It’s a simplistic networking pitch, but the power of making an interesting first impression and building a foundation to start a conversation is extremely important when pitching yourself, an idea or a business.

An elevator pitch is a succinct and persuasive sales pitch, but it has applications that reach far beyond selling situations. In college, students have the opportunity to compete in elevator pitch competitions and are often required to give pitches as a part of their curriculum. The Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) hosts the National Elevator Pitch Competition, which gives each student 90 seconds to convince a panel of judges/investors that their idea is worth giving a chance. I had an opportunity to compete in 2009 and then to help organize during my time as manager for CEO. Although it may be appropriate to talk for a minute and a half straight in a competition, in most real world situations, it’s not. So does this mean that you need different pitches for different situations? Well…YES!

My introductory example is a basic networking 15-second mini-pitch, which is designed to give enough information to start a conversation with nearly anyone, but not so much information that they are overwhelmed or put to sleep. It can be used for a product, idea, business, or yourself.

As pointed out in Dessert First Pitching, the average attention span has decreasedover 30% in the last fifteen years from 12 to 8 seconds. Grabbing the attention of your audience immediately is extremely important, whether networking or competing in a competition. By pitching the most interesting or relatable aspect(s) of what you’re sharing first, you’re giving each situation and opportunity your best shot at success.

Today, I’m headed to Chicago for the 2015 Self Employment in the Arts Conference. In addition to speaking on a panel and moderating several sessions, I will be giving a keynote talk with Katie Sowa about the importance of pitching and how to create a mini-pitch. The audience will consist of hundreds of artists, musicians, and design students from colleges and universities across America, and each will be required to do the exercise below and then get off of their butts to start putting it to work.

How the Mini-Pitch Works

Length: Maximum of 15 seconds.

Goal: Give the audience enough information to understand who you are and what you do, and help begin a conversation.

Parts: Think of a head and three legs.

Create your 15-Second Mini-Pitch

The mini pitch is perfect for a short introduction or when you’re asked what you do for a living. Remember that you’re not trying to close a deal with this pitch, you’re trying to start a meaningful and productive conversation.

Head: The head of the pitch is who or what you are representing, whether an idea, business, or yourself. The head should be a maximum of three seconds. Your audience doesn’t care much about your name or the name of your business, they are going to relate (hopefully) to one or several of the legs of your pitch.

Leg 1: Start with the most relevant fact/statistic to your audience. Since this article is about both writing an entrepreneurship, I started with “an entrepreneurial writer” hoping this would get your attention and start a conversation.

Leg 2: I took a wide net approach for my second leg by introducing information that I’m a parent. Since a lot of people can relate to kids and being a parent, I’m hoping this information can help me relate to you. I would normally keep the legs more relevant to your overall goals of meeting people, but I’m just attempting to start a conversation. If my pitch was only for business purposes, I would mention that I’m the Founder of TrepRep, Interview Editor for Under30CEO or Director of Content Programming for Pursuit.

Leg 3: This is your last shot to connect with your audience and save the potential to have a conversation with whoever you are talking with. Sports has always been a great conversation starter for me and I like to use that to help me connect with other sports fans, who are often also part of my target market.

Personal example: In my example that starts this article, the head is my name, and the three facts about myself are the three legs.

Business example: TrepRep is a content creation business that works with entrepreneurs to increase the impact both their personal and business brands.

“TrepRep is a content creation business” is the head, and the legs are the focus on entrepreneurs and the increase in impact of an entrepreneurs’ personal and business brand are the three legs.

Now create your mini-pitch and share in the comments below!

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Michael Luchies is the Founder of TrepRep, Director of Content Programming forPursuit, Interview Editor for Under30CEO, Entrepreneurship Lecturer at Illinois State University, TEW 2 contributor, and writer of all things entrepreneurship. Connect with Michael on Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Interested in Why I’m Publishing 365 Times in 2015? Read the first post of 2015 here! Want to be a part of my series? Share topic ideas or volunteer for an interview in the comments below.

In today’s social media driven world, we are all CEOs of a media company – our personal brand. Personal branding is no longer optional, it’s a required part of being an entrepreneur, working professional, college student, or even high school or middle school student. It’s inescapable.

Instead of trying to fight back and bucking the trend, use it to your advantage. After all, there are a lot of benefits of effectively branding yourself. Branding can help you build a network, create leads, land a job, and even improve and inspire others. It can be time consuming, but there are small steps you can take that are worth the time invested. Take an hour or two out of your day and complete these five personal branding steps to help refresh your brand and promote what you have to offer to the world.

• Beef-up your Email Signature

The majority of emails I send each day are to people I’ve either never spoken with before, or I hardly know. When meeting someone worth connecting with, it’s common to search who they are to see what they may have to offer you. Help them easily find information and promote the pages/websites you want them to see by updating your email signature. 

• Find an Event to Attend or Speak at

Getting involved in events related to your field or interests is still one of the best ways to network and build your brand. If possible, look for opportunities to speak at a conference. Event organizers are great at finding ways for speakers to promote themselves before, during and after the event, which will help make the most out of your appearance.

To fully capitalize on an event, don’t just settle for sitting in the back of the room. Attending an event is an investment and something you should take seriously. Find every opportunity to get involved and meet as many people as humanly possible. Be genuine, and follow up shortly after the event with each person you met.

Tip: If you don’t know where to start looking, check Eventbrite or another event website that will show you upcoming events. Even if you’re too late to speak at one of the listed events, you can reach out to the organizers to see what they are looking for in regards to future events.

Super Bonus Tip: One of the most brilliant strategies I’ve ever seen in action was executed by Jenna Atkinson. While on her way to an event I helped organize in Orlando, she took time on the plane to handwrite notes to each speaker she wanted to network with and gave them to the concierge to deliver when they checked in to the hotel. Several of the event’s VIPs approached me asking for an introduction to her just because of this simple but clever strategy.

• Email an Update

Unless you’re running an active email marketing campaign, you’re probably missing a big opportunity to utilize the power of your contacts. As with most forms of branding, overdoing it will negatively impact your brand, but not doing it at all doesn’t do you much good either. Create a short email updating your email contacts about what you’re up to, how you’d like them to help, and to offer some way that you can provide value to them. Doing this regularly but not excessively will create a strong relationship with your contacts and make it easier when you need to reach out for a favor or to try to pitch something.

• Update All of your Profiles

Viewing an out of date profile is like seeing a classified ad for a deal that’s too good to be true. You have a gut feeling that the post is outdated, but you’re not sure until you reach out and realize the sobering truth. Failing to keep your profiles updated is misrepresenting who you are and failing to capitalize on an opportunity every time someone visits one of your pages.

Make sure to securely track all of your accounts and password so when you change positions or achieve something noteworthy, you can update each profile easily without spending hours hitting the “forgot password?” button.

• Post on LinkedIn

There was a time when I underestimated the value of LinkedIn. Now, it’s the most important tool I have to reach other thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and an audience that is looking for valuable and actionable tips and advice. By publishing on LinkedIn, you can grow your network while influencing others.

If you’re not sure on a first topic to write about, imagine you were to give a speech tomorrow about something you’re passionate about that relates to your career or business. Then, imagine all of the people in the audience at your speech are your target market – who you want to reach through your writing. Write down a draft title and several key-points, and then spend thirty minutes writing as much as you can about each point. If you have too much content or fluff after this intense writing session, consider breaking up the piece into several articles. If you are looking for information on how to get started as a writer, feel free to reach out to me, or visit theWriter’s Digest Writing for Beginners section for great tips and help on getting started.

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What are you waiting for? Get started! If you need help or an additional push, email me at [email protected].

Michael Luchies is the Founder of TrepRep, Director of Content Programming forPursuit, Interview Editor for Under30CEO, Entrepreneurship Lecturer at Illinois State University, TEW 2 contributor, and writer of all things entrepreneurship. Connect with Michael on Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Interested in Why I’m Publishing 365 Times in 2015? Read the first post of 2015 here! Want to be a part of my series? Share topic ideas or volunteer for an interview in the comments below.