Hello, my name is Ken Cole. I am a Management, Motivation & Productivity Consultant.
The focus of A Second Look Business Consulting is:
The incorporation of Relational Management Techniques will help you:
A Second Look Business Consulting
When we started our businesses, we did so with an idea of delivering a great service or product (and making money). 
How much time did we spend planning the direction or the bases by which future decisions are made? If it feels at times like you don’t have a grip on daily tasks or if you always feel like you are behind the eight ball, then the answer is probably NO.
Answer the following questions:
1) What do you do?
Be specific. Avoid general statements like, “provide excellent service” or “sell insurance”. Spell out all the details.
2) For whom do you do it?
Be specific. See a repeating pattern? Strategic planning involves tending to the details. Before you can provide an excellent service or product, you need to know exactly who will be your customer. Why? Because every personality trait you will be dealing with will require a different approach. No ONE marketing presentation will work for everyone.
3) How do you excel?
Once you know what you do and who you do it for, then is the time to bring YOU to the equation. What sets you a part from your competition? Try this little exercise. Make a list of five things you do better than your competition. Next, for each of the five things, make a list of those things your competition could do to improve their operation in that particular area.
Looking at your competition from the perspective of your customers can help you further define your unique selling proposition.
Always date your strategic plan and schedule time next year to review and alter your plan.
Ed Bejarana
Zenith Exhibits, Inc
In April, Pork ranchers complained about the name of the flu and swayed the CDC; because it gave the impression that pigs could contract the virus.
Associated Press reported today that pigs in Minnesota may have contracted the H1N1 virus. If it turns out that pigs now have the disease, do we go back to referring to it as the Swine flu?
OK, My point for writing this article isn’t to debate the name of a virus, but rather to highlight ANOTHER blunder by the government. The CDC felt it important because the Pork Lobby made telephones ring in Washington. What action would the government take if we Small Business Owners, made telephones ring in Washington?
Small Business employs almost 51% of the non-farm jobs in America. Should some of the current bills, being debated in Washington DC, get passed into law, the Small Business Owner could potentially bear the brunt of the pressure. Our tax rates can make the difference between profit or loss.
Call your congress man or woman and share your views on Health Care, Cap and Trade, Stimulus Funding, and Tax Rates. No matter what you position (for or against) we all must speak our minds so the politicians can govern based on our wishes.
Like the CDC, every man and woman in congress wants to vote the bidding of their constituents. If not your voice, then who’s voice is congress hearing?
Ed Bejarana
Secretary Paulson said it costs nearly 1.7 cents to make a penny. While the Secretary said the penny “should be eliminated“, he doesn’t feel it is “politically doable.”
Rather than making this article all about politics, I’ll try to make this a learning lesson for business. I tried to create bar charts and statistics to upload with this article. Didn’t work out.
What I came up with is any member or reader of Portland Business Community who has a product that costs more to make than it is worth to buy, they would stop making it.
I might have more success talking about how business folks can grow their business by getting more involved in Political Elections and making sure the dumb politicians receive fewer votes?
I don’t believe ineptitude is predisposed to one political persuasion, rather both of the major parties are FILLED with non-business savvy people. Can we survive (we as business owners) if our elected officials are rewarded with re-election for failing?
Ed Bejarana
Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speed enforcement on I-15, just north of the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, California. One of the officers was using a hand held radar device to check speeding vehicles approaching the crest of a hill. The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading 300 miles per hour. The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but it would not reset and then turned itself off.
Just then, a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact locked on to a USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low flying exercise near the location.
Back at the CHP Headquarters, the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint to the USMC Base Commander.
The reply came back in true USMC style:
Dear Captain,
Thank you for your letter. We can now complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Hornet had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked on to your HOSTILE radar equipment. It automatically sent a jamming signal back to it, which is why it shut down.
Furthermore, an Air-to-Ground missile aboard the fully armed aircraft had also automatically locked on to your equipment location.
Fortunately, the Marine Pilot flying the F/A-18 Hornet recognized the situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system alert status and was able to override the automated defense system before the missile was launched to destroy the HOSTILE radar position.
The pilot also suggests you cover your mouths when cussing at them, since the video systems on these jets are very high tech.
Sergeant Johnson, the officer holding the radar gun, should get his dentist to check his left rear molar. It appears the filling is loose. In addition, the snap on his holster is busted.
Thank you for your concern.
Semper Fi,
Brigadier General Chuck Talerling
Commanding, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
People need to go beyond policies and use a little critical thinking. When someone is suspended from all school activities because he had a knife in a survival kit, which was locked in his car, is a thoughtless decision. I am sure there are students trained in martial arts, should they be suspended also?
The member of the school staff needs to be aware of what can be used as a lethal weapon. Let’s first look at the cars, which are driven to school. Auto accidents will account for approximately 6,000 teen deaths each year. A pencil, pen, ruler or notebook can all become lethal weapons, in the hands of someone with training.
I work as a Professional Fishing Guide. I am sure there at least two knives locked in my truck when I volunteer at the local high school. Someone would need to search for them, just like the knife in the survival kit, but they are there. These are tools of my trade. A survival kit for an eagel scout is much the same.
To be concerned with a 2” folding knife, which is locked in a car is ridicules. I think it says more about the staff member. They obviously do not the ability or courage to evaluate the safety of the students. May be the staff member should be re-evaluated for their competence.
I would love to hear your opinion on this matter.
Ken Cole
Anyone who has taken a business management in college has heard of Abraham Maslow and his hiarchy of needs. 
Even though his paper, “A Theroy Of Human Motivation“, was written in 1943 it is still very relevant today. But it seems that in the midst of all the stress of downsizing and reorganization, too many managers have forgotten it’s principals.
While the lines of communication breakdown with more and more closed door meetings at the office; employees are left to imagine what is really happening. Are jobs in jeopardy? Who’s name is on the list? All of this additional stress causes a uncontrolled neurological shift in the brain. Employees revert to “Fight or Flight” mode. You can feel the hard drive spinning in your head as it searches for information on what to do. Creativity is beyond the reach of your brain during these times. All you can access are past experiences. Sound familiar?
To releave stress in the organization, management needs to be forthright and honest. If cuts are comming, announce the news with the assurance that the company will do all it can to help those laid off. Yes this may cost additional dollars, but you will help prevent sabatauge. Employees need to know that you care about them. This will go a long ways to easing conflicts and help prevent angry outbursts.
Once cuts have been made the remainder of the staff needs reassurance of their value to the company. All of these things will free up creativity in the organization.
Ken Cole
A Second Look Business Consulting
Hi All,
Bear and I have been working hard to improve the loo
k and feel of the website. We are still getting tens of thousands of hits each week and search engine visibility for all linked sites in your articles are gaining valuable links.
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Thank you all for your continued support and Happy Business Blogging!
Ed Bejarana
Whatever you’re in business to do, there’s going to be someone else in a related industry. Go out and meet as many of these people as you can. Build a network among them and share what leads you have. If you’re in real estate, you’re probably going to be able to give a few contractors a heads up about construction in the area. If you’re in mortgage banking, you can probably pass a few clients to a realtor as well.
Take a minute and think about your perfect customer. Think about what needs they have that make them a good target for your business. Now think about what other needs they might have that are either related or unrelated to your business.
I met a man once who counseled the recently laid-off and helped them redefine their career path. His perfect customer was someone between the ages of 40 and 60 who had yet to decide what they wanted to be when they grew up. He spent a lot of time networking with college advisors who would frequently touch base with older non-traditional college students (men and women in their 30s and 40s who were going back to school to change jobs).
Being able to identify your customer is big. Knowing how to identify their ancillary needs and the industries that cater to them is even bigger. Building a lead network is a way to build you revenue without stepping up direct-to-market sales. Just think of how much more productive you can be if customers are knocking on your door rather than the other way around.
Eric Mann
Jumping Duck Media | Mindshare Strategy
With the economy in a slump and staff reductions, there is much more stress at work these days. Employees are asked to do much more with little or no help. Everyone needs to pick up the slack caused by missing co-workers. Tempers can get short and recent studies from The Seamless Workforce, CNN Money and The Workforce Institute @ Kronos, indicate that most employees plan to change jobs when the market improves. Most employees feel over worked and under appreciated.
Since money is tight, what can a supervisor or owner do to improve this situation and retain key employees? An honest THANK YOU will go a long ways to improve morale. When employees are required to operate in a silent vacuum, they tend to think the worst. They believe that their employer doesn’t care if they live or die, that is as long as they do not die on the job, which might trigger a formal complaint and lawsuit.
I discovered the power of THANK YOU while working as a foreman for an electrical contractor. I thanked my workers each day for giving me a good days work. I found that my crew increased productivity, paid more attention to the taskes at hand and enjoyed comming to work each day. They also policed themselves. Slackers were not allowed on the crew. I did not enforce this policy, my crew inforced it. I overheard one of my crew telling a new member that, “everyone works on Bear’s crew. He treats us well and we work hard for him. If you want to goof off, go work for someone else.” I would not have put it so harshly, but then I didn’t need to. His fellow worker made it clear.
So thank your employees for sticking it out and working hard. You will find them happier to simply be acknowledged.
Ken Bear Cole
