This is an expert from an interview I recently did on… The Customer is Always Right – Version
2011.

What will be their top priorities?

CLG – consumers are looking for certainty. That certainty will take 2 major forms…1) That
they are saving money and that they are spending the least possible for this purchase. During
economic times like this, it is seen as irresponsible to be spending money. So, as long as you
are getting the best deal possible it is OK to spend. 2) That their investment (investment, not
purchase, but investment) in a product will yield the promised result. In other words, consumers
will be willing to pay a little more for a product or service if they feel it meets its promise the
first time. Consumers only have one chance with their discretionary income so they cannot
afford a mistake. In summary, consumers will be demanding either the lowest-priced product or
the highest-quality product.

What are some consumer demands that, if not met, will be deal breakers?

CLG – The consumer demands that they receive an ‘experience’, or they will go elsewhere. It’s
not enough to just sell coffee. You either have to provide a drive-thru window, or a lounge area
to sit, or be surrounded by books, have wifi, or consumers will buy their coffee somewhere else.
If you are selling low-cost products, the consumer demands a generous return policy, flexible
hours and convenient locations. Toys R Us® has their express stores that are open just during the
Christmas shopping season. The Halloween store is open just 30-45 days per year. They provide
exactly what the customer is looking for in a buying experience and have, as a result, been very
successful.

I’m trying to get a fix on the things that businesses, particularly small businesses and start ups,
will have to do to win and keep customers in the coming year.

CLG – Small businesses and start ups will need to be able to demonstrate that they have
specialized expertise in their area. It’s not enough for them to put products on the shelf and hope
people will buy. Emerging companies will need to be able to speak very intelligently to their
niche so they can successfully get off the ground.

 “Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CMTmentors.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”. Gould is
also the author and creator of The 7 Stage Turnaround Process (www.7StageTurnaround.com).
7 Stage Consultants help business owners grow their sales, increase their cash flow and lower
their expenses using a proven method of business growth strategies. To learn more about our
Consultants, go to http://7stageturnaround.com/mtc/mentorlist.php?groupid=1

Chandra Gould is a 7 Stage Consultant and Small Business Advisor in New Jersey. She is a regular contributor to our blog, www.the7stages.com . 7 Stage Consultants work with small to  medium size businesses to increase their sales, lower their expenses and grow their businesses. To learn more about the 7 Stage Turnaround Process, go to ww.7StageTurnarond.com .
To get your copy of “The 7 Stages of Small Business Success”, go to www.The7StagesOfSmallBusinessSuccess.com .

Here are a few ways people can spend their money (making an investment in their lives, if you
will) in order to achieve a more prosperous business and personal life.

These tips may not add to your bottom line, but they will make you a richer, more successful
person…

1. Invest in Alignment – you are your businesses greatest asset and without you the business
will not run. Your body needs to be in alignment so your business can too. On a monthly
basis.

a. Get a chiropractic adjustment: your spine is the conduit to your health and
wellbeing.

b. Hire a personal trainer: we all know the benefits of a personal trainer, so I don’t
need to explain it here. Just go out and hire one.

2. Indulge Yourself.

a. Make sure and go out and eat at your favorite restaurant, visit your favorite
museum or catch the most recent film or concert event each month.

3. Hire an Assistant for…

a. Bookkeeping/ Accounting or,

b. Administrative Support or,

c. Scheduling, Errands and other Personal Duties

For the Business…

1. Hire a Branding expert. – Your image is everything. Make sure your brand is
projecting the image you desire.

2. Spend Extra on Graphic Design. – A pro will make you look better.

Obviously, there is much more. These are just a few areas that you can spend a little extra in and
it will be money well spent.

 “Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CMTmentors.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”. Gould is
also the author and creator of The 7 Stage Turnaround Process (www.7StageTurnaround.com).
7 Stage Consultants help business owners grow their sales, increase their cash flow and lower
their expenses using a proven method of business growth strategies. To learn more about our
Consultants, go to http://7stageturnaround.com/mtc/mentorlist.php?groupid=1

“I love organizing my desk! Filing is fun! Admin is awesome! Carl L Gould.

It has been written that the devil is in the detail. Carl suggests that the heaven is in the detail.
While dealing with details and the ‘small things’ may not be sexy, the result of dealing with the
details often is. If you are struggling at times to stay motivated in dealing with organization,
it may be a question of focus. If you are focusing on how much you hate organizing, then the
entire endeavor will be a chore. If you focus on what organization will give you, you may find
organizing and time management more appealing. More and more, I realize that the world
belongs to the organized.

Further, the financial wealth of our planet resides with the people that know how to dot
their “I’s” and cross their “T’s.” Think about it, banks and financial institutions house virtually
all the money in the world. Why do we entrust them with our cash? Because they are great with
detail. They have proven to not be very good at investing our money. Yet, their proficiency with
the detail gives us the certainty that our money will be there when we come back to withdraw it.
Here are 2 tips for this month…

1. Handle Paper Effectively— if you open it, you own it. When it comes to mail (all types),
tasks, notes, letters, etc. Once you pick it up, see it through to completion. A huge time
waster is reviewing something and then not taking immediate action on it (how many of you
have opened your email, only to save them, promising yourself you’ll answer them later?)
‘Handle it once’ should become your new mantra.

2. D, D, D—Decide, Do it, Delegate it.

- Decide: Do I need to pick up this item and handle it now? Is this the best use of my time
right now? If so….

-Do It: Take the necessary action to complete the task to completion in the here and now.
If you can’t complete the entire task right now (because it is a longer term project), schedule an
appointment with yourself to complete the task or continue with the project.

- Delegate It: If it’s still on your desk or in your Inbox, then clearly someone else should
be doing this for you. Who do you know that has the skill and the desire to complete your
unfinished tasks and projects? The call to that person should be next on your list.

 “Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”. Gould is also
the author and creator of The 7 Stage Turnaround Process. The 7 Stage Consultants help business
owners grow their sales, increase their cash flow and lower their expenses using a proven method
of business growth strategies.

Friends,
The holidays are upon us! Regardless of your background, faith or culture, this is the time of year where we take a break (however short) to visit with family and friends and give thanks for the past year.

However prosperous or difficult your year has been, the New Year is almost upon us. Are you wishing that this year would hang around forever, or are you anxiously awaiting the New Year and a fresh start?

This issue of eSmarts will mark a milestone as well as we will be making changes to the format and content of the newsletter. We will be adding a new group that has joined the CMT Team.

Just as every present has a wrapping and you need to wait until you are given the gift before youcan look inside, I will hold off on anymore details until next month.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season andSee you next month!
Carl

 “Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world. Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”. Gould is also the author and creator of The 7 Stage Turnaround Process. The 7 Stage Consultants help business owners grow their sales, increase their cash flow and lower their expenses using a proven method of business growth strategies.

Title: “How a Business Coach Can Help You GROW!”

Chuck Schultz is a 7 Stage Consultant, based in Isle, IL, just outside Chicago. 7 Stage
Consultants assist small-to-medium-sized businesses to protect their cash, reduce their expenses,
and create a profitable exit strategy. To learn more about Chuck Schultz and the 7 Stage
Turnaround Process, go to www.7StageTurnaround.com.

“Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training

helps his clients achieve results worldwide.  His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”

Get the Flash Player to see this content.

Title: “Why Should You Have a Trusted Advisor?”.

Chuck Schultz is a 7 Stage Consultant, based in Isle, IL, just outside Chicago. 7 Stage
Consultants assist small-to-medium-sized businesses to protect their cash, reduce their expenses,
and create a profitable exit strategy. To learn more about Chuck Schultz and the 7 Stage
Turnaround Process, go to www.7StageTurnaround.com.

“Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide.  His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”

Here is my interview on How to Use Your business to Design Your Ideal Lifestyle…Enjoy!

Owen: Are you an Entrepreneur who has had recent success designing your ideal lifestyle and
are now living the way you desire as a result of your business?

Carl: It’s important to define what ‘ideal’ is. For me, it is having more command of my time and
being able to use my business as a vehicle to support myself financially and have the time for
my personal and family desires. Over ten years ago, I was stuck in a business that gave me very
little time and very little satisfaction, frankly the business ran me. I always dreamed that my
work would allow me to “be paid to play all around the world”. I other words, I would have an
international clientele and I would visit them just enough (but not too much) to enjoy the travel
and see new parts of the world. That dream has played out well as I get to travel to Australia,
South Africa, Europe, UK and throughout North America on an annual basis.

I designed my business so that I could work with my clientele remotely (phone, video chat, etc).
This provides me tremendous flexibility while at home as well This way, I can be flexible with
my calendar and be in attendance for my children’s’ activities. I have always placed a high value
on family and am a regular fixture at family functions.

For me, this is ‘ideal’. Having command of my time is the ultimate for me!

Owen: What are 3 to 5 challenges that you have faced during the process of designing your ideal
lifestyle?

Carl:

1. Travel means being away from family. I had to (and still continue to) manage my
calendar very closely to make sure that my travel is productive AND I am not away for
long stretches of time. Even thought I think I may be doing well, anytime away from the
children seems like a long time to them.

2. Keeping regular routines: simple rituals like going to the gym, completing routine
household projects, attending classes, or scheduling a specific activity for the same day
of the week can be nearly impossible. I have to make sure that I begin each week with a
plan for how I am going to make both my personal and professional commitments.

3. Resistance from others: very few other people are interested in or want to hear about
me achieving balance in life. Ideal lifestyle is a moving target and a difficult balance
to strike. Since many people don’t have it, there reaction is, shall we say, ‘less than
positive’.

Owen: How you were able to change things around in your business to now be in control?

Carl: I realize that I was not as good as I could be in anything when I wasn’t happy in what I was
doing. I felt I HAD to make the change. Here is what I did…

1. I acquired the credentials necessary to pursue a career in coaching and consulting. This
meant taking classes and seminars in addition to my regular work schedule. Once I felt
I was ready, I began signing clients that I could manage while easing out of my other
business (construction).

2. I fired my old business. I was miserable doing construction full time so I slowly stopped

accepting construction projects so that I could devote more time to coaching and
consulting.
3. Did enough of both, consulting and construction, to pay the bills while in transition to full
time consulting.

4. I became a better planner and ‘prioritizer’ of my time. I employed strategic planning and
outcome-based time management strategies in order to make sure that I was being more
pro-active with my time as opposed to re-active.

5. I got much better at saying NO. There have been a number of projects that I could have
immersed myself in that I have turned down. In the past I would have taken them and
then regretted it later.

Owen: What steps would you advise our audience to take to follow your success?

Carl:

1. Commit some time to sit down and decide what you want the next 5 years of your life to
be about. Create a list of all the things you would like to do, be, have over this time.

2. Then, one at a time, schedule each one into your calendar (even if you are not sure how
you will accomplish it). For example, if you always wanted to go back to school but
weren’t sure how you would manage it, call the school, find the class and register for
it. Put the reoccurring appointment in your calendar and then use your considerable
creativity to figure out a way to follow through on that class.

3. Determine what you need to start saying ‘NO’ to. If you don’t respect your time, why
should anyone else?

4. Make a list that are MOST important to you and schedule them into your calendar first;
leaving the low priority items to last. This is not procrastination, this is prioritization.

5. Share your vision with other, especially those that will be affected the most. Telling
your family and friends of your plans will at least alert them to your pursuits and you can
collectively develop a plan to achieve them. While there will be some push back initially,
you will find that those around you will respect you for your pursuits.

Your ideal lifestyle is within your grasp and is closer than you think. It does take some initial
work in the beginning and it is all worth it. Go for it!

“Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”

Folks, this is a great topic that I was interviewed on. Please see my responses below on how to
put your personal imprint on your franchise location.

OK, so you’ve made the decision to purchase a franchise. Congratulations – you’re an
entrepreneur! But, the rub is that you’d like to show off some of your own skills in running a
business rather than just follow the game plan from the national office. What options do you
have?

CLG-While purchasing a franchise gives you a ‘business in a box’, there is still part of you that
is an outside of the box thinker. The franchise box you purchased will give you the technical
training and direction to run your location. You’ll receive how to manuals, templates, software,
branding which gets you up and running almost immediately. There is , however, going to be this
burning desire inside you to exercise some personalize initiative and judgment when it comes to
running your location(s).There are a number of options available to you where you can exercise
some flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the business system you purchased:

1. Building Your Personal Brand – Reserve www.yourname.com and build a website
around …YOU. Using a logging platform like Wordpress® or Blogspot® allows you to
build an easy-to-use website and it allows you to post videos, photos, articles in blogs.
Tell us about yourself, your history, your social circles, your educational background and
anything else you would like the world to know about you. By building your personal
brand, you will begin creating a deeper relationship with your customers and that will
build more loyalty to your franchise location.

2. Cross-Markets to Your Customer List – Find out what other products and services your
customers would enjoy learning about. One franchise owner I know who owned a fitness
center ran instructional classes, clinics, and small parties (cosmetics, cutlery, home
goods, etc) for the membership and it was very well received.

3. Get Involved in Your Community – Either sponsor a locally-based charitable event or
use your location as a drop off or a solicitation spot (i.e., the Girl Scouts selling cookies
outside your door). Being visible at community events not only raises awareness about
your franchise it also builds your individual band equity and put s you a more desirable
light. In other words they will think you are a brilliant business person!

I’m looking for some great practical tips and advice from franchise owners and franchisees
about how entrepreneurs can put their personalized imprint on their business without crossing the
line.

CLG –

1. Decorate – One franchise owner allowed local artist to display their art on the walls of
their franchise location.

2. A Theme for all Seasons – Go all out in decorating for the various holiday seasons. A
local hair salon had all of their stylists dress in costume for Halloween. It was awesome!
Scary, but awesome…J

3. A long time ago I worked for a franchise that held one of my most memorable job
positions. My boss had the brilliant idea to purchase character mascot costumes (Kermit
the Frog, Big Bird, etc) I stood out on the curb of a major highway and waved to the
oncoming traffic for hours on end. It worked great as people honked their horns, would
stop and have photos taken and would also pull in and come into the store.
Let me, too, what common mistakes franchisees make along these lines so we can help others out
there avoid doing the same.

CLG – Common Mistakes…

1. Replacing the franchisors product with your own. – Avoid the temptation to run your
side business inside your location. That is a major no-no.

2. Not following the system. – Since entrepreneurs are outside-the-box thinkers they are
often tempted to rewrite the operations manual and do things their own way. This is a
recipe for disaster. Use your entrepreneur creativity to enhance the franchise system not
replace it.

3. Being invisible. – Some franchise owners think that by buying a franchise, they never
have to show their face again. This is a mistake. You are still a business owner and your
staff, your customers and your community needs to see you. You are not Houdini, you
are a business owner. Don’t escape and disappear.

“Carl L Gould is the President and Chief DISCoverY Officer CMT International, LLC
(www.CarlGould.com), the farthest-reaching business mentoring organization in the world.
Carl’s unique approach to executive coaching, business mentoring and performance training
helps his clients achieve results worldwide. His latest book, The 7 Stages of Small Business
Success – From Startup to 7 Figures in Three Years or Less, will provide entrepreneurs and
business owners a step-by-step formula to taking their businesses to the next level”