After55:

When it’s hot outside and all the news about the economy is bleak, what should you do? Sit somewhere cool and think about your business differently. That’s what.

One of the best parts of what I do is hearing suggestions from all of you. I’m not always quick to respond because, like you, I’m running a business. In May I got an e-mail recommending a book, and I need to tell you about it!

Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative Thinking Techniques was written by Michael Michalko, a creativity expert. I’m part of the way through it (an easy read) and have already applied and taught two concepts! If the well-worn definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results, then Thinkertoys is a terrific antidote to what may be ailing us! I think you will find reading it to be time well spent–especially if you apply it!

I’m in the middle of a dilemma. As always, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about our demographic. In the past two months a lot of studies have indicated that Silver Vixens will not be successful because we do not participate in social networks, we see no value in them, we don’t want to risk our privacy, we aren’t that technologically savvy–and on and on.

Late one night recently I found myself wide awake wondering what to make of all the negativity. Should I give up and pull down the website? Should I change my expectations? What to do?

Here’s what I decided:

1. I would take each of the negatives apart to see if there was something I could learn.
2. I would go back and check the sources and how they might have benefited from their gloom and doom. Did it make them seem more expert? We all know that bad news sells and good news languishes.
3. I would see how their points applied to my business in particular.
4. I would compare their findings with what I have seen and heard myself.

I felt much better. Isn’t it amazing how being proactive helps our outloook? Here’s what I learned:

1. Each of the points had merit, but they were also opportunities! In response, I have added solid information to the site and will continue to add more regularly; I added the ability to respond to each other anonymously. I will shortly be adding fun, clear ways to learn to use the website.
2. Some of the authors were men–very knowledgable, but they haven’t lived our experience and perhaps don’t know the correct questions to ask.
3. Where the points applied to Silver Vixens, I mined them for the gold I knew was there.
4. We all know how easy it is to trust “experts” over what we intuitively know. I remembered that the worst mistakes I’ve made occurred when I didn’t trust what I really knew. All my knowledge has worth!

Yes, it pays to see what the experts have to say, but let’s not blindly accept their “facts.” Silver Vixens continues to grow and to make a difference!

I attended the JWTBoom LiveWire conference about marketing to boomers last week. What a terrific experience–and even better in retrospect. What I learned will appear here and in my column for months to come.

What is most on my mind today is how important it is to know your market. Whom do you think your product or service will most benefit? I was fascinated to hear attendee after attendee (and if the truth be told, almost everyone was male!) ask how to reach the boomer market! As if boomers are one market!

There are left-handed boomers, blue-eyed boomers, boomers who like Birkenstocks, boomers who like earrings. You get the idea. When we come up with our great idea for a business, we imagine hoardes of people lining up for it, but we stand a far better chance if we take the time to understand clearly our best potential customers and get to work with them in mind.

On a day when I was feeling particularly entrepreneurially overwhelmed, my coach suggested I reread Michael Gerber’s E-Myth Revisited. Of course I love this book! But what jumped out at me this time was–are you working on your business or in your business? For entrepreneurs, both are important.

If you are working in your business, you are doing the day-to-day tasks of keeping the business humming. This may include, but is not limited to, order taking and fulfillment, inventory control, manufacturing, customer service–you get the idea. Yes, absolutely, all these things need to be done. Do they all need to be done by you? Are they the best use of your time?

When you are working on your business, you are looking at the big, strategic issues–where do you want your business to go? What will it take to get there? These are the executive type of questions that determine the future of your enterprise. They are vitally important, yet often get short shrift because you are busy being an employee.

Take a minute and think about how you are spending your time. Are you spending too much time on the urgent issues at the expense of the important ones?

One of the great pleasures of being an After 55 entrepreneur is that, perhaps more than any other demographic, we can use our business to express who we are or who we want to be in the world. Being a for-profit business carries its own requirements, but a large percentage of us start businesses to give voice to our creativity–from painting or making jewelry to designing clothing for ourselves or our grandchildren, writing books or creating a business that has a life of its own. The examples are endless.

Every woman I have written about in my column has started or maintained her business not only to make money, but also because it is a true expression of who she is as a human being. These businesses model good business practices, but they are also a forum for expressing to the world how these women would like to be treated and viewed. I am sure there are exceptions, but each of the women I have interviewed is a fanatic about customer service. They have experienced the frustration of not having someone listen to them seriously about a problem and, at some level, vowed that if they had a business they would do it differently. My friend Barbara Luther, a very entrepreneurial intellectual property attorney, says that behind every successful woman is someone who dissed her (cleaned up here for younger eyes!). After I stopped laughing, I thought about it and find that it’s generally true.

In more ways than one, we are changing the world one business at a time. Now this is exciting!

OK. We know we are not 27, 34 or even 42. Should we start this business that we just can’t get out of our head or are we (gasp!) too old? I know you can’t believe I am even asking this question, but like the elephant in the middle of the room, we need to talk about this.

No, I probably can’t work a 30-year-old under the table–but, then, I don’t want to, either! I hope that in the ensuing years I have learned a thing or two about efficiency and effectiveness. Not everything worth doing is worth doing perfectly. Not everything needs to be done by me. Hard to believe, but I am not an expert in everything–I like to hire out for things I don’t like to do, too. But give me a task or project that taps into my Silver Vixen passion, and I have energy to spare!

Several of the women I have written about in my After 55 column started their business after this magical age. They are having a ball. So–if you want to feel alive, have fascinating challenges, feel the agony of defeat and the thrill of victory–start your own business. You will have great respect for yourself and your creativity, and others will, too! Have at it and let me know what you are doing!

Today you are You, that is truer than true.
There is no one alive who is Youer than You.
Dr. Seuss

This quote appeared in my inbox this morning (thanks to AsAManThinketh.net/Daily Insights). Being a huge fan of Dr. Seuss and his wild creativity, both visual and verbal, I chuckled and then started to think.

Questions as you go about your work today:

1. Are you putting all of you into your enterprise?
2. Do your customers feel connected to you?
3. Does your passion for your business come through?
4. Is there something holding you back or is it you?
5. If you could do anything, what would you do?

One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur is doing something you think is worthwhile and trying different ways you think it should be done. This is one of the things that sets you apart.

So today what can just you do?
No one can make your business youer than you –

My apologies, Dr. Seuss, but I couldn’t resist.

Do your customers think about you? Sure, they buy from you, but do they think about you as you would like them to? The quickest–though not the easiest–way to keep in touch with your customers is an informative, reliable, regular e-mail or newsletter.

Make it informative by letting them know about one of your services they might not be using, an issue they may not be aware of or a new product that can help them. Ensure that it’s reliable by doing your homework so you know the information you are sharing is true and helpful. Keep it regular so they will come to expect hearing from you. That is one of your goals : to become a trusted resource.

The content needn’t be long or in depth, particularly if writing does not come easily to you. What’s most important is that you bring something of value to your recipients. Your sincerity will shine through. And use Spellcheck to make sure you are putting your best foot forward.

You probably already know about Constant Contact, a widely used program for just this purpose. Constant Contact will help you design professional looking missives easily. The company’s support is excellent. Sending a crisp simple e-mail will also work, but it’s not as eye-catching.

Like we tell our kids–keep in touch. The rewards are great.

It seems NCAA March Madness is gripping much of the male population. I am fascinated by the excitement and focus the playoffs generate. Since I am not much interested in sports, I have been wondering what I could learn from all this activity.

It’s all about the numbers: Since the first quarter is nearly over, it’s a great time to check our corporate benchmarks. Is the business meeting the goals you have set?

Intense focus for a short amount of time: This sounds like a sales promotion to me. What could you offer your customers to help them focus on your area of expertise or products?

Practice, practice, practice: The end of the first quarter is a good time to review your marketing–promotional materials, website and media–to make sure you are putting your best foot forward.

Rewards and awards are wonderful: This is a great time to recognize staff, vendors and customers. Everyone says thanks at the end of the year. Stand out from the crowd and award and reward now!

When March Madness is over, you will be in a great position to enjoy a terrific spring.

Earlier this week I attended the funeral of a man whom I knew over the years, but it would be presumptuous to say we were close friends. It was a great funeral and I continue to think about the lessons I learned as I listened to the various eulogies.

1. He was always the same person–whether his role was as a leader, counselor, friend, brother, husband or father. Lesson: Let the real you be present in all that you do. You will derive great benefit from being authentic.
2. When later thanked for a piece of wisdom or good counsel, his response was generally, “I said that?” eliciting a chuckle. Lesson: Be humble. It draws far more people to you than tooting your own horn.
3. Every time he spoke to a group, he wrote it out and practiced it at least twice. His listeners always thought he was a fabulous, extemporaneous speaker. Lesson: Prepare. You’ll always look better, and you can concentrate on what others are doing and saying.
4. He held his position for 34 years and loved it. Of course, it was not without challenges, but he knew what he wanted to do and the scope within which he wanted to work. Lesson: Find the joy in what you do.
5. Each person spoke movingly, and also with great hilarity, of the bond he or she had with this man. Lesson: Communicating your genuine regard, respect and pride is a gift to the recipient and has lasting worth.
6. He smiled at everyone he liked; and those he didn’t like as much–he smiled at them, too! Lesson: A smile is the cheapest gift you can give, and you will never know how much it means to another.

Not particularly complex lessons, but the impact on our business of life can be profound.

Lately I am hearing a lot about an old idea: Mastermind Groups. In his landmark book Think and Grow Rich, originally published in 1937, Napoleon Hill devoted an entire chapter to Master Mind Alliances, a small group of carefully selected colleagues for the purpose of helping you reach your Definite Purpose. Barbara Sher had a similar concept in the late 1970s that she called Success Teams. They were not quite as particularly selected but more a general business success support group.

Today, this idea is as vibrant and important as ever. One of the great difficulties of being an entrepreneur is a sense of isolation as we wear many hats and many times live in our head under those hats. A qualified, supportive (no Negative Nellies or Normans allowed!), committed group of people dedicated to helping you achieve your dreams for your business could be just what the doctor ordered.

If you haven’t read Think and Grow Rich, do! The section on energy is definitely dated, but the rest has made a difference in countless millions of lives. See what it can do for you.

I had the fun of interviewing Nell Merlino today. I told you about her Make Mine a Million $ Business in January, but something she said today really struck a chord. When I asked her what one thing she really would want me to say in the Spotlight article, she thought a second and said, “Don’t Settle for Small!” What fabulous words to hear. How many times have we been told not to be too pushy, not to look too smart, not to bother with big dreams at our age? Plenty of times. Nell went on to say she wants women to know how much fun it is to have a million dollar business. To date, 14% of M3 winners are After 55s! Just a reminder, if you are anywhere near Phoenix, get yourself over to Make Mine a Million on Tuesday, March 4. Both Nell and I will be there. Come on down! Let’s make yours a million dollar business!