Miss Dom's Insights for Feb?.... Golf Lessons, Sale of Business Update, Podcasts vs Bubblegum, Traction vs Scaling Up

Well I’ve got some excellent news to start us off – January is over and that means your local gym is empty again and there’s lots of room for you to get back there.

Have a Golf Lesson- ON ME...and with me. I have 8 spots reserved to take my "Dom's Insights" folks out for a golf lesson with Jonas Golf. Life is too short, and we can all invent reasons to just work all the time.  Use this link to put your name on the list and I'll choose the location based on who's coming! This year I will do golf lessons, fly fishing lessons ( probably casting) and a cooking class. For those of you who came out with me last year, please don't be shy- you can come again!). Business Owners/partners only please.
 
January and February have been extremely busy doing Strategic Planning with clients.  I won’t get into that here, but clients usually worry that a day of Strategic Planning takes them out of the office for a full day. However, by the end of the day they want more time! Who can blame them?

One of my goals for this year was to write a book by Jan 31 and I hit it! ( I started in October of last year) The 7 Secrets of Goal Setting Success is done! If you'd like to read it, just click here. I would really like your feedback so if you download it, please let me know your thoughts/ edits/ suggestions! Good and Bad, ok?

BIV Article for Owners who might want to sell one day.
 
Retirement Ready. As a business owners, selling your business becomes a real thing at some point.  Last November, The Business Transitions Forum in Vancouver outlined how 3 local companies navigated selling. When you go to sell, you need to know there are 3 types of buyers who can or will buy you. #1 and #2 are good options, and #3 is (usually) a horrible way to go. Give me a call if you want to talk about 1, 2 or 3. (and No-I’m not a business broker- but this is powerful info you need to know) Read the whole story here….
 
Blog Posts
I have been building out a Strategic Planning series for you on LinkedIn and here on my blog. 

BCIT update. On Thursday Feb 9, I’ve been invited to be part of the Ask an Expert series . I’ll be presenting to the BCIT Students Association on How to Pitch your Business. If you’re a BCIT student, you can register at the Students Association. For the general public, let me know and I’ll get you on the guest list.
 
AWMAC- I’ll be presenting at the AGM on the subject “Profits in Partnership”. Of course as an AGM it’s a closed event, and if you’re an AWMAC member I’ll see you there!
 
GSEA update. For those of you who follow my Linkedin or Facebook posts, you’ll know that the GSEA is the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. This is a global EO initiative, and our Vancouver Chapter has been one of the leaders in putting student businesses forward. The Canadian Finals are here in Vancouver on Feb 21. I only have 4 guest lists spots still available. Email me directly please.
 
I’m the GSEA chair for Vancouver this year,  and I'll be looking for student applicants for the 2017 competition which will take place sometime in Q4. If you know what university-aged Business owner who is interested in applying please have them contact me directly, or if they can look at the competition rules here.
 
Still on the subject of GSEA I will be in Frankfurt Germany April 27-29 for the global finals for 2016. I’ve never been to Germany before this will be exciting!

​Festivus. Yes it’s really a thing. I’m getting ready to do Festivus in March. Its my 3rd event and this time I hired a trainer. He’s taking it pretty seriously!
 
Books. If you’re looking for a book recommendation I have a few for you.
 
I’m reading…. “Scaling Up” by Verne Harnish. Most of you know I’m a big Rockefeller Habits fan, and this is his updated version of the system. I love it. If you want to put Strategic Planning in place in your company this is an absolutely rock-solid system for doing it and the one I use most often with my clients.
 
I’m also reading- “Traction” by Gino Wickman. Although I’ve read this book before to use with clients I want to do a side-by-side comparison of traction versus scaling up.  So I’m reading it this time and taking a lot more notes. If you find Rockefeller Habits heavy to read , this is a lot more simplified (and still rock solid) method for doing strategic planning.  Stay tuned for more info.
 
And, I’m reading – “The Business Book.”- Big ideas simply explained by Marcouse et al.
 
Yes I like to read multiple books at the same time – I don’t know if I would recommend that for everyone though.

​Courses I’m taking. I am halfway through Frank Kern’s system on the psychology of online marketing and crafting calls to action. It’s very interesting and Kern has a really blunt style that I like.
 
Podcasts I’m listening to.
 
For those of you who are Brian Tracy fans and recall that Bryan and I are business partners,  you’ll recall that Brian always says turn your car into a university. 
 
That’s exactly what podcasts allow you to do.  Instead of listening to “Donkus 106” radio, why not use your drive time wisely and listen to intelligent podcasts that will feed your mind instead of stuffing your ears with bubblegum. ( now you know how I feel about that!)
 
Podcast are a great way to do that as are e-books through <<audible.com>>.
The podcasts I’m listening to right now are:
Freakonomics - The hidden side of  everything. This is produced by WNYC University and hosted by Stephen Dubner.  It’s simply excellent and very,very interesting.
 
Smart Passive Income Blog – by Pat Flynn. Pat speaks on topics around the Internet and business models surrounding it.  If you are a business owner his podcasts are aimed nicely at how to effectively use the Internet and social media marketing strategies to build your company.
 
Stuff you should know. Part of the How Stuff works family of information sites,  you will either love or hate Josh and Chuck as they walk you through all sorts of really interesting – and sometimes odd topics like – Can you live without a bank account , or How Porta- Potties work.  I like this podcast because it talks about the history, the present, and the future of any given topic and gives excellent context to their topics. Where do you think I get my stories in the middle of those coaching sessions??
 
 

Hey- I wrote a book! Its called the 7 Secrets to Goal Setting Success. If you'd like a free download, please click here. I'm really looking for feedback before I decide to go from a purely electronic version to a printed version. So if you download it, give me some feedback ok?