Success | Steve Pohlit

Obama,Governors Note: The State of Virginia Reports Budget Surplus..

Today’s Wall Street Journal reports Virgina State Governor Robert McDonnell has led their economy to a budget surplus of $400 million for 2010. Just two years ago the state faced more than a $4 billion deficit.

How was this accomplished? As reported, Governor McDonnell blocked a $2 billion proposed tax increase by former Democratic Governor Tim Kaine. Then he cut spending government spending to 2007 levels.

Companies who want to stay in business understand spending cannot exceed revenues. It is rare today to see a government leader demonstrate fiscal responsibility. This report is very refreshing news. Congratulations Governor McDonnell on your persistent economic leadership.

Steve Pohlit

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About: Steve Pohlit CPA,MBA has been the CFO and COO of major domestic and international companies. Steve has extensive business ownership experience having purchased and started off line and on line businesses. Steve offers his business building experience to companies and entrepreneurs with business coaching and business consulting. His focus is on building business profits and net asset value at above average rates. All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

Harry Potter, Millenia Mall, Illusions

While working with a coaching client on site in Orlando, Florida I observed packed parking lots, traffic jams around Millenia Mall and filled restaurants. My comment was ” they have not heard there is a world wide recession!”

We discussed why the area seemed particularly crowded. The number one reason seemed to be that the new Harry Potter attraction had just opened at Universal Studios and it seemed be a huge draw. So now I knew that my observation of the market could be distorted by a special event.

Later that day, I was invited to join a group at a very popular “upscale restaurant”. This place is very near Tiger Wood’s home. My definition of an upscale restaurant is one where the dinner check for two including tip is in the $200 plus range.

After a marvelous dinner, I met the owner. I had a comment and a question. My comment was about the wonderful dining experienced I just finished. I assured him I really enjoyed it as did the business people dining with me. My second remark was that his business is actually an economic indicator…a barometer of how well people are doing. Given that I asked how his business was doing on a comparable basis with last year.

Comparable analysis in business is where you compare the same period this year with the same period last year. In this example I was asking about business this year to date vs last year. He told me his business was down 30% and that the “upscale restaurant market” was down 40%. He felt good as he was fairing better than the competition. I was not feeling that good about it considering the economic slide began accelerating in 2008. This means the numbers in 2009 used as a comparison have already been on a decline so the decline in 2010 is particularly disturbing.

I mentioned to my client and his key person in Orlando that I would send them a list of what I would recommend this restaurant business owner do to strengthen the business. I decided these 7 Steps could help many other business owners so I am using my blog for the action plan and I will email my friends to let them know about these ideas for their Orlando restaurant owner friend.

Top 7 Steps For Strengthen Sales and Profit In The Restaurant Industry….Actually Applies To Most Businesses:

1. Know your customer! People coming thought the door and buying should be acknowledged with an email or card and possibly more. How do you do this? You need to have their contact information and specifically an email address and now ideally their cell phone number.

Here is an idea on how you do that: Buy them a drink or a dessert in exchange for their information. Here is the key: when you identify a particularly important person, the owner comes to the table, welcomes them and offers to buy their dinner in exchange for the cell phone number so they can be alerted for a very special event. Now before you say this ticket could be $200 or more I ask you how worth it is to have the cell phone number for key text messages with VIP’s and I mean people whose net worth is in 8 figures. This is huge

2. Have a plan. Your financial plan should be an annual target that can then be detailed to a weekly plan.

3. Know your numbers. Traffic and sales by time of day. Track your trends. Use this information to market to your list. Invite them to slower times using incentives.

4. Use all proven marketing tools to help grow your business. These include direct mail to targeted zip codes and ads with a “hook” in publications your target customer reads and other venues like radio, participation at key charitable events, local/regional festivals that are for your target audience, on line promotions and more.

5. Have your on line credibility in place meaning a website and social media presence

6. Use a referral marketing system. Reward people for inviting their friends and colleagues.

7. Monitor the variances from plan in all areas of your business. Nothing is excluded: payroll, food costs, utilities….the gold is in the detailed analysis of the variances.

Now You Know…Success Is In The Details. Failure is almost always a result of not consistently following the steps that have been proven to lead to success.

Steve Pohlit

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ATT, IPhone, IPhone4 – Excellent Viral Marketing for Competitors

I love the IPhone. I owned the first IPhone within 2 weeks of launch and have upgraded to the 3G and then 3GS. As soon as Apple released a new model, I was there for upgrade. Not this time.

I would love to be testing the IPhone4 right now. ATT has pushed me to the point where I don’t want to extend my contract for two years. Why….ATT’s service sucks. It has not always sucked. In fact for well over 2 years I enjoyed my service. Then something changed. I began reporting this situation 6 months ago.

Bottom line .. I want great service at my primary location, had it and now it is opposite that. When I discuss this with ATT the responses are amazing. Tonight was the icing. The lady said “the reality is that the service you are getting is what you can expect” I asked her how much experience she had and she said “my experience level is irrelevant”. Amazing.

So I thought ..well maybe it’s me. However, when I would make comments about my phone and dropped calls, I would hear …”that is so common with IPhone users. So I tested that with people I know with IPhones and that is very true. All and I mean all IPhone owners I know complain of dropped calls.

I would love an IPhone4 However, ATT wins…they have worn me out and I am now waiting for Apple to expand to other carriers. Rumors on line that will be this fall. Regardless of the timing it cannot be soon enough for me.

New IPhone4 owners I am sure you will love your new IPhone and I wish you the best with ATT service.

ATT – you have had an amazing opportunity to dominate the market. You have benefited from Apple’s success and have not taken notes on how they lead. Your negative goodwill accelerates. Verizon and others gotta love it. This is a great example of viral marketing for the competition.

Is it too late for ATT? Not at all ATT could turn this around in a heart beat because customers love the IPhone and they do not like change.

Steve Pohlit

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LWT: Lead Without A Title by Robin Sharma …Get This Book Today

…”the riskiest place you can be is trying to do the same things in the same way as you have always done them. Few thngs are as foolish as hoping old behaviors will somehow present new results.”

“Every one of us alive with life can passionately drive positive change in the face of negative conditions and you need no title to do that.”

This book offers a road map for transformational thinking and results. What may surprise many people is the how important our attitude is toward consistently small steps forward each day is to achieving huge business and personal success. Written in the style of a story, you will find yourself rapidly moving through this book wanting to know what develops next. I also think you will be going back to this book, making notes and concluding what adjustment you will be making in your life and business.

I love “The Leader Who Had No Title” by Robin Sharma and I know you will too.

Steve Pohlit

Managing Director
Top 1 Coaching, Consulting
JT Foxx Organization

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
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About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies. Steve is The Managing Director of Top 1 Coaching/Consulting of The JT Foxx Organization. He is an expert business coach and consultant focused on building massive business profits and net asset value. He is very experienced with Internet marketing and social media marketing. All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

The Key To The Vault of Success

In the early fall of 2009 I was looking at the progress of my career. In the 18 months prior to that point I had created two on line based businesses and knew they would be successful long term. But something was missing and I was trying to pinpoint what it was.

I remembered a presentation by Ernie Cheu who is the author of “Soul Currency”. Ernie told his story of how when things turned south for him he dug deep and reflected on the key success factors when he was riding high. He then began doing again what he was doing then and regained his foundation to move forward.

In my life the number one element that was apparent in every case where I had accomplished huge professional success was this …relationships.

Between early 2008 and fall of 2009 I had developed several business models on line and connected with many wonderful people. However the relationships were different in most cases. I say most because I am blessed with having developed very close relationships with wonderful people who I met on line .

With that brief background you may appreciate my decision in early fall of 2009 to renew my connections with highly successful people. Once I decided that I became very relaxed about the outcome and continued on with my daily/weekly priorities.

And then the phone rang.

From that moment forward I began connecting with an increasing number of very successful people. I didn’t connect all the dots at the time. However beginning in late December 2009 I heard the word “relationships” beginning to echo loudly in my ears and then repeated because the person who called and who I am now working with is all about teaching and being an example of the importance of relationships. Thank you JT Foxx

One of JT’s coaches is Nido Qubein, the president of High Point University.Nido is a remarkable man who came to this country with $50 in pocket and is very prosperous in all areas of his life. He created it and is as excited about what he does as anyone I have ever met.

Recently I was with a group of our top clients at High Point University. Nido delivered a 3.5 hour message to our group. One of us in attendance asked him what his number one point of advice was. Nido talked about his mother and the advise she gave him. She said connect with the experts who are an example of what you want to be. Nido further clarified this in a brief private discussion with me. He said “once you define success for you, find those who you feel be exemplify that definition. Then clarify the attributes they have that you don’t or you need to be better at. Once you do this then it is matter of taking steps to advance your own attributes that you have identified as those being important for you to be where you want to be. Stated another way seek out the experts then become an expert by developing the skills of the experts.

Nobody had ever clarified it for me like that before. But in an instant I got is and I knew that in many respect I have followed that guidance. I also knew I did not follow that guidance to my potential.

Nido was taking about relationships. JT teaches how to develop key relationships all the time. Our coaching, mentoring, consulting program reinforces for our student how to develop key relationships and take action to implement that guidance. Both Nide and JT are talking about the right relationships. That is the key ..the right relationships.

If you are to develop powerful relationships then you must learn how to network, you must learn how to communicate…you must be prepared. There are specific steps we teach for developing relationships and there are those chance encounters that seem to be a coincidence. You never know when a visit to the coffee shop, restaurant, gym, church, grocery store could be the key relationship that makes a huge difference in your life.

I have written about the Top 1 mindset in previous articles. That attitude plus the associated skills and actions is well worth the effort. However, none of us ever accomplishes anything of consequence alone. The more powerful the relationships, the faster you will achieve your ever expanding goals.

Here is an example: JT started his coaching program about the beginning of 2009. It grew to a multi-million dollar a year business in less that 12 months. He hosts on his show well know success stories including Robert Kiyosaki, Jack Canfield, George Ross and many more (visit The JT Foxx Show for more examples) On June 12 and 13, 2010 JT is bring a former leader of a G8 country to Toronto for a major event. We will have a capacity crowd of more than 500 people. VIP tickets for dinner, a picture with this leader who we cannot name for security reasons, plus the event ticket are still available for $495. (email me for more information) The event itself is only $95.

Imagine the credibility of having your picture taken with a former leader of a G8 country. JT still talks about the value of having met and his picture with Senator John McCain. In fact later this year and early 2011 there are additional events materializing that will also be “off the charts” with the keynote speakers lining up. This all happens because of relationships.

Key events are great opportunities to network. Our students are increasingly successful in part because of the networking they are doing at these and other events. Just yesterday in a coaching call I advised one of our students to move forward from a goal of attracting $300,000 in investor money to $14,000,000. With that redefined goal we developed the action steps which will start to be implemented in less than a week. I am confident he will line up a pool of $14 million for investing in his deals.

No matter what your goals are, you will accelerate the achievement of those goals by forming key relationships. Key relationships are with those people who are masters of the characteristics you know are must haves for you.

Steve Pohlit

Managing Director
Top 1 Coaching, Consulting
JT Foxx Organization

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
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How To Strengthen Our Three Foundation Pillars For Optimal Success

I encourage you to decide right now to take action when any part of this article resounds with you. You see there is an amazing volume of content we have access to in multiple formats including: books, CD’s, videos, blogs, websites, email, seminars and even talking with each other to name a few. I have found that using a system for processing information in away that helps me retain what I want to have become part of who I am is the way for me to progress professionally and personally.

I have developed The Top Five System. This is an adaption of what I learned from Mark Joyner with his Simpleology System and The JT Foxx Organization where we use a daily Top 5 as part of how the business is operated and developed. I initially published an article that shows anyone how to get started with The Top Five System. The focus of this initial article was to encourage readers to use The Top 5 System for business development. I teach this process and incorporate this system in the coaching, mentoring and consulting division of The JT Foxx Organization.

I have found this system to be so powerful that I recently expanded the view of how it can be used to strengthen our Three Pillars for optimal success. This view which you are about to read is based on over five years of intensive research and the application of these principles to a successful business that I launched on January 7, 2009. That business is Manifest Mastermind.

With that launch I was already incorporating guidance on developing our Three Foundation Pillars. Members have been receiving continual detailed guidance on how to excel in all three areas. The Top Five System is a refinement of that work and is a simple way to to expand your success in business and in life.

I recently presented the first teleconference on The Top Five System for Our Three Foundation Pillars for the members of the JT Foxx Coaching, Mentoring and Consulting Group. Today I am introducing this idea to the public. Note there are only Three Pillars and The Top Five System is designed to focus our attention on not more than five (a handful) action steps. Everyone can manage those numbers. There are no more excuses. Let’s begin.

Our Three Foundation Pillars

1. Health

2. Relationships

3. Money

Everything in life falls within one of those Pillars. They are purposely listed in order of priority. Yes money is last. Health is first since without our health, nothing else matters.

Using The Top Five System For Health…An Example

1. Health Description…This would be the business description in the money pillar.

I am a healthy, energetic person who maintains my ideal weight. You can be more detailed in this description

2. Image Target…This would be the financial plan in the money pillar

I release 20 pounds that I no longer need.

3. Action Plan

I am adjusting my eating and exercise habits to achieve my desired image.

4. Time Line

I am releasing 1 pound per week by using 3,500 less calories per week or 700 per day.

5. Daily Top 5

These are the top 5 actions you plan to take to implement your plan of using 700 less calories per day.

This is an example and you should develop your own details based on you new health image which can include a lot more than weight. The key with each pillar is to have a clear picture of what you want to achieve and measurable action steps. With measurable action steps you will be implementing the Gold Formula which I will write about in a separate article.

Steve Pohlit

Managing Director
Top 1 Coaching, Consulting
JT Foxx Organization

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
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Nido Quebein – Why Immigrants Become Millionaires

Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
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About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies. Steve is a business owner and an expert business consultant focused on building profits and net asset value. He is very experienced with Internet marketing and social media marketing. All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

The Business Profits Reported Next Year Are Created Now

The business performance goals you achieve for the next year begin today. In order to achieve business performance goals you must have ones defined.

If this seems perfectly obvious, then why is it that the majority of companies do not have an annual business plan detailed in financial performance terms. Hardly any business has the disciplined management system in place to manage the business to achieve financial performance benchmarks every week.

This is a summary action guide that should help your business performance excel :

1. Define the outcome twelve months from now that you expect. What are your targeted: revenue, profit and cash flow (takes into account investments in non cash assets). I recommend these goals be higher than your historical trend.

2. Define the business performance you need to achieve in the next two months by week to achieve your annual goal.

Steps 1 and 2 become the budget numbers for your business and step 2 is adjusted every week so you are always looking forward two months. Can be three but should not be less than two.

Part of Step 2 should be a cash flow projection. Again it is very important to have a budget for all these items including cash flow.

3. Once you develop your budgeted items then you track actual every week. Now you are in the position of addressing variances. Positive ones should be viewed as carefully as negative ones. You are either investing in more of what resulted in positive variances or address the cause of negative ones.

Since a CEO should be spending most of their time, meaning about 80% on marketing for growth, there needs to be a rationalized process in place where there is clear accountability for the operations in the other key areas of the business.

This process is a management system. If you are an international multi- billion dollar business or a single entrepreneur the principles are the same.

Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
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Customer Service: To The Point…Harvey Mackay and The Cab Driver

Thank you Debbie Demboski, Regional Director/Owner of Interiors by Decorating Den for sending me this great story. Contact Debbie for your own franchise or decorating services. Ph.800-866-9499 Decorating Den serves most markets in the US and Canada.
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No one can make you serve customers well. That’s because great service is a choice.

Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

Harvey was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up. The first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed Harvey a laminated card and said: ‘I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk I’d like you to read my mission statement.’

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said:

Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.’

Harvery said, ‘I’d prefer a soft drink.’

Wally smiled and said, ‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.’

Almost stuttering, Harvey said, ‘I’ll take a Diet Coke.’

Handing him his drink, Wally said, ‘If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.’

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, ‘These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.’ And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.

Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts…

Tell me, ‘have you always served customers like this?’

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. ‘No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It . Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.”

That hit me right between the eyes,’ said Wally. ‘Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly,and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.’

‘I take it that has paid off for you,’ Harvey said.

‘It sure has,’ Wally replied. ‘My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.’

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I’ve probably told that story to more than fifty
cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us?

Smile, and the whole world smiles with you… The ball is in our hands!

A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do
not give up… let us do good to all people.

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans!

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Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
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Harry Truman by Matthew Algeo

Harry Truman: Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation’s history as any of the other 32 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri. His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an ‘allowance’ and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year..

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, “You don’t want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it’s not for sale.”

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, “I don’t consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise.”

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices.

Good old Harry Truman observed, “My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference!

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This is not posted for discussion. If you agree, forward the link . If you don’t, delete it. I don’t want to know one way or the other. By me posting it, you know how I feel.

Steve Pohlit

Re: New York Times: U.S. Racing Toward Debt ‘Shock’

The reason this headline is so important is because while many companies and entrepreneurs will continue to do well in this country, what is possible to accomplish is being extinguished by our government and what is being achieved has a high probability of being extinguished by the burden of debt.

For a long time I would look at our politicians and the general trends and conclude that is not an arena that I appreciate and it is somebody else’s life. Now I look in the mirror. I and all the voting citizens in this country are responsible. That is right. As a nation, we voted for people who look to the latest trend of what is popular so they are re-elected. We voted for a president who campaigned on being critical of the debt of the prior administration and then came in and drove that debt into the stratosphere. Obama should be fired now for that fact alone among others. Just for the record, there are a lot of people who should be fired and leave with him. Nothing personal …this is business.

Have we ever voted for a person who stands for the principles of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution? Actually I am not aware of anyone winning on that platform. I am aware of people running on that platform. We didn’t like that idea because that platform holds us as individuals accountable for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not say, I am from the government and will solve your problems. That formula clearly does not work.

This is a business blog with my focus being to offer sound guidance on helping companies and entrepreneurs move their businesses forward in profit at accelerating rates of profitability. Notice I said at accelerating rates of profitability, not accelerating debt like our government is doing.

So Why The Political Platform?

This is not a political platform. It is a business platform on the topic that our policies are going to drain America unless we take action. The action I recommend is based on business principles as I am not a politician at all. If the US Government were a consulting client this is how I would approach it:

1. Clear definition of purpose: I feel there is a clear definition of purpose for our government and we the people have allowed people in office to ignore it. So let’ s use our foundation principles as the evaluation point and if our elected officials have not demonstrated compliance, we fire them.

2. Who replaces the masses that are fired? People with experience running large organizations and know what it means to be accountable for compliance with the charter of why you are formed. Who are these people? There is no shortage, there just is not a system in place to elevate them including a fair compensation system. Get past the “you have to have been an angel all your life standard and we are only going to pay you $400,000 a year for being President. I would vote for paying the right leadership $100 million dollars a year and link that to performance standards with base pay of $25 million. Now you have the attention of some talent.

3. Key Tenant: basic economic and universal laws.

4. Tough stuff: the one way for this to be accomplished is to recognize the difficulty people have with change and then have leadership in place prepared to deal with the constituencies that say these changes are unacceptable. These opposition groups should be in the minority if the leadership and related communication is in place.

Who Am I To Speak?

I am an American and I have my share of successes and failures. As a human, I have made good choices and some I would do differently. Do I have all the answers? No but I do know this…I support the founding principles of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness and our government does not. I am tired of that and I am speaking out .. and you?

Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
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More

There is going to be more from me on this and I hope a lot of others as well. For now here is the article that resulted in my conclusion I have had enough.

New York Times: U.S. Racing Toward Debt ‘Shock’

Monday, November 23, 2009 1:51 PM

Article Font Size

A page one, top-of-the-fold New York Times report Monday warns that U.S. debt is rising so fast that the federal government is careening toward a “payment shock” in the not-too-distant future.

The Times lead headline read: “Federal Government Faces Balloon in Debt Payments: At $700 Billion a Year, Cost Will Top Budgets for 2 Wars, Education, Energy.”

The Times headline appears eerie just as the Senate moves to push forward on a radical healthcare reform — with CBO estimates for a final bill costing nearly $1 trillion dollars over the next year.

The national debt now stands at over $12 trillion and the White House estimates that the cost of servicing the debt will rise to more than $700 billion a year in 2019, up from $202 billion this year. The Times suggests that $700 billion annual payment cost may be conservative.

The additional $500 billion a year in interest payments would surpass the combined budgets this year for education, energy, homeland security, plus the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Times observes.

Treasury officials face not only huge new debts incurred in response to the economic meltdown but a balloon of short-term borrowings coming due in the months ahead, and interest rates that are certain to return to normal levels when the Federal Reserve concludes that the fiscal emergency has passed.

“Even as Treasury officials are racing to lock in today’s low rates by exchanging short-term borrowings for long-term bonds, the government faces a payment shock similar to those that sent legions of overstretched homeowners into default on their mortgages,” The Times reported on Monday.

Interestingly, the alarming Times analysis comes as the nation is in the midst of a debate over healthcare reform proposals that could add many billions of dollars to the overall debt.

Record deficits have arrived just as payments for Medicare and Social Security benefits are set to explode, with the oldest Baby Boomers approaching age 65. This will result in what experts have long warned will be a “fiscal nightmare” for the government, the Times article notes.

“What a good country or a good squirrel should be doing is stashing away nuts for the winter,” William H. Gross, managing director of the Pimco, a bond management firm, told The Times.

“The United States is not only not saving nuts, it’s eating the ones left over from the last winter.”

As for the balloon of short-term borrowings coming due, that debt now accounts for 36 percent of overall debt, compared to the historic average of less than 25 percent, and more than $1.6 trillion is due by March 31.

Another problem: The Federal Reserve’s purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities to prop up the economy pushed down long-term interest rates by about half of a percentage point, but the Fed is set to reverse those policies — that alone could add $40 billion to the government’s annual debt service expense.

The Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee, a group of market experts that advises the Treasury on debt management, declared this month: “Inflation, higher interest rate and rollover risk should be the primary concerns. Clever debt management strategy can’t completely substitute for prudent fiscal policy.”

And The Times warns: “There is little doubt that the United States’ long-term budget crisis is becoming too big to postpone.”

Profits Are Proof of Concept

Proof of Concept

The phrase Proof of Concept is one I learned from my friend Russell Brumfield, a successful business builder and entrepreneur. Proof of Concept means the business model is viable. Viable means it is making or will be making a profit.

If you are not making a profit you are not in business. Does this mean that any business idea that is not instantly profitable is not viable? No it does not. Twitter is not profitable. Twitter has attracted over $100 million in investment funding. Does this mean Twitter is viable as a business? No it does not mean that either. Ultimately Twitter must be profitable or all the interest and investment funding dries up. That is true for any “for profit business”.

Note: People interested in paying you money for what you are offering is key and having enough people pay you so you are able to make a profit is Proof of Concept. You don’t have to have a business model of a Google or a Twitter. You have to have a business where your revenue exceeds your costs. Once you are in profit then you can focus on strategies that will help you further increase the profit percentage for your business. Increasing the percentage of profit being earned by your business is part of the scope of what is covered in the Build Profits Group on Facebook.

Video Version

Now if this all seems obvious I can assure you I have consulted with some very large companies that no longer had Proof of Concept. They once may have profitable, but part of my work was to help them regain their viability as a business. Key point: you may be profitable today but there are no guarantees you will be profitable tomorrow. Managing change is key.

If you are in business, take a hard look as to whether you have proof of concept. If you do not now, you need to have that soon. I have not kept track of the number of ideas that seemed great but failed. Does failure mean the idea was not a good one? It does not. It may mean the timing was not right, a rapid change in the competitive landscape or decisions by owners that were not good for the business.

If you are thinking about getting into business be sure there sufficient evidence as to proof of concept. This applies to starting a company, buying a business, joining a network marketing company, it also applies to considering a job with a company. I encourage you to be particularly careful with new start-ups. As this is written there is a major buzz surrounding a business opportunity backed by several well known celebrities. This could be great and maybe not. If it is great, there will be Proof of Concept and there will be plenty of time to become involved and make money.

Finally on this topic it does not matter what other people are experiencing with a business, Proof of Concept applies to you and your experience. In the next article, we will review the primary key success factors for most business that evidence Proof of Concept.

Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

727-587-7871
Email

How To Use Visualization and The Law of Attraction To Build Business Profits

What does visualization and The Law of Attraction have to do with
Building Business Profits which is the focus of my business consulting
practice.? Visualization of results.

I became aware of all this when I saw this interview of a guy from
Australia that shows the tool he and Frank and many others use
including myself now. You really do have to see this:

Visulization of Success With Mind Movies

You see, he figured out this powerful way to tap into the
Law of Attraction that practically guarantees
you’ll get whatever you want.

And the surprising thing about it is it is SUPER easy to do,
you can start doing it right now…and here’s the really cool
part…

*****************************
He’s GIVING it away! ForFREE
*****************************

He obviously understands abundance, because he’s
practicing it in a very big way here:

Visulization of Success With Mind Movies

So what is it about Aussies anyway? They seem to totally
have this figured out, especially when you consider that
the land down under is where we got…

***********************
The Secret
***********************

I’m sure you’ll agree that was life changing all by itself.

And now, this guy has added another dimension to the
Law of Attraction that ramps up how fast you can manifest
anything you want into your life.

************************************************
This makes the Universe say YES even faster!
************************************************

He even got marketing expert Frank Kern excited about it.
If you haven’t heard of Frank, well, he’s a marketing genius
who makes millions of dollars online. Everything he does
seems to turn to gold.

But he’s not exactly what you’d expect when it comes to using
The Law of Attraction to manifest your goals and desires.

You’ll hear his personal experience with this when you
watch the video:

Visulization of Success With Mind Movies

So, if even HE is doing this, what does that tell you about
how effective this is? Bad news for the naysayers who think
it isn’t for “regular” people, or the Law of Attraction is
some kind of mumbo jumbo.

Only thing is I’m not sure how long this will be available
at NoCost.

So if you’re really serious about increasing your power to
manifest anything you want into your life super fast,
you need to check this out right now:

Visulization of Success With Mind Movies

I’ve already started using this, and I strongly recommend
you do too.

All the best,

Steve

P.S. I’m extremely excited about this, because it could
literally transform your life. So be sure you share your story
with me when you start doing this, OK?

Connect with me on Facebook Click Here

About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies. Steve is business owner and an expert business consultant, direct response and social media marketing and social networking security expert . Steve is focused on helping companies improve their business performance. All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

Bill Bartmann Is The Billionaire Business Coach

BILL BARTMANN
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JUNE 29th at 8PM Eastern

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Win big in a down economy

Bill is the MASTER at creating wealth in a down economy (or any economical situation for that matter). He knows how to win big even when the economy is screaming you can’t. You may have seen Bill on the cover of Inc. Magazine as the “Billionaire Nobody Knows”, or watched him recently on major network TV. Bill’s in the news daily because his book, “Bailout Riches”, is creating a real stir. It’s about how you can benefit–directly and fast–from the government bailout.

Click Here To Register This FREE Teleseminar.

Note: Bill’s new book offers great insight on how our financial system is operating today. I purposely avoided using the word working. Part of what Bill has taught me was used in writing the article Financial Crisis, Turnaround Consulting which is in direct response to a person experiencing a financial crisis.

Bill Bartmann is the “Billionaire Business Coach”. He is the only self-made billionaire who has devoted his life exclusively to teaching others. Bill is the leading authority on entrepreneurship in America. He has created seven successful businesses in seven different industries. Including a $3.5 billion, 3900 employee international company that he started from his kitchen table with a $13,000 loan. He has been named National Entrepreneur Of the Year by NASDAQ, USA Today, Merrill Lynch and the Kauffman Foundation. His companies have been named by Inc. Magazine as one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies In America – four years in a row. He has been awarded a permanent place in the Smithsonian Institutes Museum of American History and awarded the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award as one of the Outstanding Achievers of the 21st Century.

Millions of people have seen Bill on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX News, CNN and CNBC. Bill’s expertise has been featured on Sheppard Smith, Neil Cavuto and Donny Deutsch. He has been profiled in Forbes, Fortune, Inc., Bloomberg, Business Week, New Yorker, People, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report and USA Today.

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Did you know that Bill issues a FREE newsletter frequently and conducts on line training through his Billionaire University? Want to know more about Bill Bartman and see him on video explaining more about his background and keys to success? If you don’t know his story, this is well worth a few minutes of your time.

Visit Bill Bartman’s Billionaire University …Just Click Here.

Steve
http://stevereports.com

BTW my social network is now large. If you have a product or service you would like to market, you are welcome to contact me.

Help Others by Adding To This Article Using The Comment Section

Sharing with all my readers the energy of peace, happiness and abundance

Steve Pohlit, Expert Business Consulting

IR Consulting, Inc.

Email Me, Steve Pohlit to schedule A No Obligation Consultation On Building Your Business Profits.Need more customers? Let’s discuss how to use cutting edge Social Media Marketing in the revenue building cycle of your business to drive your profits sky high. If your company is not growing revenue and profits, if your company is not cash flow positive Click Here for more information about Turnaround Consulting Services for Business In Crisis

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Join My Fan Page on Facebook Click Here

FREE Report:
How To Increase Business Profits by 30% or More in 90 Days or Less

Your Level of Business Success Is Directly Linked To One Thing

When asked: what is the number one key success factor for business success? The responses often are:

A hungrey market with money
Cash
An effective business plan
Management control system
Experienced leadership
etc.

There are many factors that contribute to a thriving business over time. I have led business consulting clients through all the primary steps necessary to operate a successful business. Even after sometimes many months of work with very clear guidance, I have observed intelligent, experienced business people miss the profit mark and in some cases destroy what should be a successful business.

Personally, I have experienced successes and failures. Successes were not always sustained and failures were swift. In evaluating my own experiences and those of many other companies where I have had direct contact as an auditor with Arthur Andersen, CFO of several very large companies, business consultant to companies ranging from small to large or as an entrepreneur, I discovered the key.

This key is present in every success story and absent in most failures. This key is the part of the reason for the idea of Manifest Mastermind . Together with my business partner Manifest Mastermind was launched a week ago. The first step we guide members to completing in the Manifest Mastermind process is having a clear definintion of what you want. I know a lot of life coaches and consultants start with that. Keep reading.

Most people when asked what they want start with a list that includes, more money, a new car, better home, financial freedom, improved relationships, vibrant health and so on. But when challenged as to why they want the things they describe, the list sometimes changes. On the topic of money, business people think in terms of revenue and profit milestones. I have started nearly every consulting engagement with establishing a clear definition of the revenue and profit goals for the next year. But there is more to it.

While I am certainly not ignoring monetary and other metrics, I have expanded my focus on what it is the business leadership really wants. Here is the key that I feel is most important:

Are you in alignment with the purpose of your business?

If your goal is money, you may realize your goal and not be happy. So what is the point of the money? Or maybe your goal is money but the demands weakens your health. So what’s the point of the money? It is very clear that money, relationships and health are all interrelated. If one is out of balance the other suffers. Alignment is the key.

Do you know anyone who really does not like their job? They are making money but how is their life and what effect does this have on their health and those around them? What effect does this have on their spouse, partner, children?

Do you know anyone who is not making money and struggling financially? That is a tough situation and most people in that situation have a single minded purpose which is to make money without regard to how happy they will be when the money is flowing. If they pursue just the money then often end up in the same pattern.

If you are in a less than successful pattern, it is wise to move out of that pattern. It starts with awareness, definition of purpose and associating with like minded people and masterminding for goal achievement. That is what I have found to be true for me and others joining the Manifest Mastermind process.

You are invited to our free course and most welcome. Click Here

Sharing with all my readers the energy of peace, happiness and abundance

Steve Pohlit,
The Profit Expert
www.StevePohlit.com

Network with me on Facebook: LinkedIn: Follow me on Twitter

Steve is the President of International Business Consulting Resources. His firm specializes in guiding companies to rapid increases in revenue and profits with a sustainable growth rate. Don’t miss my FREE Report: How To Make More Money With Your Business Now and Long Term I am building my practice and welcome new client inquiries. Call me for a fee consultation at 727-587-7871

This report may be freely distributed without restrictions with the original content including this resource box remaining unchanged. Author: Steve Pohlit, Business Consulting Services, Executive Coaching, please visit www.stevepohlit.com

PS. My doors are open for new clients and referrals are well compensated.