Was there a buzz at last Friday’s BBC meeting? Oh yes. I could feel it as I walked around the room. Six groups of BBC members took their first shot at the “Your Own Personal Board of Director’s” exercise and the energy in the room was contagious. Way to go BBC!

This week we are going to continue the exercise only this time each “board” member will bring their own issue to the table. What strategy or idea have you been struggling with? What can you do better to generate business in these tough times? What do others in your entrepreneurial situation think?

While you ponder that, I found this article about “Type of Entrepreneurs” that was kind of interesting.

Why this is so important to the mission of the BBC – specifically your chosen “Board of Directors” is that it takes a good combination of these personality types to build a successful strategy. See if you can find yourself in these descriptions, and then see if you can spot them with the people that you have in your group:

The Nine Personality Types of Entrepreneurs By Darrell Zahorsky, About.com Guide

1. The Improver: If you operate your business predominately in the improver mode, you are focused on using your company as a means to improve the world. Your overarching motto is: morally correct companies will be rewarded working on a noble cause. Improvers have an unwavering ability to run their business with high integrity and ethics.Personality Alert: Be aware of your tendency to be a perfectionist and over-critical of employees and customers.Entrepreneur example: Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop.
2. The Advisor: This business personality type will provide an extremely high level of assistance and advice to customers. The advisor’s motto is: the customer is right and we must do everything to please them. Companies built by advisors become customer focused.Personality Alert: Advisors can become totally focused on the needs of their business and customers that they may ignore their own needs and ultimately burn out.Entrepreneur example: John W. Nordstrom, Founder Nordstrom.
3. The Superstar: Here the business is centered around the charisma and high energy of the Superstar CEO. This personality often will cause you to build your business around your own personal brand.Personality Alert: Can be too competitive and workaholics. Entrepreneur example: Donald Trump, CEO of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts.
4. The Artist: This business personality is the reserved but highly creative type. Often found in businesses demanding creativity such as web design and ad agencies. As an artist type you’ll tend to build your business around the unique talents and creativities you have. Personality Alert: You may be overly sensitive to your customer’s responses even if the feedback is constructive. Let go the negative self-image. Entrepreneur example: Scott Adams, Creator of Dilbert.
5. The Visionary: A business built by a Visionary will often be based on the future vision and thoughts of the founder. You will have a high degree of curiosity to understand the world around you and will set-up plans to avoid the landmines. Personality Alert: Visionaries can be too focused on the dream with little focus on reality. Action must proceed vision. Entrepreneurial example: Bill Gates, Founder of MicroSoft Inc.
6. The Analyst: If you run a business as an Analyst, your company is focus on fixing problems in a systematic way. Often the basis for science, engineering or computer firms, Analyst companies excel at problem solving. Personality Alert: Be aware of analysis paralysis. Work on trusting others. Entrepreneurial example: Intel Founder, Gordon Moore.
7. The Fireball: A business owned and operated by a Fireball is full of life, energy and optimism. Your company is life-energizing and makes customers feel the company has a get it done attitude in a fun playful manner. Personality Alert: You may over commit your teams and act to impulsively. Balance your impulsiveness with business planning. Entrepreneurial example: Malcolm Forbes, Publisher, Forbes Magazine.
8. The Hero: You have an incredible will and ability to lead the world and your business through any challenge. You are the essence of entrepreneurship and can assemble great companies. Personality Alert: Over promising and using force full tactics to get your way will not work long term. To be successful, trust your leadership skills to help others find their way. Entrepreneurial example: Jack Welch, CEO GE.
9. The Healer: If you are a Healer, you provide nurturing and harmony to your business. You have an uncanny ability to survive and persist with an inner calm. Personality Alert: Because of your caring, healing attitude toward your business, you may avoid outside realities and use wishful thinking. Use scenario planning to prepare for turmoil. Entrepreneurial example: Ben Cohen, Co-Founder Of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Each business personality type can succeed in the business environment if you stay true to your character. Knowing firmly what your strong traits are can act as a compass for your small business. If you are building a team, this insight is invaluable. For the solo business owners, understand that you may need outside help to balance your business personality.

I have a couple of speakers negotiating for time on our schedule so keep your eye on the website. Subjects: Personal Leadership Strategies, and “Sales and the Telephone”…is it for your business?

Don’t miss your cup of BBC!

Tim Longley

BBC Chair

Well my busy life finally took me away from my favorite weekly activity last week, but it sounds like the loyal BBC following has again met the task of “a new way to connect” dead on (so I am told). Therefore, it would be most helpful to have an open discussion about: what we want to have happen this year; who we want to have as guest speakers;  and what activities we have liked – and disliked. One of those topics should be: “So – ya got yourself into this mess – how do you get yourself out?” Oh well…such a burden to bear in a tough economy.

A new activity I am going to start up actually came from the original founders of the BBC. I called it “Your Personal Board of Directors.” It was a focus group for the members; we were all to be each one’s “own personal (business) advisors.” The rub was, everyone in the group got to be the CEO!

The way we utilized this tool was that we would take turns going around the table expressing an idea, a marketing concept, or even our 90-second elevator speech. Whatever you needed to have a sounding board on, the members of the group would take their turns providing you honest (and positive) feedback. It was often tough to take but so powerful when your ideas had more than just you on the review team.

The concept worked well with about 5 people – but 25 . . . hmmm.  So I am going to propose that we break up into 3 or 4 small groups. What will be fun about this is that you can choose to be a guest (or even ask to join) in other groups. You will want to find a group that works well with your personality. More on this tomorrow.

SO – (writer extraordinaire, KD Kragen would tell me not to start a sentence with the word SO)  back to tomorrow’s agenda of open discussion topics:

STRATEGIES & GOALS FOR A NEW BBC YEAR!

QUESTIONS:

• Who are some of the people we’d like to see address the BBC?
• What are some of the topics we’d like to discuss together?
• What are some goals we’d like to achieve here at the BBC – besides enjoying good friends, great breakfasts, and fine coffee/tea?
• How can we better serve one another?

Suggested GUEST SPEAKERS: (I think ole Dave is pulling my leg…ya think?)

• President Obama
• Tina Turner
• Elvis Prestly
• Dan Weedin
• James Zindell
• Shannon Evens

Suggested TOPICS & ACTIVITIES:

• Killer Marketing or Aikido/Qigong Marketing (how to be centered without losing your drive to succeed)
• Update: InternetSM (Social Marketing/Networking, not Sadomasochism) Revisited
• Developing your BBC-Bio page for the BBC website: https://www.bainbridgebusinessconnection.com/

OTHER GOALS & IDEAS FOR BBC  2010:

• Your ideas here!

Bring your ideas and a new friend, and get ready for another fun (and usually rowdy) session.

Don’t miss your morning cup of BBC!

Tim Longley
BBC Chair

Tim Longley (yours truly) will be discussing the BBC’s new Members Page Function.

We will talk about the layout and design with some of our expert designers in the audience.  Get your companies information on the BBC web page.

Don’t miss your cup of BBC!

Writing can be fun? What? Sounds like work to me.  But Dave Kragen of KaveDragen Ink LLC , being a published author and business writer,  must know something. He puts out a good deal of the printed word and he seems to like it.

And why in the heck would anyone want to read what I have to say anyway? What should I write about? Who is my audience? What’s in it for me? Tough questions but the fact is that the best marketing for your business is your ability to communicate it to your customers in a functional and creative way.

So, come on down to the Blue Ocean Cafe Friday, December 4, 2009, to hear what our staff writer Dave has to say. We will also have time for a lively discussion about a business problem!

Don’t miss out – see you at 8:00 AM for that first cup of BBC!

Just a reminder that there is no BBC Meeting this Friday (Nov 28, 2009) due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Great time to be with our families!

Now, on another note: Fellow BBC Member David Beck and one of the owners of the Blue Ocean Cafe’ stated last week that the regular BBC Meeting Times are back to normal. The Blue Ocean Cafe’ loves having us at their establishment. We want to make every effort to welcome those that show up for breakfast that don’t know if they can join our rowdy group.

So, we will see you at our normal hours on Friday, December 4, 2009. Bring a new friend.  Our agenda is below in case you are new to our group.

See you for that cup of BBC in December!

Dan Weedin

Whether it’s a sales presentation, employee meeting, fundraiser, or talking to your kids, your ability to effectively communicate will determine how often you win or lose those situations.

This Friday, you will walk away with three specific strategies to improve your confidence, enhance your skills, and take your presentations to a more dynamic level.

Dan Weedin is an award-winning speaker and presentation trainer.  He trains business professionals on how to become more dynamic and influential presenters.  He understands that your audience, regardless of the size, can be very skeptical, so you have to promote your message with power and enthusiasm.

This Friday, November 13, 2009 my friend and colleague Dan Weedin will take center stage at the BBC Breakfast meeting. Dan has helped so many businesses get on track with not only their insurance needs but speaking and life skills as well.

Dan puts on an energetic 45 Minute presentation that engages and challenges you to become more effective business owners. This is a “must attend” event.    Don’t miss this “Special” cup of BBC!

Friday’s speakers — sharing the spotlight — are Carolyn Olberg (Financial Advisor) and Dave Kragen (Writer Extraordinaire). While considering what I was going to say about our two speakers this Friday, I was reminded why we started this group of local businesses “Connecting in a New Way” in the first place.

I met Carolyn Olberg while joining, attending and eventually leading another Networking Group that met on the island on Tuesday mornings. To make a long story short, the group of entrepreneurs quickly became each others “board of directors” and through the groups energy and powerful idea generating sessions we hatched the idea for the “Bainbridge Business Connection” – originally called BISBER by Dave Kragen who drafted the first charter. Continue reading →