Company Of One With Dale Callahan

Don't live last year over again! Last year may have been wonderful, a dismal failure, or just a minor disappointment. Either way, you do not want to experience the same thing again. You want to grow. You want new challenges and new successes. So, before you jump into planning for next year, a good process is to look back to last year and ask yourself some key questions. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/FtCarsonPAO [/featured-image] First I will share some of my favorite tools, then I will jump right into the key questions you need to ask (and answer) to help you plan for a powerful year.  Then at the end I will address two listener questions.Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Works for Me: Tools and Tips for Productivity and ProfitMy current home office has a large 10 x 5 workout mirror on the wall. Because of the mirror and doors and windows I have little room for a whiteboard. So I decided to try a mirror

Wonder what it looks like when a business fails? After all, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the failure rate of small businesses is well over 50% within the first five years. I personally disagree with that failure rate, but that is a blog post for another day. Today, I want to help you take a look at one of those failures that I personally can take credit for helping push over the edge.  Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show. But, perhaps more importantly, I want to share with you some of the common mistakes I made and some tips about how you can avoid these same mistakes in your ventures. What's Up with MeI am about to close the 2013 year of speaking engagements. So far in 2013 I have logged over 17 official speaking engagements not including my normal teaching and volunteer teaching. I will end it this year in one of my favorite cities, Nashville. I will be speaking to the Nashville Project Mana

Are you planning for next year? Usually at the start of a new year, I get overwhelmed. It is then when I start to do planning and think about the year ahead. Would it not have been better to start early? So this year I am doing my annual planning in December - and I invite you to join me. But before we start planning, we need to take five steps to prepare to plan. In this podcast I cover five basic steps you can take to help you be successful in planning for next year. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/JasonParis  [/featured-image] Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Thought for the WeekFirst, before we get to planning, I want to share a thought related to planning.For those of us who are Christian's, are we supposed to be content where we work even if we hate it or find it meaningless? Are we called to minister there even though we feel called elsewhere? I quickly explore this question on the podcast. But to

While I was at Platform in Dallas, I got a chance to sit down and talk with Cliff Ravenscraft who is otherwise known as "The Podcast Answer Man." If you are familiar with Cliff and have heard his story, you will get to hear more in depth his path to finding his passion and some of those challenges he faced. If you do not know Cliff, you really need to listen. His message is loaded with power. You will question your path and your passions and hobbies. You will wonder if you too could say "I do whatever I want every day of the week." Photo courtesy of Cliff Ravenscraft [/featured-image] Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Interview with Cliff Ravenscraft - Passion to ProfitsI went into the interview with Cliff with these questions in mind:What do you do for a living?How did you get started?When you started, did you ever think you would make as much money as you did in insurance?You found your passion, bu

Today I bring you an interview with someone who has experience breaking out of corporate life and starting his own business. I have been absent a few weeks. I took a blogging sabbatical. Have you ever tried that - a sabbatical from the normal? I suspect some of my reasons are like the reasons many of us take a break: to get clarity. My search for clarity led me to a very valuable conversation with Marcin Kwiecinski of Poland. Marcin really helped me get to the bottom of some key issues. But, during our conversation, I realized Marcin might have something to say to you also. Photo courtesy of Marcin Kwiecinski [/featured-image]Marcin has taken a leap, and left the corporate world. While he is not in the United States, much of his path outside the big company to his own business is not unlike what we would experience here in the states. So today, I bring you insights in breaking free from across the sea. Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get acc

I have recently been convicted that small business ownership is not for just a few; it is for all. In this podcast, I want to share with you some of the reasons why you need to start your own business now.I am consistently meeting people who struggle with finding employment. They are smart and energetic, but for some reason, they cannot seem to find a job. Some have legitimate reasons such as disabilities, age, or family situations which limit their options. When I meet them in person, these individuals are often down and out. All appearances suggest they are ready to give up. Many people have broken down in tears while discussing their situation and the economic impact on their families. As I have met with these people, I have become convicted of one key point.Click to Tweet: Everyone should earn an additional 25% of their take-home pay in a small business.Why? The answer is in the podcast!Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this s

What will you be doing in five years? Ten years? What will you have achieved? It is up to you to create a vision for your future. Unfortunately, most people have no vision for their future. So, here I will show you how to write one. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/C.P.Storm [/featured-image]Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.The Future NewsThe other day I was in a meeting with our dean of engineering. He showed me the powerpoint slide he was going to share with the faculty displaying his vision for the School of Engineering. It was a newspaper article dated October 4, 2028 (15 years in the future). He had taken the web link from the newspaper and used it as a template, changing the title and the text of the article to spell out his vision of what would be written about the School of Engineering fifteen years in the future.  The article was written as if it had already happened and was being reported on in the n

Networking within your company may sound like a job for boring suck-ups. And, if you do it wrong, it is boring and makes you appear slimy. But if done right, you get significant benefits and rewards.

What if your value at work was measured in dollars? What if someone took how much value you added to the company and subtracted it from how much you cost in salary and benefits? Someone is. But, do you know what the numbers are? Do you know your value?In this podcast I will show you how to find a real number so you can actually calculate your value. Just think how powerful it would be to show someone on paper that you add a substantial financial value to your employer! Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/qthomasbower [/featured-image]Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Finding Your Value at WorkThe steps to this are pretty easy to imagine, but doing it is a lot harder. So we will start with the easy stuff and move up.Understand the Goal: First, get a clear picture of what you are trying to calculate. If you are operating as a Company of One (a service provider to your employer), then you need to be able to show valu

Do you want to start your own business and live as an entrepreneur? Are you afraid you do not know the ropes enough to get started? Or would you just rather get a job in a startup company so you can be more where the action is and feel less like a cog-in-the-wheel? Startup companies are loaded with opportunity, but you have to know how to find the opportunity and how to present yourself as someone who can deliver. Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com [/featured-image]Finding a job at a startup is not like finding any old job. It is a search that will take you to places most people never see. Looking for an adventure?Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Steps to Finding an OpportunityMany startups will tell you they are not hiring, but that is a lie. Startups are hungry to hire, even if they do not know it! On the podcast I share some ways you can find a job in a startup company.Outline of the PodcastWhy work for a startup

This week I have Sally Murray as a guest. Sally is one of those rare people who found her calling early, so now she can truly say "I love my job". She is owner of the Egoscue Clinic in Atlanta. I have been a client of Sally's for about 18 months, and have found her to be someone who fell in love with what she was doing so much so that she bought into the company as a franchise owner. I wanted you to not only hear another example of someone who loves their work, but also some of the modern models of healthcare that you find in the Egoscue Method. Photo courtesy of Sally Murray - Egoscue [/featured-image]Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.EgoscueBefore we got into the interview, I asked Sally to talk a bit about Egoscue and what they do. You can find more information at the Egoscue WebsiteMost people who seek help from Egoscue suffer fromarthritis,migraine or other headaches,backaches,or other issues and hav

Weekly I am approached with new ideas for businesses. Ideas are easy, but few find true opportunity. Determining the difference between an idea and an opportunity is a critical first step in the evaluation of a business's potential. Let me show you how I perform an opportunity analysis. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/Craig Sunter [/featured-image] Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Ideas vs OpportunitiesAn idea is a groundless supposition, while an opportunity has potential to allow you to meet a goal. The opportunity analysis is the process of determining if an idea is in fact an opportunity. The world of venture capital would call this doing your due diligence. I just call it doing your homework.First - get clear on the basics What will you do? Be clear and concise!Who is the customer? Think of a list. How big?What is the pain that you are relieving? The pain helps you identify your value proposition.Wh

When I went to college and started work, I learned about one lifestyle. It was confirmable and predictable. But it also was not for me. Since then I have found three very different lifestyles being lived out before me. Each one offers its own measure of success and satisfaction. However, it seems most people are stuck in one lifestyle not knowing there are two other options. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/glennwilliamspdx [/featured-image] Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Recently in a class on entrepreneurship, I asked each person to define which lifestyle they wanted to live. Here are the three options as I see them.Three LifestylesJob - This is the person who loves their work and really does not want anything else. They enjoy working for others and solving the problems in their industry. They make enough money for they needs. Their goal is to grow at work by either a) moving up the ladder, b) becoming a b

This week we complete the three part series on personal branding. In the first two we dealt with first impressions and actions.Episode 022 - Personal Branding from First Impressions  - Controlling that critical first impressionEpisode 023 - Personal Branding from Your ActionsToday in this last of the series, we look at leadership. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/geodesic [/featured-image]While you may or may not care about being a leader, I highly encourage you to look for leadership opportunities. Not from a selfish power-hungry position, but as a servant. Today we have a huge leadership vacuum. We need you to lead!Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Branding yourself as a LeaderIn this episode I want to share with you seven actions that impact your brand as a leader. Here are the basic ideas, but the details can be heard on the audio.Communicate with power -- There is a No Whining rule for anyone working on th

Last week I started a three part series on personal branding with the subject of first impressions. Today we consider how your actions define your brand. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Creative Commons/flickrfavorites [/featured-image] Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.Seven Personal Branding ActionsIn this episode I want to share with you seven actions that impact your brand. Details are found on the podcast audio.Care - Do you care about others? This is your ultimate mission.Mission - Do you know the mission and vision of your organization? Not just the stated mission printed on company literature, but the real mission the leaders live.Mission fit - How do you fit into the mission of your organization?Define your customers - Do you know them? For details on how to do this, see Company of One Overview.Seek input - Go ask your customers how you are doing. See Company of One Overview for details.Be direct - When you have an is

When I teach about being a Company of One, people always want to know how to they can better market themselves on the job. They do their jobs well, but they are never sure about how to control their personal branding. Photo courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons [/featured-image] You, like most, probably suffer from the ability to market what you do on a daily basis. And, you also most likely suffer from common marketing message mistakes.Click to Listen*NOTE: If you are reading this in email, you will need to go to Itunes or my blog to get access to this show.In this episode I will begin a three part series on developing your personal brand on the job.Episode 022 - Personal Branding from First Impressions  - Controlling that critical first impressionEpisode 023 - Personal Branding from Your ActionsEpisode 024 - Personal Branding: Showing them you are a leaderToday we start with Episode 22 and six steps to a better first impression.Appearance - By appearance I mean how you look. This is not dress, but perhap

Have you ever considered a PhD? Recently I have found myself answering a lot of questions from those considering how they too can put "doctor" in their title. Photo courtesy of Flickr.com/Creative Commons[/featured-image]I tell people the magic to getting the PhD is to understand and master the process.Click to ListenIn this episode I share with you the basics of getting the PhD.Reasons to consider a PhDThe outline of the typical PhD processThe truths of the PhD processA method to complete the PhD in record timeThe PhD can really be done without giving up your life, when you learn how to play the game.PhD Process Key IngredientIn your very first term as a graduate student, do the following:Define your topicDo your literature reviewWrite the first paper of background material and submit to a peer-reviewed conferenceWrite the proposalForm the committeeWant to learn more about the PhD?Sign up here to get a FREE copy of my article on The PhD Process! This article tells you the true steps you need to ta

Did you know you are a teacher? Think about how many people you help day-to-day by giving advice, showing them how you do something, or just keeping them up to date with the latest political or Hollywood gossip. Either way you look at it, you are teaching and informing. What you teach is the only question. Did you know what you teach can be tremendously valuable? Read on.  [/featured-image]Click to listenDaily I encounter someone who is doing what they love. A recent example is Kelly Creel. She left the corporate world to start helping people in fitness. Her job was stressful and she found her workouts were the only way to keep her sanity. Now she spends her days helping others do the same. She could have assumed that everyone knew how to work out and get fit. Kelly could have stayed on the sidelines and refused to help others. But, she offered to help and now has a life doing what she loves.What Could You Teach?I can guarantee you that you have a unique knowledge or skill that others will pay to learn. You

Can you find your dream job without quitting your current job? In today's podcast we interview someone who proves it can happen. Paul McGuire, an IEM alumni, tells how he moved from a very technical position to become a corporate trainer leading others. Click to listenIf you are in a company and do not want to go it alone but still want to be living your dream, listen to Paul and learn: - How he found his niche.- How he started doing what he loved and it morphed into a new job.- How he took some entrepreneurial activity and turned it inward to get noticed by his company.- How he learned to operate in a very visible role as an introvert.If you ask those who know Paul, they will tell you Paul has literally done a major transformation on his life in the past few years. He still works for the same company. He still works in the same building. But he has moved from the world of a techie to the world of a leader.[reminder]If you could make an internal move in your company and be doing what you love, where wou

This is the rest of the story. A few weeks ago I posted about how Brian Rabon had chased and found his dream job and lifestyle in my post "Thank You for Changing my Life" Click to listenBrian and I caught up (over Skype -- with some tech details) to do a quick chat about the rest of his story. In this interview you will hear...- Why he says "Don't die in your cube."- How Brian awakened to his need to break away.- How what he thought was his goal turned out to be a nightmare.- How frustration came before he finally "got it" and made it happen.- How he used the tools of IEM and the "How to Find Your Calling" (see below) exercise to make it happen.- Why Brian believes the idea of  "work-life balance" is a joke.- Why his hobby of snow skiing caused him great depression while he worked in the cube.- How he went from 3 days to 50+ days per year on the ski slopes.Overall this is a great interview with a great friend. Brian's words are nothing short of insp