Here are the ten lessons discussed in the article.

1. Passion wins — There are many reasons for starting and growing a business.  But the zeal that comes with passion for what you really love doing can make the difference between a business that grows and one that stagnates.
2. Focus is required -  But passion without focus can lead you astray.  Focus doesn’t mean saying “yes” to the one thing that you consider most important.  Focus is saying no to the 100 other good ideas that you discover along the way.  You have to pick carefully.
3. Vision is required too – “Without vision, even the most focused passion is a battery without a device.”  Google’s vision to make “all the world’s information available and to first and foremost serve users” is what drove their stepping into uncharted territory and eventually led to their success.
4. A team culture is vital – Google has managed to establish a networked management model that functions from the bottom up as well as the top down.  A sense of proprietorship unleashes ideas and effort from employees that overwise would never see the light of day.
5. Treat engineers as kings – Those who produce for you are the most important people in your business.  I’ve heard gift company owners say they would be lost without that employee who ties the beautiful bows or creates the ideas. 
6. Treat customers like a king – This is a mistake that many businesses make.  Advertising produces 97% of Google’s revenue but the customers don’t realize it as they use Google’s service which are free and user friendly.  They feel that the only reason Google created those services is to make their lives better.  Google’s adage for employees is similar to Sam Walton’s:  “If you don’t listen to your customers, someone else will.”
7. Every company is a frenemy – Google operates under the principle that there are no permanent allies, only permanent interests.  The internet blurs the borders between companies creating allies and competition which is oftentimes difficult to tell apart.
8. Don’t ignore the human factor – The deeper you dig into a situation, the more complicated people become.  Many decisions are not made as a result of logic but of emotions based on experiences that you may have never dreamed of and will probably never know or understand.  All of us have had occasions when making decisions about our business future is not about business but about us and who we are.  Remember the same is true of our employees, customers, and even our competition.
9. There are no certitudes -  None of us have any guarantees that our business will be here tomorrow or even that we will be.  Google appears impregnable.  But so did AOL and IBM .  Our business models have to be constantly looked at and changed as needed based on current circumstances, economic factors, and our reason for existing.
10. Life is long but time is short -  These words belong to Eric Schmidt, who explained, “Life is long in the sense that we have long memories.  Time is short in that you have to move very quickly.  But to me the most important thing to know is that life has a way of working things out.  We forget so quickly what the problem was three or four years ago.  So my personal view of life is that every problem is an opportunity.”    Google has taken this to heart as they think and act boldly, take risks, and are not tied down by long memories.

Lessons can be learned from any business.   I’ve read lots of business books and taken lots of business classes.  I even teach a few.  But the most amazing insights that have affected my own business haven’t come from books, magazines, or classes.  Most actually come from people who really aren’t in my industry or sometimes they are not in business at all.

 What have you done to promote your business today?

Other valuable questions are: 

• What did you learn today?
• What new promotion did you hear about this week that you could adopt or adapt for your business?
• What technique did you read about that could make your business more efficient?
• What new website did you hear about that can help your business?

Rick Siegel, a master at retail selling, suggests creating an idea book.  This is something I have been doing for years but I have called it a swipe file.

You can use a file on your computer, buy a notebook just for the “idea file” purpose, or set up a folder in your filing system or even use all three methods.  Each and every time you read or hear something that you could use and adapt, add it to your “idea file”.

 I collect ads, from every kind of publication ranging from the daily newspaper, the Wall Street Journal and even AARP magazine, that trigger an ah-ha moment.  Looking through this file, ideas are generated for headlines, graphics, and even descriptions.  It’s like having more brains than my own working together to create effective marketing materials.

For example, an ad that I cut out of the Wall Street Journal several years ago was something about an investment company not being a cookie-cutter company.  I took the idea from my “swipe file” and created an ad with a graphic of a gingerbread man and the headline “Creative Gifts To Go is not a cookie-cutter gift business.”

Try an “idea file” for yourself.  I think you’ll be surprised at how helpful it can be

1. Never reject an idea because it is impossible.

2. Never reject an idea because you won’t get credit.

3. Never reject a possibility because you see something wrong with it.  Separate the problems from the possibilities.

4. Never reject an idea because it’s not your way of doing things.

5.  Never reject an idea because it will create conflict.  Attempt to do something great and fail rather than attempting to do nothing and succeed.

6.  Never reject a possibility because you don’t want to let go of your frustrations.

7.  Never reject a possibility because your mind is already made up.

8.  Never reject an idea because you don’t have the money, the manpower, muscle or time to achieve it.

9.  Never reject an idea because it is sure to succeed.

10.  Never reject a possibility because you’ve rejected all hope.

                                                                                                                      Written by Anonymous

So . . .Make a difference – don’t just make money.

What would you do with that last year?  What would you do differently?  Would you stop spinning your wheels, attending to all the little details, being a perfectionist, taking care of the mundane tasks that don’t make much difference?  Would you spend more time on your business?  Travel?  Your friends?  Your family?  Your personal and spiritual life?

Each of us would answer that question differently.  Each of us sees life through different eyes.  All of us are at different phases in our life.  Each of us has different values, different goals, and different dreams.  And most of us think that we have all the time in the world to accomplish those goals and dreams.  But it ain’t so!

I don’t claim to be a philosopher and I certainly don’t have all the answers.  But each day that is added to our lives adds additional knowledge and growth.  And as of today, I’ve had 24,028 days to accumulate the joys and pains of daily living.

So, since I can’t speculate on what you would do, I’ll talk a little bit about me.  For me, my life is my job.  And that life includes family, friends, my own goals and dreams.  At this stage in my life, I find myself asking “Is what I am doing making a difference?”

I’m at the point in my life where I can do just about anything that I want to do.  I have enough money to live comfortably.  I’ve raised my daughters and take time to enjoy my grandchildren.  My husband and I will soon be celebrating 49 years of a happy marriage.  So why would I spend my time building internet businesses, writing blogs, and sharing what I’ve learned about business in general and the gift basket business specifically?

Part of it, of course, is the competitive spirit and challenge of creating a successful business that is as much a part of true entrepreneurs as breathing is.  But even more is the drive to do something that matters as I conduct business in a humane and ethical way.  The approaches I use to achieve my goals are as important as achieving them.

Take this blog, for instance.  You see the ads in the right hand column.  They’ve been carefully selected to include only those opportunities that I have personally use and can recommend instead of all those opportunities that could perhaps make me lots more money.  This blog was not created to be a money-making blog.  It has other goals.

The older I get, the more I require the freedom to express my own feelings and to tell things as I see them.  I’ve seen the backside of the results of the need for paying advertisers — even in our own industry.  For example, when you attend conventions and tradeshows, the products you are going to see pushed in the classes are not necessarily those that the speaker would have recommended if given the freedom to do so.  They are the products supplied by the vendors.  And if a speaker knows something negative about a vendor or personally feels that they aren’t a good match for our industry, the freedom to say so isn’t there.

I remember attending a “Jubilee” a number of years ago.  All the speakers had this beautiful peacock printed cello that they used on their baskets.  Of course, it was available from one of the vendors.  And, impressed by the recommendation of the speakers that this was going to be the “hot” look for the season, I bought a roll.  That roll–and it’s almost a full roll– is still sitting in my bucket of cello.  Anybody want a roll of peacock-print cello?

Writing is one of the talents I’ve been given and I’ve learned the techniques to make it work well for me.  I’ve used that ability in the past to teach some of the knowledge I’ve accumulated in a column for one of our trade publications.  But the freedom to express my feelings about a paying advertiser wasn’t there.  As a result of overstepping that limitation, that column is no longer in the magazine.

So, this blog is the result.  I can say what I want without having my hands slapped.  I can be honest and express my opinions.  I am beholden to no advertiser.  Of course, there are still the limitations of not writing something that is untrue and can’t be proven.  But I wouldn’t do that anyway.  This blog allows me the opportunity to share what I have learned through the years and perhaps, as a result, help others create success.

The same is true of my website at www.giftretailersnetwork.com .  It allows me to provide information and the ability to communicate with each other for the members of my other website at www.giftbasketnetwork.com .  And, I am beholden to no advertiser.  The vendor members at the site don’t pay a dime for membership.  They have to contribute to the cause, however, by providing a discount to the members.  In exchange, they receive the ability to communicate with the gift basket companies through the private forum.  It’s a win-win situation and part of my way to give back to the industry.

This post is a lot longer than most — and more personal.  But, I’ve been asked:  “What is the reason for this blog? What do you hope to accomplish?”  And, I’ve felt the need to explain.

This blog is simply the answer to two questions:

• My life is my business.  What am I doing with it?
• Is what I am doing making a difference?

Back to the original question of  “What If? ”  I’ve talked about the business part of my life.  The rest of it is too personal to share in a blog.  But if I died tomorrow, I could tell myself, “I’ve accomplished my goals.  I’ve allowed the most important parts of my life–family, friends, faith, entrepreneurship–to influence each other and, hopefully, I’ve made a small difference in someone’s life along the way.”

If you can’t answer that question quickly, REID ON. . .

Networking, asking for referrals, and even setting up a discount or gift incentive program for referrals won’t work if you haven’t laid the groundwork.  Some ways to do this are:

• Make Others Look Good -  To accomplish this goal, you need to look at each individual, you deal with in any way,  as someone that you can help feel good about themselves and look good to others.  If you start thinking “what can I do for you” instead of “what can I sell to you”, it becomes a mindset and a habit.
• Build and Maintain Trust -  This doesn’t happen overnight and begins by keeping your promises.  If you say, you are going to do something, make sure you do it.  No one will make a referral to you if they don’t “trust” you to provide quality service and products.  Building trust takes time but it can take just a few minutes to lose it.
• Provide an Experience – Don’t be like everyone else.  We love to refer to businesses that realize that it’s not just about the product but about everything that makes that business unique — the marketing, the employees, how orders are processed, and everything else that creates the whole gift experience in one unique package.
• Provide Information -  I bet you don’t like being referred to a sales pitch.  Neither does anyone else.  But if you can provide information that will help the potential customer get what they want and need, you’ll get a whole lot more referrals.
• Go beyond the expected-   Add value to the price that the customer pays.  Make the customer feel that he is getting his money’s worth and more.   Exceeding expectations means that you have to know what is expected first.  Consider who your customers are and what they want from you and then surprise them by going beyond those expectations.  There may be times when you can’t even meet their expections.  Those times are when you need to say “no”.
• Create a Unique Business that People Talk About -  Word of mouth is important to any business.  If you can create an inspirational story, a great product, an unusual way to market to or thank your customers, you have an edge over the other more boring businesses.  Many folks think of videos, podcasts, internet social marketing as a way to do this — but it’s not.  These are all marketing gimmicks that can be a small part of a whole program, but they aren’t enough.  Think about it.  What makes you unique?  And it needs to be an authentic uniqueness — not just another gimmick.  Then use that uniqueness to make people talk about you.

If you can do all the above, you will have a company that people will be honored to refer business to.

She smiled as she picked up the pieces and put them back into the monopoly box.  She then told the child, “Yes, you did.  But let me tell you another lesson that I’ve learned about playing the game of life.  You can work hard, study, practice and become whatever kind of person you want to me.  But when the game of life is over, it all goes back into the box.  The only thing that’s left behind is what you’ve created or done for others.”

I’ve heard the phrase, “You have to give to get” and have also heard results of how people have been blessed as a direct result of what they have given to others.  But I have a different philosophy.  I don’t think you have to give to get.  I think you give, not because of what you will receive in return, but because your giving is from the heart.

There’s a country-western song that tells the tale about a young man who stopped to help an elderly lady stopped on the highway with a problem with her car.  The young man was broke but instead of taking payment for his help, he told the lady to “Pass it On!”  The song goes on to tell of a waitress, who was pregnant, tired, and discouraged.  An elderly lady left a $100 tip.  That night the waitress laid in bed beside the young man who had helped the elderly woman with her car and told him about the woman who had left the $100 tip.  And the song ends with the magical words of “Just Pass It On.”

I am a business coach for a County Business Empowerment Class in my community.  Last week, a local entrepreneur, who has become very successful, spoke about how he started his business hoping to make lots of money.  He said that he was in the business for the money–not just because it enables him to live well and do things he’s always wanted to do–but because he can use that money to help others as well.  I remember the author of “Everything I needed to Know About Life I learned in Kindergarden” say basically the same thing.

Successful entrepreneurs have to be interested in money if they hope to be successful.  You can’t just forget the financial parts of a business and operate it any way you feel like.  How you treat your customers, your investors, and even your vendors go a long way towards determining how financially successful you will be.

There are, of course, those like Ken Lay of Enron fame and Mr Matoff of Ponzi scheme fame, who cheat others to make their millions and then use it to live like kings.  Then there are those entrepreneurs who achieve their business goals while practicing the principal of “Pass It On!”  When the game of life is all over, and it all goes back into the box, the Ken Lays and Matoffs of the world will leave behind people who have been hurt or destroyed.  The “Pass It On” entrepreneurs will leave a legacy that may not even be known by most but will be appreciated and remembered by those they helped.

We are in the midst of changes in the world.  Changes bring opportunities.  What will you do with them?  Share your comments!

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

How about you?  Are you one of the those who see things differently.  Do you think you can change the world, even if it’s one tiny step at a time?  Think about it!

Watch this video and then come back:

Everyone Needs A Helping Hand

Did you smile as you watched?  Did you see how it can apply to us as well.? 

I’ve been asked by several people, why are you spending your time creating this blog and writing in it just about every day?  What do you hope to accomplish?  What are you going to get out of it?

Well, that video says it all.  Everyone needs a helping hand at some time or another.  I’ve created several successful businesses through the years.  And now it’s time to extend that helping hand.

This is just one of the “helping hands” in the works.  There are others planned.  I’m asked a question on several gift basket related forums and received a variety of answers.  But I know that some of the readers of this blog don’t visit the forums.  Some of you are not even in the gift business but have found this blog helpful.  So, it’s time to ask you the same question.  Here it is:

“What do you consider your biggest business problem or frustration to be?”

Your answers will help me zero in on the areas where a “helping hand” is most needed. 

In a society that supports a $60 billion trade catering to consumers who have the means to select and buy superior food products, it is embarrassing that there are so many people going hungry.”

Most of our communities have food banks.  My local food banks, as I’m sure many of yours are, have experienced increasing pressure to provide food to more and more people.  According to Feeding America, food banks nationwide saw a 20% rise in demand for food last spring alone.  And they are reporting that much of this new demand is coming from working middle class families who are having problems making ends meet. 

What can we as gift company owners do to help?  Many of you are struggling as well.  But donations of money and food are always appreciated.  If you have food products that still have shelf life but will expire soon, you might want to donate them to your local food bank.  If you have a retail store, offer a discount on a purchase when someone brings in food to be donated to the food bank.  If you are a website business only, you could offer to donate a certain percentage of each sale to a food bank.

I’m sure there are many other ways to help those less fortunate than us.  Put on that thinking cap that I mentioned a number of posts ago and see what you can come up with.  Feel free to share those thoughts in our comments area.