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Council approves A.W. Smith office proposal

Should City council members be paid. Well, would you spend two hours getting lectured by perturbed residents? Because that’s what happened Monday night as the council considered another development proposal on the fringe of an established neighborhood. As development proposals continue to emerge as the economic freeze thaws, council members will have plenty more to Read More …

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Action on Richland Road tabled… again

The City Council Monday night went much like most of the public hearings concerning the Richland Road proposal — long and lacking closure. Monday night was supposed to be the climactic finale of a process that began two years ago. Instead, the council decided to table the proposal yet again. All that changed was the Read More …

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Infill infighting: Great Hangups and Leawood Plaza

The Great Hangups saga came to an end Monday night, with the City council voting down the contentious rezoning proposal. But the long battle over land use at the intersection of West Boulevard and Broadway, which has been trying to make its way through the city’s zoning process for nearly a year, may be the Read More …

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A Double Dog Dare

We just completed our first official foray into school fundraising.  After the school assembly a few weeks ago, my 12-year old came home excited.  She waltzes in the door with catalogs, an order form, and a plan. Of course, I helped her prepare. (Hey, what can I say…I’m a sales trainer.)  We planned her route Read More …

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Reward Yourself

Gary Ryan Blair is known as The Goals Guy. He’s worked with some major corporations to help their staffs achieve unbelievable results.  One step in his goal setting & achievement process is to reward yourself for successes. To paraphrase his message on this topic: It’s human nature to beat yourself up when you make a Read More …

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Avoid the Cold-Start Scenario

Have you ever tried to start a car that’s been left outside in the dead of winter in below-freezing temperatures for three days?  You turn the key; the engine groans and then begins to turn over.  Don’t give it enough gas and it never catches.  Give it too much gas, you flood the engine and Read More …

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Boldness

“When will your finest hour come, and how will it arrive? Do you really think it will materialize without an act of supreme confidence, audacity, or boldness?” –Gary Ryan Blair

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What has your attention?

I’m curious what you are reading and/or listening to right now.  Please share with this community what book you are currently reading or just finished and/or what CD/MP# you are listening to.  Who knows, you might find something perfect based off someone else’s response.   I’ll start it off: Book: Return to Prosperity: How America Can Read More …

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A Mental Image is Worth Several Thousand Dollars

Once again I find myself grateful for the influence of someone on my career, and I’d like to continue the recent trend of sharing the blessing on my life they’ve contributed. Yesterday in the Sandler Sales Training class I attend, our instructor, Cathy Atkins, had us fill out a 3 x 5 index card with Read More …

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Introducing…Ashley Meyer!

Okay, I have to brag on one of my co-workers.  Ashley Meyer helps me with day to day administrative activities, and does some design work on ads for my clients.  I knew she was talented, but yesterday she took it to another level! While negotiating with a past client and current prospect, they requested a Read More …

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A Nice Gesture

As I was leaving the offices of Columbia Insurance Group, I noticed a board with a list of August birthdays for it’s staff. This struck me as a nice gesture. It’s a simple way to let your people know their special day is important enough to your business that you want everyone (staff, customers, vendors) Read More …

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Put Me In Coach, I’m Ready To Play…

During the past year I’ve been on a growth spurt.  No, I’m not getting taller, nor am I getting heavier. In fact, my growth spurt has helped me lose nearly 30 pounds.  What I’m referring to is personal growth. Yesterday I was reminded once again at how powerful having an Executive Training Coach can be Read More …

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Don’t Present Until You’ve Earned the Right

Sometimes salespeople just piss me off. Have you ever felt that way? I accepted a phone call from a telemarketer on Monday.  She went into her information dump on the phone.  I listened politely, waiting for her to come up for air.  I then explained that I was not interested in her product at this Read More …

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A new regulation for issuing 1099′s

This weekend I heard something on the Neil Boortz radio program that actually scared me.  If you are a small business owner, you should be aware of a new requirement for filing 1099′s beginning in 2012.  Amazingly enough, this new regulation was part of the Health Care Reform law recently passed.  Would love to hear Read More …

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Ladies, So You Want A Raise…

We’ve probably all been there, ladies.  You have a birthday or holiday in your past when the gift you received was not the romantic jewelry or flowers you’d been dreaming about for months. Instead, you opened the package only to look up with a frozen smile and a forced “Thank You” that belied the “What Read More …

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