Your 2012 Goals & Inspirations

January, 2012

Isn't it the most magnificent feeling to be in the flow? We feel alive and everything seems to be going our way. We know that the work we are doing matters to our clients and, as importantly, we are doing work that matters to ourselves. We are inspired, we are reaching our goals - we are in the flow!

Ok, now - What does it take to be in the flow at work? What makes your day, your year? For each of us, there are many things we can do so we are in the flow more often - being on schedule, fulfilling on what we said we would get done, getting work done on time, happy clients, securing new clients, celebrating our successes and having work life balance are a few that come to mind. (Along with feeling healthy & strong with aerobic exercise, fresh air & sunshine, diet, rest and all.)

As business people, we know there is more, much more to being in the flow, more often.

When is comes to being more in the flow at work and with running a business, a key is the strategic plan - the framework showing where we've been and where we are going. But why? Why are we doing what we are doing? By stating our vision, mission, intent, values, mantra and life purpose, inspiration just seems to bubble up in response to the why. Next, to be practical, is drafting the business model to see just exactly how the business is running and what needs to be augmented and/or improved. The goals for the year just seem to come naturally. With the business strategy and business model built, next steps are about revenue generation, efficient operations and financial management. All fine tuning for running a successful business. (But, let's not forget work / life balance - too much work is stressful without delegation, processes, procedures and technology to keep it all manageable.)

Without this framework, life at work and running a business can be by guess and by golly. What's important in 2012 is that you & your business are more in the flow than ever before. To others, a strategic framework is invisible, but to you, it is a visible, viable support structure that assists you be more in the flow, &, more often.

Here's to your goals and inspirations this year! Next newsletter - A Summary of the Alberta Budget!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2011!
Maintaining Marketing Momentum!

November, 2011

At this time of year, 5 big things can happen to take a business off course and lose its marketing momentum.

1. Your business is at capacity, actually over capacity, and the pressure is on the operations team and off the marketing & sales team.
2. Business activity has slowed down dramatically.
3. You have so much work coming in but it hasn't landed yet. You just can't make one more promise and know that you can keep it.
4. No matter what you do, you just can't seem to generate more revenue to enable you to move to your next level.
5. Holiday festivities and cold/ flu sicknesses reduce working hours for meeting day to day commitments.

Perhaps 1 of these 5 big things is something that you are currently experiencing. Hopefully not all 5!

The best thing to do is go back to your commitments as outlined in your marketing and sales plan. Are you fully deploying on your marketing & sales mechanism?

In high capacity times, it is just as critical as in the low season by deploying on a 'maintenance' marketing mechanism to ensure that the pipeline is full 3, 6, 12 months into the future.

When business activity has slowed down, the marketing mechanism must be fully deployed each and every day.

When it comes to work that hasn't landed, this is a time to look at schedules and plan for completing the work that is in as soon as possible, and, building schedules for all future anticipated work. Stretching out delivery dates may be an option for some businesses but not an option for other businesses. Likewise, hiring temporary staff and/or subcontracting may be options for some companies and not for others.

If you are finding that you cannot increase your sales revenues in order to move to your next level, you need to do a thorough marketing and sales diagnostic. Something in your marketing mix and marketing mechanism isn't working.

With holiday festivities and sickness reducing daily working hours, perhaps it's about planning to get work done ahead of time if at all possible and / or hiring temporary workers as needed.

What have you found works for you when confronted with 1 or all of these big 5 things? Send me an email and I will publish your ideas in the next newsletter for others to consider.

Government Grants

The deadline for applying for the $15,000 Alberta Voucher, and, Commercialization

& R&D Salary grants is Jan 1st 2012. With Christmas festivities, best to prepare the submission now rather than waiting later in December.

There is also the Leadership Grants program that provides up to $100,000 in grants for companies starting or growing a company. If your business is successful, your company matches the grant funding amount. The only caveat is that it takes 5 to 6 months time to get approval and longer if the submission is not completed as per their requirements. Don't delay on getting this application completed for your funding requirements down the road.

If you would like to explore these opportunities in detail to see how it might fit your requirements - just give me a call. You can check out more details at www.albertatechfutures.ca [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=qn6yh9cab&et=1106412407620&s=0&e=001wcXOy7U0xwlrA7EdKEB0wuEES5eiEDohsZk7goED-k2Yi72_GPkuNKhCPfjnfVyvCaZUqRd2ISw9376VIW_lCor1kgDI7qk2O7ht-9TFJQcifYePitptr_7pFz-l_gjk] and www.leadershipgrants.ca [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=qn6yh9cab&t=l7rraoiab.0.bjlpmqiab.qn6yh9cab.123&ts=S0694&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leadershipgrants.ca%2F].

Burmese Orphans Funding

For the last 8 years, 20 or so Calgarians have been sending donations in support of a group of Burmese orphans living on the Burma/Thai Border through the registered charity Medical Mercy Canada. We have built the boys' dorm, furnished it with beds and bedding, and built an indoor kitchen. The children are healthy and well cared for thanks to the Orphan's Fund with MMC & other NGO funding support. MMC has built a small hospital for the village and visits the village each year. To find out more, check my website at http://www.ashmore-assoc.com/BurmeseOrphans2011.htm [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=qn6yh9cab&t=l7rraoiab.0.cjlpmqiab.qn6yh9cab.123&ts=S0694&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ashmore-assoc.com%2FBurmeseOrphans2011.htm]. Whether it is $25 or $500, your donation is greatly appreciated by this community that is so far away.

Announcements!

I am now a Certified Management Consultant - a CMC, as of the end of September. Another milestone!

Is Your Strategic Edge Working For You?

Don't start 2012 without a business plan! Whether you are preparing to launch, grow, finance and / or exit, business planning clearly defines your strategic edge and then builds on it with better strategies, better plans and better revenue generating tools for moving forward in 2012. If you haven't written your Business Plan for 2012, call today - 403 252 0799 or email ashmore@ashmore-assoc.com [mailto:ashmore@ashmore-assoc.com] to set up a meeting to get started. Special offer for all new clients starting their business plan prior to December 2nd!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2011!
Pushing Through the Pain!

September, 2011

Isn't aerobic exercise a lot like doing sales calls? Whether it is 15 or 30 minutes of aerobic activity, especially on a physically tough day, it's about pushing through the pain and meeting 2 commitments: staying with it for the set time and achieving the desired heart rate for that time. Don't you just want to quit - sometimes in the first 5 minutes, then again 1/2 way through, and then at the end - 5 minutes earlier than scheduled? It's not only about the time commitment, it's about achieving the heart rate level for the maximum timeframe. Plus, negotiating with oneself about how to get out of the commitment, is all that negative thinking. Good thing that we don't verbalize our thoughts when doing aerobic exercise. Maybe we would all have a good laugh!

Doesn't the same uphill process of pushing through the pain apply when you sit down to make your sales calls? You have a quota, and you know what you need to do, and here we go again - the procrastination and 'this doesn't work for our company' or 'this doesn't work for me'. If your not in sales and you're running company, the same applies when it comes to executing on your business plan.

Why do any of these things - why commit? The results, the good results are so worth it. Committing and consistently meeting goals provides benefits untold - self trust, self confidence, self empowerment, resilience, perseverance, character - and results.

The $15,000 Opportunity Assessment Grant

The deadline of Oct 1st is fast approaching for anyone wanting to apply for the $15,000 grant with the Alberta Voucher Program. Call today if you would like assistance!

The Company must be provincially or federally incorporated operating in Alberta and be under $5 million in revenues with less than 51 employees. The company must be a technology-driven business developing innovative new products or services for growing markets in one of the provincial priority areas of information & communication technology, life sciences (agriculture,forestry, biotechnology, etc), nanotechnology, energy, engineering, environmental technology or health.

The way it works An application is submitted by the Company along with the Work Plan completed by the service provider. The grant is up to $15,000 and the recipient provides 25% of the total cost of the project. In this case, the recipient provides $5,000 and with the Voucher Program of $15,000, a total of $20,000 is available to conduct the work.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2011!
$15,000 Opportunity Assessment Grant

July, 2011

For small technology and knowledge-driven businesses that are in the concept and formation stages and wanting to move into the growth stage, a $15,000 grant is available through Alberta Innovates. This is a competition for funds and the deadline for application is August 1st. October 1st, January 1st and so forth. This program has been under review and has been modified.

A $15,000 voucher is available to complete an Opportunity Assessment where a qualified independent service provider like myself provides vital decision making information on the success of the technology or business concept.

This is basically a study examining the technology, market receptivity and finances required, and how the company needs to plan for operations to achieve growth given financial and market feasibility.

The Opportunity Assessment examines:

• Technology Feasibility - An in-depth look at the technology. Does it work?
• Market Feasibility - An in-depth look at the market. Does anyone want to buy the technology product? Who are the competitors (real and perceived)? What sectors could the product apply to and what are the sizes of these sectors?
• Operations - What is needed in terms of infrastructure, equipment, outsourcing, etc. to make the technology innovation a successful commercial product/company?
• Human Resources - What employees may be needed to make the technology innovation a successful commercial product/company?
• Financial - What financial resources will be needed to make the technology innovation a successful commercial product/company?, and
• Strategy - What is the businesses current strategy, if existing? Should provide insight into potential strategy options for maximum commercial success.

Or, the grant can be used to contract specialized services required to specialized services required to assist the entrepreneur related to business development and mentoring for the purpose of supporting the advancement of technology, or small scale prototyping or intellectual property services.

The Company must be provincially or federally incorporated operating in Alberta and be under $5 million in revenues with less than 51 employees. The company must be a technology-driven business developing innovative new products or services for growing markets in one of the provincial priority areas of information & communication technology, life sciences (agriculture,forestry, biotechnology, etc), nanotechnology, energy, engineering, environmental technology or health. The applicant must not have previously been awarded a Voucher in the amount being applied for. This includes Vouchers that have been received by the applicant, not cancelled and never used. a small business with gross income, for the preceding fiscal year, not in excess of $5,000,000, and with fewer than 51 employees. The service provider must meet each of the following criteria:

• Be an incorporated consultant or firm independent from the applying Company with a professional designation or certification qualifying them to perform the work required - qualified designations/certifications may include: CMA, CGA, CMC, PEng, PTech, LLB, Patent Agent, etc..
• Have the capability and resources to complete all proposed Voucher work in-house.
• ave knowledge specific to the sector of the proposed Voucher project.

The way it works An application is submitted by the Company along with the Work Plan completed by the service provider. The grant is up to $15,000 and the recipient provides 25% of the total cost of the project. In this case, the recipient provides $5,000 and with the Voucher Program of $15,000, a total of $20,000 is available to conduct the work.

If you would like to explore this opportunity in detail to see how it might fit your requirements - just give me a call. You can check out more details at www.albertatechfutures.ca - Capacity Building Programs.

(Also note that for businesses accessing this program in the past, another program assists the company with substantial technology development activities. It also includes the development of business plans and market studies that enhance the findings of the Opportunity Assessment. A $50,000 grant is available.)

Building Your Strategic Edge

Sharpen your strategic edge with better strategies, better plans and better revenue generating tools for moving forward in 2011. Call today - 403 252 0799 or email ashmore@ashmore-assoc.com.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

* Throne Speach

Basic Facts about Canada & Alberta (StatsCan)

Canada
Population - 34,238,000 (Increase of 480,000)
Population - 15 years & over - 27,840,800
Labor Force - 18,664,200
Employed - 17,214,500
Unemployed - 1,449,600 - 7.8% (down from 8.3%)
GDP - $1,314,034,000 at market prices as of 3/4 - 2010 - seasonally adjusted at market prices $1,621,640,000

Alberta
Population - 3,735,000 (Increase of 37,000)
Population - 15 years & over - 2,983,500
Labor Force - 2,183,100
Employed - 2,053,800
Unemployed -129,300 - 5.9% (Down 10,400)
GDP - $247,184,000 expenditure based in 2009 (2009 GDP completed by Statscan.)

Announcements!

The formation of Alberta Innovates has been a major government initiative. There are many programs including grant programs that you might be able to access. If you haven't looked into the programs & grants available from Alberta Innovates, give me a call or e-mail me.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2011!

February 2, 2011

Not Lonely at the Top!

A few years ago, Ken King when speaking to the Strategic Forum said something to the effect that he felt, as a leader, that he was lifted up on the shoulders of giants. Isn't this a great thing for a leader to say about his / her leadership? It begs the question - what does it take to lift you up as the leader in your organization?

Given a proactive, focused Management Team, another 'lifting' edge is training in the form of coaching. Most of us have taken many management courses but unless there is follow up and on-the-job training, very little is applied in the work place. Coaching provides the opportunity to apply specific techniques and processes for improving one's business. I work with engineering, technical, technological and professional services firms who are gifted in their area of expertise but do not usually have the education or training in marketing, sales or strategy development, business planning, and, the execution thereof.

This is where coaching provides a very high value add. My experience is that leaders learn very quickly and apply the theory and practice as quickly to get the benefits of increased leverage. Without coaching to implement a Strategic Business Plan, an Operating Plan or Marketing Plan, very often the company goes back to its old ways. This is not so good!

Another alternative to coaching is peer to peer leadership support through organizations like Executive Forums of Alberta where leaders meet regularly to discuss their issues with other leaders and learn through them how to improve their business in less time, with less risk and less stress. Now, who wouldn't want that!

And then there are trusted advisors to call upon. The advisors that I recommend are Rick Breen at Macleod & Co. for business / legal services, Stan Stawowski at Stawowski McGill for accounting services for larger business, Tom Barnett for accounting for smaller businesses, Lorne Stapleton at Padgett for accounting with systems/support weekly and monthly, Anna Lentz at Brava for part time CFO services, Joe Kurucz at BMO Nesbitt Burns for assisting you give purpose to money so that you achieve your life goals, Audrey Kwan - Wealth Advisor at ScotiaMacleod, for lending - Anne Hergot at the Royal Bank, and Mikael Sears at TD Commercial Lending. These professionals are all exceptional advisors keeping your best interests at the forefront.

There's no need to be lonely at the top with highly competent coaches and advisors available to you!

Emerson Inspirations

"There is a guidance for each of us, and by lowly listening, we shall hear the right word....Place yourself in the middle of the stream of power and wisdom which flows into your life. Then, without effort, you are impelled to truth and to perfect contentment."

Follow Up on the Last Newsletter

Last October, when I wrote the last newsletter on Complicity & the Credit Crunch, I wrote it because, as a business person, I wanted to be educated about what happened and why it happened. With the release of the documentary, INSIDE JOB, you'll have this information at your finger tips for future reference.

Networking Session with Clive Beddoe

The Haskayne School Alumni Association has invited Clive Beddoe to speak on 'Inclusion or ownership: how to delegate at the senior management level' on Thursday Feb 10th at 5 to 7 PM. If you'd like to come, you are invited! Just email me for the link. The cost is $15.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Complicity & the Credit Crunch

October 28, 2010

Update on the Credit Crisis

Much has been talked about and written about the financial crisis of September 2008. Mark Gilbert, in his book, 'Complicit - How Greed and Collusion Made the Credit Crisis Unstoppable' explains how the crisis evolved.

In a short period of time, we saw the housing, mortgage, credit derivatives, money market, investment banking, local banking and stock market bubbles burst - in the USA, Britain and Europe. One of the chapters in Complicit is called Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere to describe the tsunami like effect of the credit crisis on the financial system globally.

Mr. Gilbert explains how investment banks sold credit derivatives on debt instruments like bonds and mortgages where a $100 million bond or mortgage when parceled in small chunks for sale and 'insured' with multiple credit default swaps could bring in another $500 million in revenues - basically creating a virtual money environment.

Financial engineering seemed very clever, that is, if anyone understood it - now we have a better understanding of the implications with disastrous worldwide consequences.

Many funding programs, many investigations and many law suits are underway. (In addition to reading Complicit, check Wikipedia for stats found in this newsletter under 'Subprime Mortgage Crisis'.)

21 Descending Steps

The following attempts to list the steps that led to the financial crisis:

1. With low interest rates due to the Federal Reserve reducing the fed funds rate to 1% from 6.5% in 2001-2003 after the tech bubble burst, and, easy credit along with large inflows of foreign dollars specifically coming from China's burgeoning economy, these factors encouraged consumer spending and discouraged saving due to low savings yields.
   
   
2. This scenario set the stage for investors and investment firms alike to find higher yielding investments for leveraging easy credit.
   
   
3. A major change happened with mortgage companies where they became 'brokers' rather than holding the client mortgage in-house.
   
   
4. Once the mortgage broker finalized a mortgage, it would be sold to another entity like a bank. To increase their leverage on the mortgage or bond, the bank would parcel the mortgage into bite size pieces for investors called CDO's - Collateralized Debt Obligations. With some CDO's and mortgage backed securities, Credit Default Swaps (CDS) were sold to 'insure' the investor against loss if the mortgagee defaulted. The investor had confidence in the CDO because it had been given an AAA rating by a rating company like Standard & Poors.
   
   
5. Mortgage brokers wanted more business and sold subprime mortgages to people who couldn't qualify for conventional mortgages thereby creating increased demand for housing. The percentage of homeowners in the US ramped up to 69% from 62%.
   
   
6. As banks sold their mortgages to investors in the form of CDO's, the cash received from investors was used to finance more mortgages for CDO sale, and, so forth.
   
   
7. Some investment bankers also borrowed large sums of money so that they could invest in mortgage backed securities.
   
   
8. As housing prices rose, more and more homes were purchased on speculation.
   
   
9. All of the above, increased housing demand creating further upward pressure on home prices, that is, until home prices started softening in mid 2006.
   
   
10. When holders of subprime mortgages stopped paying their mortgages, CDO values went down and investors rapidly decreased their investments in credit derivatives and mortgage backed securities.
    
    
11. Mortgage brokerages due to lack of business because banks could not finance their mortgages as investor demand was rapidly decreasing for credit derivatives and mortgage backed securities.
    
    
12. With mortgage defaults mounting, investment banks moved to pay off Credit Default Swaps with some investment bankers like Bear Stearns paying billions to cover the credit default swaps but then they ran out of money.
    
    
13. The shadow banking market (the money market & investment firms) slowed, and for a period of time, stopped lending and borrowing short term funds.
    
    
14. As mortgage defaults increased, housing prices dropped further.
    
    
15. Banks, everywhere, continued to pay down debt (some debt was off balance sheet) to shore up their balance sheets thereby having less money to lend to businesses creating a decrease in economic activity with over 100 banks in the US failing.
    
    
16. Housing prices in Canada peaked and sales slowed by mid 2007.
    
    
17. The Federal Reserve reduced the fed funds rate to .25% to increase liquidity.
    
    
18. Stock markets declined worldwide.
    
    
19. Large capital projects in Alberta - oilsands and real estate - were cancelled or put on hold.
    
    
20. Governments worldwide initiated stimulus packages to bail out financial institutions, large corporations and to a lessor extent, homeowners with bad mortgages.
    
    
21. Economic activity slowed into recession.

Notes About Regulation

• The SEC allowed investment bankers to increase debt levels as per the net capital rule thereby increasing their risk level and this risk was stretched to the limits by investment banks investing in mortgage backed securities that were toxic.
  
  
• Initially, credit derivatives were seen as reducing and dispersing risk.
  
  
• CDO's were traded on the OTC markets and OTC market trading wasn't regulated by the SEC.
  
  
• Credit Default Swaps were like buying insurance on a mortgage backed security in case the mortgagee defaulted. But, they weren't sold by insurance companies who were regulated to set aside assets to back the insurance policy. Credit Default Swaps were sold by investment bankers like Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch.
  
  
• Mortgage brokers slacked off with regard to assessing the credit worthiness of new applicants. At it's peak, NINJA type mortgage approvals increased. NINJA means - No Income, No Job or Assets were required to qualify for a mortgage.
  
  
• The shadow banking system is not regulated as per the traditional banking system, therefore they do not have a safety net in place to handle financial crisis.
  
  
• The central bank's role of cooling or heating economic activity with raising or lowering interest rates was minimized when it came to regulation of easy credit and large inflows of capital to the US.

The Mortgage Market in the US

• Approximately 70% of the 88 million homeowners in the US have a mortgage.
  
  
• Approximately 10% of these mortgages are/were subprime mortgages.
  
  
• Approximately 80% of subprime mortgages were adjustable rate mortgages.
  
  
• As of 2008 - the mortgage market was approximately $10.6 trillion with $1.3 trillion in the subprime market.
  
  
• In 2007, Lehman Brothers estimated that mortgage loans were 73% of GDP versus an average of 46% in the 90's.
  
  
• Normal defaults were $40 million a year with Gilbert estimating $225 million in defaults for 2007 and 2008.
  
  
• Mortgages foreclosed in 2007 were 1.3 million, 2008 - 2.3 million, and 2009 - 2.8 million. The Economist has estimated that 9 million homes between 2009 and 2011 may enter foreclosure versus 1 million in an average year.
  
  
• As of August 2010, CoreLogic, a real estate data provider, reported that their research showed that 23% of all mortgages were 'underwater' meaning the mortgage amount was equal to or more than the price of the home. Another 2.4% of homeowners were reported as having less than 5% equity in their home.

More of the Crazies - Did You Know?

• $18.4 billion dollars in bonuses were paid to Wall Street firms in 2008 as reported by the New York State comptroller? In 2006, it was $23.9 billion.
  
  
• Apparently, the average number of credit cards held by a US family was 14 credit cards?

Another Scheme - High Frequency Trading

As per the 60 Minutes TV show on October 10th, 'Speed Traders - Helping Small Investors', 70% of all trading is now done by computers. Some businesses use supercomputers to trade and apparently 1 billion shares are traded a day. The 2 large firms trading with supercomputers refused to be interviewed, but a company called TradeWorks did interview. They trade 40 million shares a day on a portfolio of 4500 companies with the goal to make at minimum one cent per transaction. Their supercomputer trading averages $3 to $4 million in revenue a day. Apparently supercomputers have insider-like ability because the supercomputer is so fast that it can see the bid - ask price quicker than any other trader. In the spring, the Dow dropped 600 points in 15 minutes. No one knew why - the fear was that it was related to supercomputer trading.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2010: The Journey to Commitment

September 20, 2010

The Path to Commitment

Peter Buffett used a quote from Goethe in his book 'Life is What You Make It' that was so inspiring that it led me to write this newsletter. Committing is such a big decision in everything we do. An even bigger decision is the degree to which we commit.

Why do we hesitate when it comes to committing?

• Intervening events?
• Interfering events?
• Fear of the unknown?
• Fear of success?
• Lack of knowledge?
• Too much analysis?
• Not enough trust?
• Not enough value?
• Not enough experience?
• Short of funds?
• What others think?
• Plain old fear?

All of these hesitancies send us in a tizzy and into inertia. If the corollary of not committing is inertia, the corollary of committing is momentum. Where does momentum come from? I believe it comes from consistently following through on what we said we would do time and time again - that is, if we are clear about our commitment - that we are 'definitely' committed. Consistency is the ingredient that strengthens commitment. Vision gives us good reason - more about this later.

Goethe on Commitment

"Until one is committed, there is a hesitancy - the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

Your Vision, Your Strategy, Your Plan

Can we be without an exciting vision that stirs our being and inspires us to reach our goals and dreams? Or, are we measuring ourselves by the energetic vision of other leaders and not up to visualizing our own? Which consequence do we really want - inertia or momentum or by default - somewhere in between?

Check your vision - do you feel energized and excited about your future? Is this a future you really want? Is this your heart's desire? If not, it's time to re-evaluate your vision and stir up some excitement followed up with 'definite' commitment!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2010

June 8th, 2010

Execution Excellence!

Is execution excellence a byproduct of great adversity or great vision or both? What if you were planning a major event and expecting 150,000 visitors to attend and you had these challenges?

Your budget was $66 million and the shortfall was $53.8 million with only 40 months to get funding in place!

Four months prior to the event, two of the million-dollar sponsors went into receivership as a result of the Global Economic Crisis with 30,000 pre-paid hotel reservations and $16 million in equipment leaving equipment orders and commitments unfulfilled.

You had 'zero' no name recognition and no prior public relations experience for the event.

Delegate attendance was in constant flux & impacting the amount of space required and equipment needed.

The Saddledome wasn't available for opening ceremonies and had to be held at the Grandstand - therefore, good weather was paramount.

Additional space & electrical power was required for the 800,000 sq ft event, again, making it dependant on good weather.

3,000 community volunteers were needed to assist in the implementation of the event!

WHO declared the H1N1 Influenza outbreak as an official Global Pandemic one week before the event.

Two days prior to the event, the Prime Minister had not yet confirmed his attendance.

These were the challenges of the exceedingly successful Worldskills competition last fall!

The Results!

The competition was deemed to be "the Best WorldSkills Competition ever" by Jack Dusseldorp, President of WorldSkills International.

The $9.5 million sponsorship target was exceeded by $3 million in spite of the largest global recession since the Second World War.

151,589 people attended!

3,300 people volunteered from Calgary and across the country with every province and territory represented.

The Prime Minister did come for the opening ceremonies held at the Grandstand - it was a beautiful prairie day!

11 massive tents and 7 diesel generators were installed - the two week period was one of very warm, clear and dry weather.

There was one H1N1 incident and the WorldSkills Response Team handled it in "text book fashion".

IPSOS Reid Survey indicated 82% of Adults and 98% of Youth in Calgary were aware of the competition and opportunities for careers in technology and skilled professions as opposed to 7% and 4% prior to the event.

The legacy: 55 schools and 60,000 elementary students engaged in the One School One Country program match schools with teams from around the world; $1.5 million WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Scholarship Fund; and so much more!

Execution excellence!

The Worldskills Vision

Worldskills Vision was to host the best WorldSkills Competition in the 59 year history of the organization; highlight Calgary's culture, landscapes and hospitality; host a "VISITOR CENTRIC" event where the 150,000 expected guests will be the focus of attention for awareness raising and information transfer; fully engage industry in the support of the event with both volunteers and sponsorship; and leave a legacy after the event. Excellence in execution of the Vision!

The Backdrop - Future Conditions

The backdrop of the 40th International WorldSkills Competition is that in Canada by 2025, there will be 1 million jobs sitting empty as 40% of the workforce will be retired.

Urbanization of the globe with world markets, employment opportunities and populations converging means that the pursuit of excellence and measurement against the Global Standard will take on greater significance.

Globallization is here and it is providing phenomenal opportunities and unbelievable challenges. Our responsibility is to give the next generation the tools and the skills to take up this challenge - to re-write the process of transferring knowledge from Mentors to Students.

In conclusion, there is a need to find a new way to nurture learning - as not all students blossom in a traditional linear model. Unleashing the passion that young students have for technology and skills - and fueling that passion - is our collective responsibility.

Richard Walker of The Walker Resource Group

The contents of this newsletter contain excerpts from Richard Walker's speech to CCAT in December, 2009. If you would like to find out more or have Mr. Walker key note an event for your organization, email Richard Walker of the The Walker Resource Group rlhwalker@shaw.ca. (The Walker Resource Group was established in 1988 to assist non-profits, educational institutions and community agencies to achieve excellence in the program delivery, revenue development, relevance, efficiency and effectiveness.)

Skill Development for Building Strategic Focus

For sharpening the strategic focus of your team when it comes to building your business strategy, marketing strategy, next level development stage of growth steps, business planning and/or execution strategy, call to book a workshop or a lunch & learn presentation - 403 252 0799 or e-mail me.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2010

April 27, 2010

The Magnetic Force

Several years ago, I wrote about what really happens with goal setting - all sorts of obstacles come up that make the goal more difficult and, at times, extremely difficult to reach. In his autobiography, OPEN, Andre Agassi describes what it is like to reach a major goal in life - winning the the US Open in 2006 - the final game of his career.

"The finish line at the end of a career is no different from the finish line at the end of a match. The objective is to get within reach of that finish line, because then it gives off a magnetic force. When you're close, you can feel that force pulling you, and you can use that force to get across. But just before you come within range, or just after, you feel another force, equally strong, pushing you away. It's inexplicable, mystical, these twin forces, these contradictory energies, but they both exist. I know because I've spend much of my life seeking the one, fighting the other, and sometimes I've been stuck, suspended, bounced like a tennis ball between the two. Tonight, I remind myself that it will require iron discipline to cope with these forces, and whatever else comes my way. Back pain, bad shots, foul weather, self-loathing. It's a form of worry, this reminder, but also a meditation. One thing I've learned in 29 years of playing tennis. Life will throw everything but the kitchen sink in your path, and then it will throw in the kitchen sink. It's your job to avoid the obstacles. If you let them stop or distract you, you're not doing your job, and failing to do your job will cause regrets that paralyze you more that a bad back."

Andre Agassi hated tennis. After becoming #1 is the world in 1995, the pinnacle of all pinnacles, he felt nothing. "...wondering what was the hell wrong with me. I did it, I'm the number one tennis player on earth, and yet I feel empty. If being number one feels empty, what's the point? Why not just retire - I'll be a 25 year old retiree, which sounds a lot like a ninth grade drop out. No, what I need is another goal.... What I think I've always wanted, since I was a boy, and what I want now, is far more difficult, far more substantial. I want to....."

Andre Agassi went on to reach extraordinary goals, and, deeper and more meaningful goals with each successive year until his retirement in 2006 at the age of 36.

Announcements

Interested in doing business with PEMEX? On April 29th, Nexos Consulting is putting on a workshop 'How to do Business with PEMEX'. Call Nicole Granados at 403 232 6899 or nicole@nexosconsulting.com to find out more.

Participate in an exciting and uplifting student entrepreneur's expo. ACE Canada is looking for presidents & entrepreneurs to judge student entrepreneur presentations at the National Exposition May 10th to 12th held in Calgary. Call Lauren Thomson at 416 304 1566, 1 800 766 8169 or email at lauren@acecanada.ca.

Twittering: I am tweeting on my favorite topic - STRATEGY FIRST!! http://twitter.com/StrategyFirst when you want to check the tweets.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Moving Forward in 2010: Our Canadians!

March 8, 2010

The Moments!

Will we ever forget the thrill and achievement of our Canadian Olympians? Remember the 1st medal won by Jennifer Hiel in the Woman's Moguls? And then remember the Gold secured by Alex Bilodeau in Men's Moguls and his sweet brother in overjoyed excitement - Christine Nesbitt's gold win in the 1000m speed skating, and the blond bombshell bobsledders winning gold? Then there was the woman's hockey team with total abandonment 'owning the ice' with beer and cigars. We were awed by Joannie Rochette competing against all odds under extreme personal adversity. With years and years of training from when they were children, we saw Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir securing the gold medal with flawless execution - the youngest Ice Dance gold winners in history and the first gold for Canada ever! There was only a 1.6 second difference between 5th place and a gold medal in the 50 km Cross Country Ski! And yes, Team Canada did set the record straight - hockey is Canada's game! For us proud Calgarians, it was Jerome Iginla's pass to Crosby that made the golden goal.

We did own the podium - our Olympians have changed the Canadian psyche forever. We are strong, we are persevering, we are risk taking, and, we win over and over and over again.

As entrepreneurs and business owners, we too can dust off our vision, mission and goals and be Olympian in thought and action right here in our own back yard. Could it be more exciting?

Except for KD Lang - a superstar performing on the level of an Olympic Superstar. What a role model!!

Detachment in Motion

Who could not admire and respect Joannie Rochette competing under extreme duress with the sudden loss of her mother? She detached from her emotions to be a professional and become an Olympic champion. Tells us a lot about the importance of detachment to maintain a healthy work life balance - detaching from home while at work, and, detaching from work while at home. An important but difficult goal for all, and, an Olympic goal for Joannie.

More Inspiration!

Here's KD Lang like no other creating the most fun ever at the 1988 Olympics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2VsivZ-9LY (since removed from YouTube) - watch for the kiss and then KD Lang at the 2010 Olympics - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVq0L4kkpKM (since removed from YouTube) - the video is so good you have to buy it on iTunes!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

2010 Alberta Budget Highlights

February 9, 2010

The Minister cautioned that we are stilling feeling the impact of the recession and discussed having confidence by drawing upon our strengths and committing to keeping Alberta competitive.

The 2010 budget estimates $34 billion in revenue and $38.7 billion in expenses with a $4.7 billion deficit with 2.6% growth in 2010 and an average of 3% over the next 3 years. The estimated deficit for 2011 is $1.7 billion with the goal to be back in the black by 2012 with $505 million surplus. The Minister committed to not allowing deficits to become long term debts. (He emphasized that debt was for capital projects and not day to day operations. )

Main points of the budget:

• No new taxes
• Spending cuts are mostly within government departments and not in the provision of services for Albertans
• Continuing commitment to health care with $15 billion in this fiscal year and eliminating the department's debt
• Addressing $700 million shortfall with Canada Health Transfer from the Federal government
• Continuing with the $23.2 billion 3 Year Capital Plan with $7.2 billion this year and more than $20 million over 3 years.

Premier's 4 Point Plan - reduce spending in government departments; use savings in Sustainability Fund to protect primary programs; build infrastructure - creating more jobs, and, keeping Alberta competitive - no new taxes.

Note the government's 5 priority areas:

1. Delivering health care more effectively and efficiently
2. Protecting our environment and developing our energy resources in a responsible sustainable way
3. Broadening Alberta's economic base
4. Ensuring strong, safe and vibrant communities, and
5. Providing the infrastructure that we need.

Throne Speech Highlights

Alberta is striving to be 'Better, Stronger & Smarter'. Main ideas were:

• Bill One - Alberta Competitiveness Act to enhance competitiveness
• New Alberta Capital Bonds to raise $4+ billion
• New Alberta Health Act in the fall
• Strengthen R&D - Alberta Innovates
• Focus on Clean Energy Future for supplying US markets
• Focus on serving China/India as Western Canadian consortium

Basic Facts about Canada & Alberta
Canada
Population - 33,739,900
Population - 15 years & over - 27,309,200 (15 & over)
Employed - 16,848,900
Unemployed - 1,519,800 - 8.3%
GDP - $1.2 trillion (at basic prices) as of Nov 2009
Alberta
Population - 3,687,700
Population - 15 years & over - 2,864,800
Employed - 1,988,100
Unemployed -139,700 - 6.6%
GDP - $291.7 billion in 2008 (2009 GDP completed in May by Statscan.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

You are Most Vulnerable at the Top

February 3, 2010

A few years ago, Ken King, while addressing the Strategic Forum, expressed a unique leadership dilemma in one short phrase. He said, "you are most vulnerable at the top". With the Flames' losses mounting, the timing for this newsletter may not be the best!

Nevertheless, when Ken King was questioned about why he said this, he discussed how winning athletes are so close to the very top of their game that there's not much more room to improve and that this is when they are most vulnerable. Is this not true for leaders too? In addition to this, leaders can be insulated from reality by focusing on operations and not focusing enough on strategies for mitigating risk - seen or unforeseen.

Let's consider Premier Stelmach's bringing in the Royalty Review in 2008. Oil prices were at all time highs and government coffers were at all time highs. A change in the royalty structure, was a huge risk that hurt thousands of people in the oil and gas sector, and, has brought the Conservatives much criticism and more competition in their arena with the Wild Rose party staking its territory.

In Alberta right now, many businesses are not at the top of their game. In fact, they are fighting their way back to profitability. Let's remember as we move forward in 2010 - if we are at the top of our game, know that risk is at its highest. But also know that at the top, we have more resources, more strategies and more options to choose from to mitigate risk. That is, if we keep a strategic focus. To discuss further - e-mail me.

Next newsletter will be on the February 9th Alberta Budget. Will we see the government provide some support and encouragement so that all industry sectors are firing on all 8 cylinders and Albertans are back to work? Check out out Premier Stelmach's twitter account http://twitter.com/premierstelmach for his latest thoughts on the upcoming Throne Speech & Budget. He recognizes the many strong and opposing forces to cutting spending along with stating the desire to be in the black by 2012.

From the Bottom Up

One of the most inspirational movies about leadership and motivating people to change under conditions when they absolutely don't want to change is the movie Invictus. Sometimes leaders work against such incredible odds that it comes down to achieving the impossible. That's what Nelson Mandela did to turn the tide in dealing with the aspirations of the blacks and calming the fears of the former ruling class. This is a movie for leaders to confirm not only how tough it is out there, but that great strides can be made with a unique but yet awsome strategy, a plan of action, and, exhilarating execution to achievement. Plus, there is one more secret & indomitable action - for that, you'll need to see the movie! Here's the trailer link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ovkye6lac.

Check out http://twitter.com/StrategyFirst - I’m tweeting on my favourite topic

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Relentless Execution!

January 12, 2010

As we look back on 2009 and account for what went well and what didn't go so well, is there something that could have been done that would have made a great deal of difference in the year? For many companies, 2010 is a year for returning to profitability. Will your company be proactive this year? The execution of your business strategy and plan is key to your company's success and future growth in 2010.

But what about a year filled with relentless execution? Sounds exciting doesn't it? Relentless execution is simply doing what you say you're going to do and that everyone else on the team is doing what they say they're going to do. Yes, much easier said than done but what other alternatives do we have? Yes, there are hurdles and obstacles but relentlessly executing on the plan, tracking results, course correcting as we go, keeping an eye on opportunities not in the plan - all lead to glory and accomplishment in the end. We kept our word, raised our own energy and the excitement and the energy of our people and became relentless in the execution of our business strategy. 2010 - it's a year for relentless execution!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

The Entreprenuer's Lament

December 8, 2009

An entrepreneur's lament too often is "Why is running a business such hard work?"

Emerson in his essay on Self Reliance said "A political victory, a rise in rents, the recovery of your sick or the return of your absent friend, or some other favorable event raises your spirits and you think good days are preparing for you. Do not believe it. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles." (The principle he was referring to is that cause equals consequence therefore hard work equals reward.)

Pete Seeger came to a dead stop realization early in his career when challenged by reality that 'a future in music would follow from a superfluidity of talent - what he described as "unschooled talent" had been undone by an awareness that he would have to work very hard.' Nine years later he sold over 5 million records of 'Good Night Irene'.

Jack Canfield has some insights for entrepreneurs.

Success Principles - Jack Canfield

"The 3 key differences that separate super high-achievers from everyday people:

• Unusual clarity about purpose, mission, vision and goals
• Developed powerful success habits & disciplines, &
• 100% responsible for results & are action oriented."

Ask yourself, have you built your long term strategy and vision for your business? Are you applying powerful management and marketing disciplines in your business? Are you taking 100% responsibility for revenue and profit results?

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

"Winning Forever"

September 28, 2009

Pete Carroll was interviewed on 60 Minutes the Sunday before last and what an inspirational interview! Called the 'Prince of L.A.', Pete Carroll's castle is the L.A. Coliseum, the home of the University of Southern California Trojans.

Fired from the NFL because of poor coaching performance, Pete Carroll found his way back to coaching through college football. He's become one of the highest paid college football coaches in the country - estimated at earning $4 million a year.

His belief as a coach and leader is that "the best players don't always win, the players that play the best do. That's why we work so hard. That's why we focus so much on practicing better than anybody's ever practiced before. It's about doing things better than you have ever done them before." Now isn't this an exciting, self actualizing idea.

But there is more - his coaching philosophy goes deeper. He calls it "Winning Forever". "It's about finding out how good you could become at something and then making it come to life." It's about helping people find hope by building "their own vision to help them understand what they can become." Now this sounds like 'real' hope.

As Pete Carroll says "Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. And sometimes, it's a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching and you know the greatest of things can happen." It's "Winning Forever".

As a leader and coach, have you unlocked your vision and purpose so that you are Winning Forever? As a leader and coach, have you unlocked the vision and purpose within each of your people so that they are Winning Forever? To read of view Pete Carroll's inspirational and practical visioning process, click http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml And now to an inspirational day with Jack Canfield right here in Calgary this Saturday!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Finding Greater Certainty Moving Forward

September, 2009

A recent Harvard Business Review article* tells us that adaptive leadership rather than hunkering down with cost cutting measures will help corporate leaders be more effective in dealing with continuing uncertainty as the US pulls out of recession. Adaptive capacity is defined as 'the ability to lead when neither you nor anyone else has ever been where you need to go.' The article indicates that 'intensifying global competition, energy constraints, climate change and instability' are some of the factors that will continue to contribute to uncertainty. Adaptive leadership has the qualities of being optimistic, and, realistic.

This is an excellent article that gives leaders pause for thought as to how they are approaching uncertainty in the next few years as they move their companies forward.

This article prompted my thinking about the changes underway in our values that also support the need for adaptive leadership. Work-life balance, debt reduction, wealth expectations, and, eco-care values are changing.

A healthy work-life balance seems to be becoming more of the norm. This is more true now with the baby boomer generation who have had a tendency to 'work to live' whereas work-life balance has been important to both Generation X and Generation Y. For example, a 4 day work week could become the norm within the next few years.

With the worldwide financial/banking crisis, debt reduction has become a priority. Expectations are changing in terms of expecting modest growth and modest wealth accumulation. Exponential growth and exponential wealth accumulation with a boom / bust experience has had a near crippling effect on the financial/banking system never mind on businesses and investors.

Eco-care and reducing the carbon footprint at work and at home - recycling, minimizing energy usage, considering alternate energy sources are all part of big changes underway in the next few years.

Given this, adaptive leadership is needed to incorporate these important values along with adapting to changing and somewhat uncertain market conditions.

As you know, with the work that my firm does, it's about moving my clients to a position of certainty by building plans and strategies that are creative, and, reasoned, rational and sound. It's where inspiration meets structure = increased certainty and greater opportunity. Results are tracked to ensure that these plans and strategies are strong enough to weather the big storms but flexible enough to adapt to new conditions along the way.

*Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis - Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky"

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Is the Recession Over?

August 2009

Is the recession over? On July 24th, the headline 'The Bank of Canada declares slump is over" seemed a little confusing. Another article quoted Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as saying "No...the economy has stabilized and there are the beginnings of a recovery, but I wouldn't put it any stronger than that." Scotiabank's Warren Jestin clarifies that the recession retraction has ended and that technically Canada is in recovery 'but we'll be filling in the hole we dug for ourselves between Sept and May all the way through next year, and so will the US."

We've experienced the downturn and it looks like it will be slow growth for the next 1 to 2 years. We need to keep working hard to surpass margins; provide better value to clients to keep them coming back, and, prepare our people and companies for future growth. It's about proactive strategizing, planning and executing to get results today to move a business forward with the potential to accelerate revenues and grow to the next level.

A Day with Jack Canfield!

'A Day with Jack Canfield' will help you and your team move forward to accelerate your personal and business achievements. Jack Canfield has coached individuals and companies for over 30 years. He knows how to accelerate the achievement of your personal and professional goals.

Based on his recent book, The Success Principles, Jack will share his learnings in a one day interactive session with you as to how to maintain high levels of commitment and motivation - in a nutshell - how to accelerate your success. Check out the event at http://www.itsmeannabelle.com/jackcanfield. VIP tickets and general admission tickets are at special pricing until August 15th - get your tickets today http://www.itsmeannabelle.com/jackcanfield/ashmore Join me, bring your team - don't miss this day!

Speaker Engagements

Check www.ashmore-assoc.com/keynotespeaker.html for speaker topics for your special events, or, call to have your own topic customized.

Summer Savings!

Summer is the time to prepare for building more revenues today, and, for a strong launch in the fall. For qualified projects contracted between June 15th and September 15th, a special summer savings program is offered where fees are negotiated and trimmed to meet your budget for new and old clients alike. Call or email today to secure your spot. Feel free to share this newsletter with other business associates. Contact 403 252 0799 or e-mail meA>.

Offer Expires for contracted consulting work by September 15, 2009.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

The Accelerator Principle

June 2009

For many businesses, this year is about meeting margins and planning ahead for a productive summer & fall. Business development, innovation and marketing are 3 ways that businesses can increase their revenues. When it comes to marketing and revenue generation, are you applying a system, a mechanism, an accelerator that brings in revenues consistently each month? If not, the Accelerator Principle may help you get organized to consistently generate revenues. Sound good? Read on!

Strategy Development - Step 1

A good marketing strategy is simply the best way to target and reach clients more successfully. It's about being proactive and cuts out the guesswork leading to quicker sales and sustaining revenues. It is also about using your resources more effectively so that your resources are focused on revenue generation. A good strategy saves you time and money!

Building a Revenue Accelerator - Step 2

This is a system, a mechanism that consistently builds revenues each month. If your existing marketing and sales system is not working to sustain your margins each month, this must be addressed immediately. Some businesses simply need to tweak their marketing/sales system, others need to refresh it, and, others need to revamp it. Especially in today's market conditions, we need a revenue accelerator that works!

Execution Coaching - Step 3

Sometimes, even the largest companies fail to execute on their strategies. It is especially important to execute immediately to ensure that your team is using the new strategies and tools. Don't let yourself or your people fall back into the 'old' ways. Coaching ensures that you and your team are held accountable and that you are applying your time and energy to an Accelerator Principle that works. It always needs to be tweaked! Remember, it has got to work - especially this year!

Tips for Accelerating Sales Revenue

Check 2009 Marketing Tips for some more tips on accelerating revenues in 2009.

Speaker Engagements

Check www.ashmore-assoc.com/keynotespeaker.html for topics for lunch time or call to customize your own topic.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

A Quick Review of the 2009 Alberta Budget

Here’s a quick review of the 2009/2010 Alberta Budget released at 3 pm yesterday:

• $26 billion has been spent in the last 5 years on infrastructure - $7.2 billion (of the 3 year $23.2 billion Capital Plan) will be spent this year creating up to 80,000 jobs
• $23 billion was paid off in accumulated debt and another $25 billion was put in savings of which $17 billion is in the Sustainability Fund
• Alberta has the lowest taxes in the country
• The population has increased by 91,000 people
• Deficits are projected for the next 2 years until 2012-2013
• The economy has contracted by 2%
• Revenues will decline by $4 billion and the government will access these $4.7 billion for the Sustainability Fund - the deficit will be $4.7 billion
• Operating expenses will increase by 3.7%
  • $12.6 is allocated to operate the health care system which is 40% of the operating expenses
  • $5.4 billion for K1-12 operating expenses
  • $3.1 billion for post secondary operating expenses
• Introduced a new framework - deficits will be ok only if there are funds in the Sustainability Fund
  • Government pay hikes and bonuses will be suspended and government is looking at spending cuts of $215 million
  • Borrowing will be allowed for capital funds
• With future surpluses, the government plans to build the Sustainability Fund to 25% to 30% of the operating budget
• $2 billion R&D carbon capture program mentioned
• There was mention of oil and gas drilling stimulus but not anything concrete
• The government will not add to family burdens
• SME tax threshold will be increased to $500,000
• Unemployment is estimated to be 5.8% in 2009 and 6.2% in 2010
  • $164 million is going into training programs
• The main infrastructure spending are in the 3 Year Capital Plan of $23.2 billion:
  • $5.8 billion - Highways
  • $5.6 billion - Municipalities
  • $2.9 billion - Health care facilities
  • $1.7 billion - School facilities
  • $1.2 billion - Post secondary facilities
  • $715 million - Waste water, water, irrigation

2009 revenues are estimated at $31.8 billion and operating expenses at $36.4 billion.

Note the government’s 5 priority areas:

1. Delivering health care more effectively and efficiently
2. Protecting our environment and developing our energy resources in a responsible sustainable way
3. Broadening Alberta’s economic base
4. Ensuring strong, safe and vibrant communities, and
5. Providing the infrastructure that we need.

Here are some basic facts about the economies of Canada and Alberta.

Canada

As of January 2009, there were 33,504,680 people living in Canada. The latest Statcan information is for February 2009. There were 27,161,200 people who were 15 years and older. 18,315,200 people were in the labour force, 16,899,400 or 92% of the labour force were employed full time or part time and 1,415,900 or 7.7% were unemployed. Note that from 2004 to 2008, the lowest number of unemployed people was 1,079,400 in 2007 and the highest number unemployed was 1,235,300 million in 2004. The number unemployed people in 2008 was 1,119,300.

Canada’s GDP as of January was above $1.195 trillion and below $1.2 trillion. GDP peaked in 2008 at approximately $1.235 trillion. National debt was $457.6 billion or just under $14,000 per person as of March 31, 2008. According to www.debtclock.ca, it is now $459.3 billion or $13,708.55 per capita. Household net worth at the end of 2008 was approximately $165,000 per capita.

Alberta

As of January 2009, there were approximately 3,632,483 people living in Alberta. The latest Statcan information is for February 2009. There were 2,836,100 people who were 15 years and older and 2,116,500 people were in the labour force where 2,002,100 or 94.5% were employed full time or part time. There were 114,500 people or 5.4% unemployed.

Alberta’s GDP as of 2007 was $259 billion. As of 2005, Alberta has been the only debt free province in Canada.

This budget doesn’t appear to have any surprises other than the $4.7 billion deficit is the largest ever and that there might be 3 more years of deficit. The Alberta government seems to be staying the course.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Breaking the Recessionary Mindset!

I hope that January has been a good start on your New Year!

To assist you find more effective ways to increase your revenue generating capabilities, you’ll find a tip in every edition of Business Edge in their Growing Against the Grain* campaign. Or, check out Growing Against The Grain for the last 3 tips. A report from the Conference Board on the Feb 27 Federal Budget refers to the budget as ‘breaking the recessionary mindset’. The economic and financial situation is feared like a pandemic. Your defense – finding more effective ways to generate revenues for maintaining a financially healthy business. Call today for more ideas!

Two excellent reports on the federal budget that you might find helpful are the Conference Board”s 2009 Federal Budget and BDO Dunwoody’s report** - BDO's Federal Budget Report.

Lastly, there are 2 funding programs to keep in mind that may assist you with technology developments in 2009 and they are:

1. The Capacity Builder Program offers quasi-venture capital funding of $1 million + through AVAC – www.avacltd.com.
2. ‘The Innovation Voucher Pilot Program’ - Alberta Innovation Voucher Pilot Program information pages. There is up to $10,000 for marketing & business advice, and, up to $50,000 for technology development. To find out more, call either Karen Robinson at 403 284 6405 – krobinson@calgarytechnologies.com or Laura Sullivan at 403 284 6419 – lsullivan@calgarytechnologies.com. (Note the deadline for submissions is Feb 13/09)

‘Good ideas are common – what’s uncommon are people who’ll work hard enough to bring them about.” Ashleigh Brilliant.

Have a good month!

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

The Credit Crunch and Your Options in 2009 & 2010

What are your options for 2009 and 2010? Most of us are trying to understand what the crisis in the financial markets and a slowdown in the world economy will mean to our businesses.

And we need to maintain revenues in these times. Cash flow is everything. Cash flow is dependent upon short term financing, wise internal cash management, and, generating more revenues.

This newsletter is about what you can do to generate more revenues through building better marketing strategies and more effective marketing & sales mechanisms to generate consistent revenue streams every month.

Have a look at the following table. There are numerous ways to increase revenues - penetrate the current market, introduce new products to the existing market, enter new markets and/or provide new products to new markets.

Markets /Products	Current Products	Future Products
Existing Customers	Market Penetration	New Product Development
New Customers	New Market Development	Diversification (new product development in new markets)

Which one of these options will generate revenue for your company?

For example, is new market development a good option for your business? Recent research into the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba markets indicates that the Prairie Provinces may navigate the financial and economic crisis fairly well. The Conference Board of Canada* forecasts an astounding 5.2% GDP growth for Saskatchewan in 2008. They forecast that Saskatchewan will lead Canada in 2009 with 3.6% GDP growth, Alberta with 2.6% and Manitoba with 2.4%. (Note that Ontario's forecasted GDP growth for 2008 is .2% and for 2009 is .8%.)

None of us can predict the future. Last week, the S&P/TSX index hit its lowest level since 2003, oil was below $50, the dollar was below $.78, and, as of Monday 3 major Canadian banks had very large 1/4ly write offs. My goodness - what's next? Never mind the 'pennying' of GM, Ford, etc.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, will your current marketing strategy weather the storm or does it need to be tweaked to give you more leverage and more revenue opportunities? Will your marketing strategy give you the leverage moving forward to continue to maintain and perhaps increase revenues? Will you have enough cash for monthly obligations?

We are fortunate to live in Alberta. Our neighbors, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are fortunate too. If you haven't explored these markets, please give me a call as to how my firm has assisted other companies open up new markets in other provinces. When we meet, I will provide you with a 1 page synopsis of the research report on the Prairie Provinces.

For those of you wanting to examine whether you are really getting the leverage to maintain and increase your sales revenues for 2009, give me a call - there is a mini-audit that I can do for you that will provide pointers for how to gain leverage.

*There are many other forecasts other than the Conference Board of Canada. Many of these forecasts are much lower than the Conference Board's.)

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Creating Success in 2009 & 2010

Your strategies for creating increased leverage, and, action plans for executing for results in 2009 and 2010 are now that much more key with the changes in the financial, banking and credit sectors. What are your best case and worst case scenarios? Where will you find the most leverage? What marketing and sales mechanisms will you put in place to generate and sustain revenues? What strategies and plans will pay off the most when the economy becomes healthier and the financial, banking and credit markets start to stabilize?

It is important to distinguish between the effects of an economic slowdown and the effects of the financial, banking and credit crisis. We can look at some of the root causes of the financial crisis but what we really need to do is determine our best course of action for securing revenues, operations and people resources. In these times, it may be best to have several best case scenarios and several worst case scenarios.

Whether it is business planning, marketing planning, customer or market research, my company assists businesses plan ahead so that they can use strategic thinking and more effective management tools to get more leverage and better results than what they are currently experiencing.

The tech bubble burst in 2000 and that sector has rebounded with the strongest players like Google and Amazon in the lead. Economic demand will turn around in time. With the current financial crisis, there will be a marked and unprecedented change in how individuals, businesses and governments manage debt and equity. Once again, your course is dependent on the strategies and plans that you make today to move forward. Most of us as business owners and business leaders are accustomed to dealing with uncertainty. John Allenn Paulos said it best when he said: “Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.”

Over the years, I have found that many businesses are not using business plans or marketing plans as strategic tools to gain more leverage, or, as operating tools to create greater efficiencies and track results. Uncertainty diminishes and certainty increases with sound strategies and action plans for moving forward. This is where we can work together to make the difference in how successfully your company moves forward in 2009 and 2010.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

7 Deadly Optical Illusions to Business Success

There are many illusions to business success as it pertains to the overall running of a professional services company. Here are 7 deadly illusions to avoid:

Illusion One - We're making money today, therefore, we'll make money tomorrow. The Reality - No matter how much money we make today, it doesn't mean that we will make money tomorrow. A repeating and sustaining base revenue along with securing revenues today for future months increases the probability of making more money tomorrow.

Illusion Two - With very large projects, the big dollars look like windfall profits. The Reality - The dollars are too good to be true as more precise financial management, client management and project management are needed to ensure that larger projects are profitable.

Illusion Three - Small projects are lucrative. The Reality - Small project detailing can often take 2 to 3 times more time that what it appears to be at onset.

Illusion Four - Increasing professional fees "looks like we are going to make more money". The Reality - Revenues may increase but profitability is dependent upon managing overhead expenses, the pricing of project inputs, and, controlling project expenses.

Illusion Five - More money is made by doing the work rather than getting the work done by others. The Reality - Once the volume is high enough and the business model is fully operational, much higher revenues are generated. With higher volume, the key is managing more and doing less technical hands-on work.

Illusion Six - Re-branding 'sizzle' sells. The Reality - Sometimes yes, most times no. The sizzle is not the steak. We all need a professional, fresh presentation that truly communicates customer value along with a focused marketing/sale strategy and an executable marketing/sales mechanism that consistently generates revenues without fail.

Illusion Seven - Business plans don't work. The Reality - Good business plans convert strategies into realistic and attainable goals. Failing to plan, not executing the plan, or, simply building plans that are too ambitious to execute are what don't work!

Don't let these 7 deadly optical illusions slow your success. Strategic thinking is about planning for a better future and executing today to realize that future. Friedrich Nietzsche said it best when he said "Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path, few in pursuit of the goal."

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination, by J.K. Rowling<

This summer newsletter is about the thoughts of one of the wealthiest women in the world about being successful, the role of leaders, and, what forges strong leaders. You can view or read J K Rowling’s Commencement Address on June 5th, 2008 to the Harvard Alumni Association's Harvard Magazine.

Execution – Larry Bossidy Style! A Three Part Series

Over the next few months, I hope to save you some precious time by summarizing the key points in Larry Bossidy’s book ‘Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done’. (It may save you a lot of money too!)

Over the years, I’ve seen the most excellent of plans ‘sit on the shelf’ for so many reasons with the top 7 being:

1. The President loses focus due to marketing, operational, financial or people concerns.

2. The purpose of the Business Plan was to raise capital and therefore it has served its purpose.

3. Lack of understanding as to why a strategic plan is needed, and, how it is connected to the annual operating plan to get results.

4. Key managers are not involved in building the plan and therefore not engaged or accountable for end results.

5. The strategies, goals and execution plan are not communicated at launch throughout the company, and, progress is not communicated throughout the year.

6. Aggressive goals are too difficult or too complex to execute.

7. Lastly, too often the very first execution steps stall due to lack of knowledge as to where to start and how to execute.

That’s where I come in. My clients love the strategies and plans that we’ve built. Over the last 3 years, I have been working with clients by providing on-going support and coaching so that the excellent plans that we have built together bring specific end results.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Part 1: Why Execution is Needed

One of the first things that Larry Bossidy makes clear is “Putting an execution environment in place is hard but losing it is easy.” In 2000, 40 of the top 200 Fortune 500 executives were removed – they were either fired or asked to resign. That’s 1 out of every 5 leaders!

WHY?

1. There is a gap between promises made and results delivered – an execution strategy narrows the gap.

2. Without execution, breakthrough thinking breaks down – big thoughts need to be broken down into concrete steps for action.

3. Execution must be firstly – a discipline, the job of a business leader, and, part of the culture – to get results.

4. Leaders need to engage in execution work to get results or else they are ineffective and incomplete.

Their Recommendations:

1. Involve all people responsible for outcomes in shaping the plan

2. Ensure that managers indicate ‘how’ they will achieve results before the plan is launched

3. Set milestones with strict accountability, and

4. Set up a contingency plan to deal with the unexpected.

Remember – “Execution is everything.’ (Emmit Smith, NFL Legend & ‘Dancing with the Stars’ winner) Larry King Live

It’s your FOCUS that matters.

Next newsletter – Part 2 – The Building Blocks of Execution

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Part 2: The Building Blocks of Execution

With the alarming statistic that 20% of the top 200, Fortune 500 executives were removed in 2000, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan make their point that execution is critical to maintaining leadership. Now, let’s move on to understanding their recommended building blocks for implementing an effective execution culture. They are as follows:

Building Block 1: The 7 Essential Behaviours of Leaders

They are - set clear goals & priorities and follow through. Insist on realism, reward the doers and expand your people’s capabilities. Know your people and your business, and, KNOW YOURSELF!

Building Block 2: Creating the Framework for Culture Change

As exciting as they are, the impact of a new strategy and a new organizational structure can greatly be decreased if the corporate culture isn’t aligned with these changes. For effective culture change, they are recommending implementing a set of processes which they call a ‘social operating mechanism’ to assist workers change their beliefs and behaviours so that these beliefs and behaviours are tied directly to bottom line results. This involves ‘operationalizing’ culture with new rules of engagement, and, rewarding performance. The social operating mechanism is basically a communication & coaching process that creates action to get results. It involves a consistent and intense informal dialog with all levels of the company to assist all workers focus on turning strategy into performance. This dialog surfaces business realities so that these realities can be realistically addressed. Some of this intense dialog is coaching workers by assisting them break down complex tasks into smaller steps. They recommend ‘robust dialogue’ to surface business realities and that the leader is the role model for exhibiting and determining worker beliefs and behaviour throughout the organization.

Building Block 3: Having the Right People at the Right Place

Bossidy and Charan assert that your competitive advantage is due to having quality people and that with quality people you have captured the ‘elusive sustainable advantage’. They tell us that the reason why the right people aren’t in the right place is due to the leader’s lack of knowledge, courage and commitment. The leader may make hiring and promoting decisions based on feeling comfortable with the worker rather than hiring or promoting the right person for the job. They call this a ‘psychological comfort factor’. When hiring and promoting workers, they instruct the leader to look at yourself first. Do you energize your people? Are you decisive on tough decisions? Are you effective at getting things done through other people? Do you follow through and get the results planned for? Given that you are the role model for showing how to ‘get things done’, they go on to recommend that for getting the right people in the right place is to hire people who have a track record of ‘getting things done’ and show enthusiasm for doing so. These are people who have ‘an enormous drive for winning’, know ‘how’ to get things done without burning out staff or damaging the organization, and, can be coached for improvement.

This completes a synopsis of Part 2 – The Building Blocks of Execution from “Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done” by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.

Remember - It’s your FOCUS on executing your strategies to get results that creates success.

Next newsletter – Part 3 – The Three Core Processes of Execution

Here’s the first of a 3 part series on Execution – The Discipline of Getting Things Done.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Part 3: The Three Core Processes of Execution

The three core processes of execution are the people process, the strategy process and the operations process. Without a strategy (and plan) to guide the people and the right people in place and the operationalizing of the strategy, execution falters.

Bossidy and Charan emphasize that it’s the people in your organization that are able to translate strategy into operations and indicate that “If you don’t get the people process right, you’ll never fulfill the potential of your business.” They advise linking people to the short, medium and long term strategy first to ensure that you have the right people at the right time. The next step is training people to become future leaders. And lastly they discuss the importance of a putting in a retention plan while preparing for succession within or if a key employee leaves the company. They discuss what to do with nonperformers. They strongly recommend linking the HR function to business results where HR is proactive in recruitment and in training/building personnel for the next level development as per the strategic plan. They go on to discuss the importance of continuous assessment and candid rapport with each and every employee to ensure that the right people are in the right place delivering on business results as per the strategic plan.

Basically a strategy is a directing process to attain a certain positioning in the market place. And once the direction and position is determined, the strategy must be converted into an action plan to show management and staff ‘how to’ execute on it. A strategic plan lays out understandings of where the company is now, where it’s going, the budget, capital resources needed and customer and market demand. The strategic plan analyzes risks (like a SWOT), analyzes competitor positioning and what constitutes success, indicates how the company will grow in the current environment, understands obstacles to success and critical issues facing the business, determines continuing sustainability. A strategic plan lists major milestones – if a milestone is missed, the course of action has changed and therefore the execution strategy needs to change. Lastly, the strategic plan questions the company’s ability to execute the plan, lists assumptions and is flexible enough to be open to new opportunities not foreseen at the time of the planning stage.

The strategic plan should be less than 50 pages and explainable within 20 minutes and describable in 1 page. For most businesses, a strategic plan in my opinion is 10-15 pages long with 3-5 minutes to explain and can be summarized in 1 page!

The operating plan breaks ‘long term outputs into short term targets’ so that employees have a guide for how to execute on the strategy. The operating plan is the link to reality. Goals are set, action plans are built and all parties involved agree to their commitment on the execution. Quarterly reviews maintain commitment and serve as an opportunity to build contingency plans as needed. Bossidy and Charan are totally adverse to budget planning driving the annual goals and objectives because this type of planning is not connect necessarily to market reality or the reality of how managers/employees get work done. Therefore, it must be the operating unit that commits to building and executing the operating plan that is aligned with the company strategy.

This completes the 3rd part in a 3 part series summarizing the book ‘Execution’. This is the last newsletter until the fall where I will review Bossidy’s & Charan’s chapter on ‘How to Conduct a Strategic Review’.

Have a wonderful summer. Remember, that the summer months are a good time to update your website, marketing & sales strategies and business plans in preparation for having a strong, successful and sustaining fall season.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Why Marketing Strategy & Planning?

Sun Tse, one of greatest and most strategic generals of all times, said it best when he said: "Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat." circa 500 BC.

Time after time, I am surprised when business leaders have difficulty describing their marketing strategy. With many businesses, all they need to do is add more salespeople and their sales revenues increase. With some businesses, all they need to do is add more advertising. Given sales revenue results, why do you need to consider building a marketing strategy?

The primary reason for building a marketing strategy is to determine the best position for effectively targeting your customer base. This will give you the most leverage so that you have the opportunity to accelerate your sales revenues and profits. Although you may be increasing sales revenues today, you may not be setting your organization up for long lasting and sustaining sales revenues over time. Envisioning the big picture and determining the best position in the market place to gain leverage will assist you grow today, and, sustain growth over the long term.

A good marketing strategy is usually only one sentence or a short phrase as it represents the key 'approach' for gaining leverage in your market place. Your marketing strategy dictates your choice of the best marketing and sales tools (the tactics) to deploy to get the best sales revenue results.

What are the best marketing and sales tools for building a marketing-sales mechanism - the engine that consistently generates sales revenues? What are the components of your marketing-sales mechanism? And, what fuels this engine so that it consistently 'forces' marketing and sales action? It helps to list the components of your marketing-sales mechanism and then draw a diagram showing how it works. What is the mix between marketing and sales activity? For the most part, marketing is about preparing the way for your sales and customer service people so that they have the most leverage when they are with your targeted customers.

For start-up businesses, sometimes they rely too heavily on branding and advertising activities and not enough on sales activities. For established companies, sometimes they rely too heavily on sales activities, customer service and repeating revenues and not enough on marketing activities.

As you look at the diagram of your marketing-sales mechanism, you'll start seeing where you are weak and where you are strong and can start formulating ways to:

1. Increase your leverage

2. Increase the engine 'speed'

3. Consistently 'force' marketing and sales actions, and

4. Operate 24/7.

The marketing-sales mechanism (once you've got it working and working consistently), becomes an unstoppable force for not only securing opportunity but for creating it.

Your next step is to build a Marketing-Sales Action Plan. A Marketing-Sales Action Plan directs your team to specific goals that can be tracked to get revenue results. Your Plan must budget for resources and deploy resources to get results. For ease of execution, it may help to build the annual Marketing-Sales Action Plan and then break the Plan down into monthly and quarterly goals.

What is 'measured is managed'. By tracking your results monthly and quarterly, you and your team can quickly decide to course correct as needed. You will see what is working with your marketing-sales mechanism and how to make it more effective on a continuous basis. You will also see what is not working with your marketing-sales mechanism and what needs to be changed or tweaked to get better revenue results.

Most businesses track traditional performance measures like revenue, profit, profit margins, cash flow, sales orders, etc. Tracking for short term and long term sustainability* is one level deeper. Tracking for short term sustainability is like tracking key performance measures with a few basic differences. For example, your firm's monthly revenue target might be $1,000,000. But, your sustainability target might be $700,000 from repeating sales and $300,000 from new sales. $700,000 in base revenue covers all of your operating and marketing costs whereas $300,000 in new sales revenue contributes to your gross and net profit margins and grows your company. With this revenue formula, your business sustains at its most optimum level.

Why track for long term sustainability? Because, it allows you to put resources in place today so that your business moves to its next level of development. If your goal is to grow your firm by 50% within 3 years, what financial, production, marketing, sales, human resources, products and services do you need to put in place today so that you can move to the next level? To get the most leverage, align your long term sustainability measures with your marketing and business strategies.

Walter Gretsky said it best when he said "Hockey is a thinking game, go where the puck is going not where it came from." That's strategy in a nutshell - so KEEP YOUR FOCUS!

Executing Your 2008 Strategic Plan

As promised, here is a summary of Chapter 8 ‘How to Conduct a Strategy Review’ from Larry Bossidy’s and Ram Charan’s book Execution - The Discipline of Getting Things Done.

They tell us that a strategy review must get everyone thinking and talking about reality. The questions to ask – is it plausible, realistic, internally consistent, does it match critical issues and assumptions, and, is everyone committed and accountable to their part of the Strategic Plan? They recommend asking these more in-depth questions:

1. How well versed is everyone/every business unit about the competition’s strategies to increase market share and block expansion initiatives of other competitors?

2. How strong is your organization’s capability to execute the strategy such that your value proposition is so good that it increases customers’ revenues (and your financial results)?

3. Is the plan scattered where your focus is diluted or is the plan sharply focused?

4. Are you choosing the right ideas that will move your organization forward that are within your organization’s capability, and, are possible within market realities so that you make money?

5. Are the strategy goals clearly linked with people and operations capability?

6. Can the strategic plan be seamlessly transitioned to the operations plan?

7. Do you follow through to ensure the strategic plan is executed? They suggest that you write each team member a letter reviewing their role and then use this letter for measuring future progress

Often there are divergences within a Management Team on the direction and goals of the company. When I work with my clients, I conduct an assessment to uncover similarities and differences. In a strategy session, we discuss these similarities and differences and work towards bringing the team together as a stronger and more directed unit to achieve company goals. As the leader, you are a role model for ‘getting things done’. Your focus in building and executing a strategy that is within your company’s capability, and, within market reality will determine your progress in 2008. Lester R. Bittell said it best when he said “Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning makes elusive dreams come true.”

Yours truly,

Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Business Strategy - Its Elements & Essence

As you work through your business planning process, it may be helpful to review the elements and essence of your business strategy to ensure that your 2006 Business Plan is based on a business strategy that is robust enough to move your firm forward in 2006. The elements of business strategy are simple and a good business strategy is founded upon how you are:

• Communicating your vision, mission and intent

• Communicating your shared values

• Sustaining and growing

• Differentiating to gain competitive advantage

• Gaining customer top of mind through branding

• Following through on goals and objectives

• Correcting for obstacles and opportunities as they arise, and

• Tracking for results to ensure that you are sustaining and growing as per your end goals.

What is complex about drafting business strategy is ensuring for the alignment of each element with each other element. By aligning the elements, you will eliminate confusion and uncertainty.

Now, what about the essence of your business strategy? When you step back and review all of these elements, you'll find that the essence of your firm's business strategy can be summarized in a short phrase or sentence. Can you do this right now? If you can't, it may be time for you re-think your business strategy.

What simple phrase will give internal power to motivate you and your team, and, external power to draw customers to your firm? Do you lead with Service or Quality or Price as per Tom Peter's advice? Is it working? If yes, GREAT! If not, why not?

To summarize, the elements and essence of your business strategy are simplistic in nature but they are founded upon complex strategic thinking. By communicating the essence of your business strategy in a short phrase, you will focus your company with a focused, united and motivated battle cry. Sun Tse said it best when he said "Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before the defeat." Circa 500 BC.

Where's the 'Power' in Your Business Strategy?

Where's the 'power' in your business strategy so that your organization continues to sustain revenue, profits and customers while growing to your next level development? When we talk about 'power' we're talking about the 'impact' of your current business strategy to get the results that you want.

Wouldn't you agree that sustaining, consistently, is one of the key components for building 'power' into your business strategy? Sustaining consistently is one of the most important critical success factors for running your organization. But what about growing your business? Is your business strategy big enough and strong enough to take your company to its next level?

The 'power' in business strategy is about determining if your current business strategy has the strength and wherewithal to allow you to grow your company to the next level. The 'power' in a business strategy comes from:

1. Describing how your company currently sustains

2. Determining the key components of sustainability and setting measures to consistently attain sustainability for your current operations, and then

3. Strengthening all of the key components of sustainability to build a stronger financial and operational foundation for future growth, and proceeding to

4. Continually execute on reaching the key sustainability goals, and lastly

5. Tracking, and revising as needed, and then executing on the revisions.

It starts with understanding the components of sustainability first and then moves to re-evaluating your current business strategy for its robustness, strength and resilience for taking your company to the next level.

Remember - business strategy and sustainability - it's a partnership if you want to grow your company.

Yours truly,

Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Goal Setting for Breakthrough Success!

Why is it that although management teams build excellent business plans, they don't seem to reach their goals over the year? As soon as the goal is set, it seems like everything happens to get in the way of reaching the goal. I've started telling clients that the word 'goal' means the word 'obstacle' simply because a force field forms that slows or deters goal attainment. The force field could be imagined obstacles or real obstacles. And then again, it could look like and feel like an obstacle course.

Think of any game - what would the game of hockey be like without the opposing team, and, the opposing fans? The game of business starts the minute we set a goal and so does an automatic force field establish itself - real or imagined.

So what do we do to achieve goals with breakthrough success? We can:

1. Make sure the goal is one that your firm values dearly so that your team is up to 'moving mountains' to attain the goal.

2. Is the goal directly connected to your vision where you can see that by attaining the goal your company comes closer to realizing your vision?

3. Know that every successful person and every successful business deals with adversity everyday. It is enthusiasm, perseverance and our belief in our products and services and how we help our customers that are the key factors determining our success.

4. It requires focus and its hard work - most successful people that I've met have told me that their success is based on hard work - not luck - hard work.

5. Sometimes the goal is too ambitious and if it is broken down into smaller parts or if it's spread over a longer period of time, it becomes more manageable and realizable.

6. After Plan A, do you have a Plan B or perhaps even a Plan C to achieve your end result?

7. Lastly in reviewing your goals, ask yourself 'Is the goal realistic, measurable and doable? 'Doable' means that you can execute on the goal with confidence. 'Measurable' means that you can measure the goal and that you do so every week, month or quarter to stay on track. 'Realistic' means that you're working with what is possible with the resources that you have.

Wayne Gretzky's said it best - 'One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in'. The more valued the goal, the greater the force field, and, the greater victory and celebration on succeeding. Remember the Red Mile!!!

Yours truly,

Eileen Ashmore, MBA

Habit & Execution - Your Dynamic Duo

Last month we discussed the elements and essence of your business strategy so that you build a business strategy robust enough to move your firm forward in 2006. Now, as you complete your business planning* for 2006, you'll be considering your execution strategy. Just like New Year's resolutions, the execution strategy may fall by the wayside a couple of months down the road if an execution plan has not been established. In the book 'Execution', Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan said it best when they said "Putting an execution environment in place is hard, but losing it is easy1".

Execution is about forming the habit of accountability with your team and your employees. It is a habit of doing 7 things:

1. Maintaining your focus on your business strategy each day for how you will attain your long term and short term goals.
   
   

2. Following through on the 2006 goals by building a realistic, doable action plan that indicates how the goal will be achieved, by whom and by what time.
   
   

3. Communicating these goals within your organization and with your advisors so that it is not derailed as some point during the year because someone had not bought into the business strategy, goals, action plan or execution process.
   
   

4. Tracking results to ensure that your action plans are working to sustain and grow your firm.
   
   

5. Reviewing your goals with your management team each month.
   
   

6. Reviewing your goals in more depth each quarter with your management team by indicating the status of goal attainment - 10%, 25% or 30%, etc.
   
   

7. Correcting as needed to address new opportunities and/or obstacles for attaining your goals.
   

Start the habit of setting review meetings on a regular basis. Your monthly review meetings could be 2 hours each month and the quarterly review meetings could be 4 hours each. If someone on your team is not available at the scheduled time, have them conference in to the meeting.

Many a leader has felt beleaguered, befuddled and confounded because he/she could not get the team focused and directed on attaining the goals of the business plan. Don't let that leader be you in 2006 by forming the habit of accountability with regular review meetings. ."Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going." Unknown. Let the habit of execution bring you more opportunities this year than ever before - it's your dynamic duo - Habit & Execution.

Yours truly, Eileen Ashmore, MBA

About Eileen Ashmore: Eileen is a planning and strategy specialist offering the services of strategic planning, business strategy development, business planning & execution, marketing strategy development, marketing planning & execution, market research/customer research (& their deployment). Now in its 23th year!!, Eileen's firm has completed over 200 projects since its inception. Eileen works with and supports your team in building strategies that move your firm to its next level. Her business philosophy is: 'If the purpose of a business strategy is to sustain growth and profitability, the purpose of a marketing strategy is to accelerate growth and profitability.' Stay tuned as Eileen will be completing her book on the topic of marketing for executives for publication in the fall of this year. Return to Top of page



Call us today at 403 252-0799, e-mail info@ashmore-assoc.com. or through our Contact Us form to find out more.