by Kirby Hasseman
If you had told me, when I was first watching Billy Madison, that I was watching one of the most bankable movie stars of the next 20 years, I would not have believed you. Adam Sandler was silly, obnoxious, absurd and, well, funny. But I did not see this as an act someone could ride for more than one movie or two.
I would have been wrong. Way wrong.
For years, Adam Sandler has made movies and money at the box office. He has had some really fun movies (Happy Gilmore, Waterboy and Grown ups) and he has made some bad ones (think Grown ups 2). But whether you like Sandler or not, I think he has several things to teach us about business.
Do What You Do: Sandlers first movies were obviously not Academy Award winners. But he found a formula that worked, and he stuck to it. He was the goofy underdog that overcomes in the end. Then, obviously a sports lover, he started making silly movies about sports. He found his niche, and did not try to be something he was not.
Lesson: Find your niche. Be authentic.
Have A Crew: One thing that always catches my eye with Sandler movies, is he has a consistent group of friends that he works with. Sure, he is obviously buddies with Chris Rock, David Spade and Kevin James. But his other cast of characters comes with him on nearly every project too. When you have a crew you enjoy working with (and trust), keep working with them!
Lesson: Find a team you trust…and stick with them.
Be Willing To Fail: Though I enjoy some of Sandler’s movies, he has certainly has had some stinkers (Jack and Jill and Little Nicky come to mind). But each of these has involved him trying something and taking some creative risks. The fact is, once people hit a certain level of success, many people don’t want to try something new. They don’t want to fail. I love that Sandler is willing to try some off the wall things. They either work, or they don’t. But he is already off to something new.
Lesson: Take creative risks. Failure is not the end of the world.
Let Others Shine: As I mentioned, Sandler clearly likes working with friends. He has even created a production company that produces movies that he is not even in! He lets some of his other friends take the lead and showcase their talents whether he is involved on screen or not.
Lesson: You don’t always have to be center stage. Let others have the spotlight.
Be Willing to Branch Out: Once he established himself in Hollywood, I like that Sandler did do some more family friendly movies. Though he still has his core characters, he has done some movies that the whole family can enjoy.
Lesson: Once you have a track of success, continue to grow. The most successful people, in any arenas, can teach us lessons we can emulate. Adam Sandler has created an amazing career that nearly anyone could envy. And best of all, it seems like he enjoys it too. Bravo.
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by Kirby Hasseman
Tis the season for holiday parties!
Your reaction to that statement probably reflects a few factors. First, it might depend on how you feel about getting together in public. It also might depend on how you feel about the holidays. But maybe the most powerful indicator about how you feel about holiday parties is what kind of festivities you have been to in the past.
Last night I attended one that was great. And it got me to thinking…what makes a great holiday event? Here is a quick (and likely incomplete) list.
1. Socialization: I love it when I get the opportunity to meet and greet with great people. The holidays can be a time when you are so caught up getting ready for them, that you don’t take time to enjoy them. The best parties allow the time for you to connect with good people.
2. Food And Drink: Whether it’s finger foods or a full meal, then best holiday gatherings offer the chance to enjoy something good to eat and drink.
3. Laughter: For me, I love any event when I get a chance to laugh. Whether you create that opportunity for your guests, or it happens naturally, laughter is the best holiday song. Create an atmosphere where everyone can have some fun.
4. Appreciation: The holiday season is a great time to show your gratitude. Whether it’s for your team or for your customers (or both), a cool holiday party gives you the chance to say “thank you.” Last night I attended a party where the leaders got up and personally expressed gratitude over the microphone, then they gave each attendee a gift on the way out. It was simple and classy. So if you are planning a holiday event, those are a few simple keys to keep in mind. But as I said, this list is likely woefully incomplete. What makes holiday events for you? Let us know!
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by Kirby Hasseman
My awesome wife (yes my wife is the best) bought me tickets to go see Garth Brooks in concert for Christmas. So I was lucky enough to be among the thousands of fans to see him in Pittsburgh recently. The show was truly outstanding. Whether you are a fan of his music or not, Garth puts on a show to remember. What an entertainer!
But it got me thinking, “What can I take away from this? What can I learn?” So here is what I came up with…5 Lessons to Learn from a Garth Brooks Concert!
The Power of the Wink: Gary Vaynerchuk actually talks about this concept. Garth understands that there is a huge amount of power in making each person in the stadium feel special. He runs around the stage so he spends time really singing and engaging with each section. He waves at individuals, slaps hands, and spends real moments that will create raging fans for life.
Lesson: Each customer matters…do you make them feel special?
Do More: The show was amazing. At the end of the event, I was tired! We had gone on a journey and stood and sang along. We had laughed and cried and screamed. And all I could think was, “He is going to do this again…tonight!” Garth scheduled two shows at 6:30pm and 10:30pm. Now that is ambitious.
Lesson: Want to grow your business? Do more than most people think is reasonable.
Bring The Energy: The reason I was so amazed that he was going to do this twice was, the level of energy he brought to the show was off the charts! He ran around and sang and screamed and (it seemed) had a great time. The audience responded to his passion by screaming louder (which I am sure fed his energy again).
Lesson: Your energy can really be contagious…is yours worth catching?
Play The Favorites: Garth actually talked about this during the show. He said when you come to see your favorite entertainer, it’s okay to hear the “new stuff.” But you bought the ticket to hear the old favorites. He’s right. The same is true for your customers. If you won them over with fantastic service, don’t change that model if you grow. Do what you do best!
Lesson: Don’t lose sight of what makes you special.
Let Your Team Shine: Around the middle of the show, Garth brought out his wife Trisha Yearwood to the stage. She is a talented entertainer in her own right and she did several great tunes from her career. In addition, both Trisha and Garth took the backseat as they welcomed one of their back-up singers to to front of the stage. She had written one of the songs Trisha was performing so they let her sing lead (and she was awesome). It was a cool moment for her and it made you like Garth and Trisha even more.
Lesson: Don’t be afraid to let your team members take the spotlight sometimes! It makes you look good.
What a show! If you get the chance to see it, I recommend it. And if you do (or if you have already seen him) let me know what lessons I missed! Remember…Sail Your Vessel!
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by Kirby Hasseman
One of my favorite quotes is, “The greatest distance in the world is the distance between “I know” and “I do.”
It’s a quote I use all of the time. Why? Because most of the problems or challenges in our lives have simple answers.
They are simple…not easy.
We know that if we want to lose weight we need to eat less and work out more. Simple. We know if we want to write a book we need to write one page a day. We know if we want to make more sales, we need to make more sales calls. Yep…still simple We “know” the answer to all of these. We just don’t “do” them.
On the other hand, most long-term changes in our lives don’t come from sweeping, huge, wholesale changes. Often, they come from making small changes that we are able to maintain. I see people all of the time make huge dietary changes in their life. They might even successfully lose a bunch of weight in a short period of time. It’s exciting and it’s impressive. It takes a huge amount of energy and discipline. Then they stop. The choices become too big. They become too hard. So make one “slip up” and they slide back into old habits. They gain the weight back and are incredibly frustrated with themselves that they could not keep up the “diet.”
That’s why I often advocate for small changes. You don’t have to start training for a marathon. Start by taking a daily walk. Create a routine that you can maintain and maybe (God forbid) enjoy! You can create a foundation of success that you are excited to build upon.
The same is true in sales and business. So often we think we need to make sweeping changes to improve. They are great…but can you maintain them? What if you just: Made one more sales call per day? Answered the phone one ring faster? Sent out one thank you per week? Wrote one helpful blog post?
Create small changes in your business and they can make a big difference down the road. Then you can decrease the distance between “I know” and “I do” just a little bit each day.
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by Kirby Hasseman
Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, many people look up from their turkey filled haze and realize that we have officially entered “the last minute” for Corporate Gifts! You want to say “thank you” to your best clients and employees (to fix the appreciation gap), but you know you have to hurry! We get it. We do the same thing! So here is a quick list of “last minute” gift ideas that will leave a lasting impression!
Presidio Backpack: If you want a gift that is stylish and functional, this might be right fit for you and your team. The Presidio Backpack is vintage inspired with modern day features and it comes in denim or black. Very cool. To learn more go here.
42 Can Coleman Cooler: I love this cooler so much I wrote an entire blog about it! You can check that out here. But the fact is, this will be the only cooler you need! It’s a good size to hold all you need…and it will keep ice 36 hours. Learn more here.
12 x 18 Year At A Glance Calendar: This is simple. Functional. And we print this in house! If you want to get your contact information up all year long on your best customer’s wall…and provide them value…this might be the answer! Oh…and we also have a new 12 x 18 Calendar product that is nearly indestructible. It’s water proof and so tough to tear. This is THE product you want to have on construction sites, manufacturing, food, healthcare and more. Let us know if you need more information!
Pyramid Copper Vacuum Insulated Tumbler: This piece has a cool design, a great quality and a quick turn around time! It’s all you need in a gift for the holidays. Check out colors and details here.
Urban Peak Drinkware Gift Set: This has plenty of “wow” factor because of the great packaging and the different styles of drinkware. Oh…and did we mention you can do a really cool imprint on it? Learn more here.
So those are 5 quick ideas. Need more? We can help! But time is of the essence. Please email us here and we can help move you in the right direction! Make sure you never miss an update! Sign up to be on our VIP list here!
by Kirby Hasseman
How does your day start? What are the first things you think about? What are the first things you do?
If you are like most people, you start your day thinking about the yesterday. You might be stressed about the work you did not get done…or the bills you did not pay. You might be mad about a conversation with a co-worker or a spouse. Or you might be worried about things coming up today or tomorrow. You are thinking about all you have to get done. You worry about the meeting you will have or the project that is nearing it’s deadline. You are stressed that there will simply not be enough hours in the day to get it all done.
Either way a few things are true;
1. You are not living “in the now.”
2. You have started your day in stress mode.
Dr. Joe Dispenza talks about this phenomenon in his book Becoming Supernatural. It’s no wonder, he says, that we feel like we are living the same day over and over again. We start each day in the past! By the way, I totally get it. I struggle with this a ton too. My natural state is “go, go, go.” That means when I wake up, my brain is ahead of me. I struggle to not start my day “on the wrong foot.” It’s a daily struggle. So what do I do? Each morning, especially on those days where I can feel my stress taking over from the start, I do three quick things.
1. I Take a Deep Breath: The whole goal here is to slow my heart rate down. There is no sense in starting the day in stress mode. I know that intellectually. But this simple exercise helps me take control of my physiology.
2. I Make a Quick List of Things I am Grateful For: I talked about the power of this yesterday. The fact is, you can’t be upset or negative when you are grateful. So by re-setting my mindset to gratitude, it helps me to get back on track, mentally.
3. I Get Up and Start Taking Action: For me, a ton of the anxiety I feel comes for worrying about the problem…whatever that problem is. Once I get up and start working on the project, I feel better. For me, nothing cures worry like taking action on the problem. So on this week of Thanksgiving…gratitude wins again. Let me know if this helps you…or share with me your “go to” morning strategy!
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