Ron’s 10 Rules for Business Success
1.   Get clear on what you want, make a decision to go for it, then take action.
2.   Stay focused on what you want.
3.   Surround yourself with people that will hold you accountable and tell you want you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
4.   Do the things that you are afraid to do or don’t want to do.
5.   Do not be afraid to ask for help you need it.
6.   Do not be afraid to fail. Failure is essential to success.
7.   Ask for what you want, and keep asking until you get it.
8.   Never stop learning.
9.   Figure out what works and keep doing it.
10. Do rules 1 through 9 again.

Ron Finklestein
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net    

Are These Your Top 10?
According to Grant Thornton, today’s business owners have the following needs.
 
Top 10 Business issues for Business Owners  

Strengthening customer relationships   97%
Finding Good People     89%
Minimizing taxes     81%
Growing the business     73%
Keeping pace with technology    68%
Managing cash flow     66%
Current business climate    65%
Creating & executing strategy    62%
Retirement & business succession planning  56%
Finding expansion capital    50%

Every business owner I talked and who have engaged RPF GROUP INC services have at least five of these issues they are dealing with. The two I am finding the least interest in right now are succession planning and finding capital. I am sure they are issues but not for my client, at least not right now.

The top two I am seeing are creating and executing strategy and strengthening customer relationships. For most of the business owners I am talking with, these two go hand in hand. They are asking two key questions: why are you buying from me and why do you keep buying from me.

As a result of the answers they are getting they are revamping their strategy.

Call me and ask how I can help you with all of these 10. 

Ron Finklestein
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net

It is all about Marketing, expecially to the Four Generations now Working Side by Side.

I was watching Terri Murphy (www.ilearingglobal.biz/ronf) discuss the communications stlyes of the different age groups. According to Terri Murphy, there has been no other time in history where we have four generations working side by side. All required different communication style when you are marketing.

The Civic group is ages 61 and up. They demand respect. For effective communications, they like written or spoken communications and consider texting rude.
 
Baby Boomers, ages 44-60, likes long lasting relationships, stability, respect, and will delay gratification to get what they want. They tend to focus on team goals. For effective communications, they prefer email communication. Some will use texting but overall they tend to avoid texting.

Gen Xers, ages 32-43, are into personal gratification, like a sense of community. They are the original latch key children. They are independent and like change. For effective communications,, They like you to speak their language get right to the point.  They want you be supportive in action and words.
 
Gen Yers, ages 14 – 31, are confident, like technology and like to use technology for community building. This age group prefers text message, like 24×7 self service web sites and they are not brand loyal. They like a good price and good buying experience. For effective communications,, it is all about them. They prefer non-traditions work policy.

It is interesting that some new marketing tactics is direct marketing to the cell phone via text messaging. The yourg generations loves this concept. Many of the older adults I talked with find it to be another unwanted intrusion into their personal space.

What do you think?

Ron Finklestein
You are the action you take
Business Coach
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net
 

I received this unsolicited email from someone who read my latest book called Nine Principles for Inspired Action: A New & Targeted Perspective.

“I expected this book to be another business development book on increasing our centers of influence.  Seemed inexpensive and a quick read.  I was blown away!  You shock me into action.  This book seemed to be written for me.  You said what all true leaders know and do not talk about. Your unique insight brings personal development into the business world by making me address the biggest asset or liability in my business, ME.  You drove me into action.” Tracy

I really appreciate this feedback because it helps me to understand what small business owners need: clarity, permission to say “no”, focus, discipline and intelligent self-interest.

The only thing that holds us back is our believes and lack of clarity. Skills do not hold us back. Skills can be taught. The web site I use to keep my skills current is www.ilearningglobal.biz/ronf (if you are interested). Your attitude and what you want your business to stand for can only be created by you.

Ron Finklestein
Small Business Coach
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net

Call me and let me help you get clear.

I am starting to get develop an identity crisis. My client’s have started calling me the Dr. Phil of business coaching because of the tough love and my no excuse approach to business coaching. 

I recently published my fourth book called Nine Principles to Inspired Action: A New & Targeted Perspective. A gentleman from New York read the book and called me up and he said “You are the new Napoleon Hill!” I was totally unprepared for his comments. 

I said: “Thank You. But want do you mean?” 

He started to going into details about my last book as he talked about how I took the materials in Think and Grow Rich to a whole new level. 

Needless to say, I am flattered. Who would not be flatter when being mentioned in the same sentence with Napoleon Hill and Dr. Phil. But let me be clear. I am only doing what I love: learning and sharing what I have learned. I do not what to confuse anyone, claim an identity that is not me or appear schizophrenic. I care deeply about my client’s success and I believe I need to stay ahead of them so I can continue to add value.  Some of the people who have impacted me the most, almost no one knows about. These are people who are my Business Mastery Advisory Board. Yes, I practice what I preach. Many of the concepts I write about hit my Advisory Board first, my client’s second and my blog third. 

The book Nine Principles for inspired Action took six years to research, test and write and it is the results of studying over 500 success small business owners (and many who were not successful). I chose small business because there has been much research done of very successful people but little that distills the behavior of the common man into action items that can be implemented immediately. The funny thing about this book is that it was never intended to be a book. I did this research for me and my clients, to help them and me be more successful. I want to continue to grow and prosper and get results. 

After I understood and distilled what I learned, I build several coaching programs to test drive these concepts. The results were powerful. So powerful that on one of my coaching programs I now offer a 100% guarantee. Simply put, if you do not recover the entire cost of the program I will refund the difference. I can do that because the clients who followed the process get results; those who did not follow the process do not get the results. All I did was formalize what they were already achieving in a measurable, repeatable and predictable way. 

My goal is to reach one million people with the concepts in this book. I am so passionate about this goal that I am giving away my methodology to any business coach, management consultant, small business owner or business executive that are looking for a way to get results, grow their business and generate more money. There is a catch though. You have to be trained in the process. The training is very affordably because I want interested parties to have some skin in the games so I know they are serious.

If you are someone who wants to achieve results, pick up the book. It is available on amazon.com. After you read the book, post your comments on Amazon so others can benefit from your efforts. I know some of the concepts in the book are controversial and will not be well received by some people. I am ok with that, because success, in today’s day and age requires us to think differently.

If you want to learn more about using my methodology in your business call me at 330-990-0788. I will answer any questions you have. 

Ron Finklestein

The Dr. Phil of Business Coaches or The Next Napoleon Hill, you choose

330-990-0788

ron@akris.net

.

Time is Running Out!

I went to funeral today for a dear friend who died suddenly. He was 42. He worked out regularly. He was not overweight. He was socially active. He was a successful businessman. 

His heart stopped Sunday. The funeral was today (2 days later). 

The funeral home was packed to overflowing. There were easily 500 people there; not counting the people who were turned away. 

Here is what the speakers who did the eulogy spoke about. 

He was honest. Yes, there are honest used car sales people. One person talk about how he purchased a car from him because of the trust he inspired. A warranty was purchased at the same time. The company behind the warranty went out of business. This gentleman called the person he purchased the car from and told him about the problem with the warranty.  He offered to pay the entire cost of the repair.

His family talked about how he blossomed from a shy young man into a outgoing and successful business owner, who stilled called his parents every week.

His friends talked about how he remembered everything: names of family, birthdates, etc. 

His associates talked of his love of Michigan football (Alumni), his love of the debate and interaction, his parties, his respect for others, his integrity and the motorcycle he owned but never rode.

Time is running out. We do not know when we will be called.

If you were called today, would you have the turnout this gentleman had?

If you were called today, would you have people talking about your honesty, integrity, and passion for what you do? The impact you made in the lives of others simple because you did what you loved?

If you were called today, would your sister stand up and talk about how you cared so much for your nieces and nephews? How you took the time to send them a text message. How you took them on a field trip. 

Would you customers give testimonials about how much they trusted and respected you? 

Would your associates give testimonials about how they thought of you as family, not just an employer? 

What is the message you are leaving with others after each interaction? 

Are you living your life’s purpose? Is it reflected in what you say? Is it reflected in how you treat others? Is it reflected in how you treat your family? Is it reflected in what you do, who you are, and how you act? 

It was with Randy Geller. I will miss you my friend. 

Ron Finklestein

I am from the stone-age. I think (thought) twitter was a waste of time. I would watch such things as I just woke up (who cares), I am eating dinner (then why are telling me, just eat), and a variety of other posts that just clutter up my day. One of my friends suggested I should sign up to see what all the fuss was about before I made any judgment.

Ironically, I am having some fun posting to twitter. I had several people invite me and I am now inviting you to follow me: http://twitter.com/rfinklestein 

One person who participates in a Marketing Mastery Advisory Board that I belong to made the comment that she sees me as the Dr. Phil of business coaches. It was a complement in the best possible way. She met that I use tough love to help her get results. It was nice to have something important to share on twitter.

I found it is a great way to break up my day when I work at home.

It is a great way to stay in touch (easily and quickly) with people I want to follow.

It is easy for others who share my interests to follow me.

Some people contacted me that I have not seen in a long while. It was good to hear from them.

So connect with me and I will return the favor. 

Ron Finklestein

The Dr. Phil of Business Coaches.

330-990–0788

I recently completed an offsite with my Business Mastery Advisory Board. I think of this as shortening my path to success. 

We do these once a year with members who see the value in spending time working on their business to get ready for the next year, ask for help in clarifying issues that hold us back, solicit objective feedback on issues that are important to us and create deeper, more meaningful relationships. 

I am always reluctant to take 2 full days away, not including the prep time required, but after I attend one of these events, I see things so much clearer. I have 20 pages of notes and I recorded much of the weekend so others can listen to their working sessions. These recording are so powerful because we receive so much useful info it is impossible to take notes and capture everything. The recording allow us to review this info at a more leisurely pace so we can be total present and really hear what was said. 

These weekends are especially valuable because the people who attend typically play all out in providing feedback: the good, the bad, the ugly. All this is necessary to move forward in whatever our chosen endeavors.

I formed these Business Mastery Advisory Boards and participate in them because they are necessary. We are so close to ourselves that we cannot see our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and possibilities with this feedback.

The principles that drive the Business Mastery Advisory Boards are documented in the book Nine Principles for Inspired Action: A New & Targeted Perspective. It is available on www.amazon.com. Since this book is just being released, my goal in attending the weekend retreat was to ask for help in how I can get these principles into the hands of over one million people. This is a big harry audacious goal I set because I have seen and experience the positive impact these principles had on me and my members of my boards. 

We spent almost two hours working on this and came up with 100 possible ideas. It is now my opportunity to filter through this content and figure out what will work. That is 100 more ideas then I had going into the weekend. If you do not think two hours is much time, try drinking from a fire hose; because that is what is was like. If you have not experienced six high powered thinkers, who see things differently, who are willing to share their knowledge for your benefit and success, with no hidden agenda, then you have missed something powerful. 

For the other members, we helped with strategy and business development issues, operational issues, family and life issues and launching a new business. Strategies were created, action items suggested, alliances formed, accountability partners created and results measured (we went back to last years’ accountability items to see what changed or was left unfinished). 

Because of privacy and confidential issues I will not share more. One of the rules is 100% confidentially. 

If you want to learn more about how a Business Mastery Advisory Board can help you grow, prosper and get results through purposeful action, give me a call.

Ron Finklestein

330-990-0788

ron@akris.net

One of my clients who uses and sells lLearningGlobal made a comment to me abouot how ILG helped hiim becomes a better sales person in his business - but not for the reason you would think. I ask him to write this article so I could share this valuable lesson with everyone. Sometimes the lesson is not what we expect.

When I joined iLearningGlobal, I was skeptical.  I’d never done an MLM before and never planned to do one.  However, I made an exception in this case because I appreciated the product, respected the people involved and it fit well with my existing business.It has turned out better than expected and I have far exceeded my goals of one new member per week.

However, there are two very important hidden values that are worth knowing about.

#1:  I am meeting great and interesting people that care about personal growth and being successful.  Several new opportunities have come up from the people I initially met from a discussion around iLearning Global.  In the end, these opportunities could be worth many thousands of dollars.  Much the same way that writing a book generated bigger speaking fees, iLearning Global has generated partnership opportunies.

#2:  This is the bigger hidden benefit.  In fact, this benefit is really unmeasurable for me.  Over the past 10 years I have sold products and services created by my business.  I could negotiate on price, and usually did.  Then I started selling iLearningGlobal and I could not negotiate on price.  I had to do better marketing and learn how to highlight the value instead of cut a deal.  I have become a much better salesman because I am successfully selling a product where I cannot change the price or the terms.

This has translated into building better products and improving my sales process for my own company.  I expect it to be a big factor in us having the best year ever this year.

Sure, the videos and training will improve your skills.  But the act of helping others and selling the product has been even more educational for me.

Ron McDaniel
www.employeeambassador.com

Chief Employee Ambassador, Buzzoodle
ron@Buzzoodle.com
www.buzzoodle.com
330-815-2742
Author and Speaker: Buy the Book: Buzzoodle Buzz Marketing

Learn to Earn…. Author and speaker James Rohn said, “Never wish your life was easier… wish that YOU were better.” So often we spend our time trying to find new ways to improve our earning potential. The fact is we need to build our earning power inside ourselves. I call it: Learn to Earn…. and learning creates earning significant earning power.  I have a passion for learning and helping others learn. We know individuals who make a commitment to learn on a regular basis will earn more and realize their dreams quicker and more completely.My version of “learn to earn” is found in the concept of continuous learning, which has become prominent over the past decade. Organizations are changing rapidly. Therefore, it’s difficult to find any approach to doing anything in organizations that doesn’t soon become outdated. You must continue to upgrade your skill set regularly. Stephen Covey says: “The half-life of your knowledge is only 2-3 years.” Consider how fast information and technology are changing. It is estimated that the amount of new information will double every 72 hours by 2015. How do you keep up? How do you keep making yourself valuable to your organization? You must keep up by focusing on yourself and the principles of continuous learning. You must set goals to constantly add value to your organization.The concept of continuous or self directed learning has become important because it places priority on noticing, adapting and learning from change.Self-directed training includes the learner initiating the learning, making the decisions about what training and development experiences will occur, and how. The learner selects and carries out their own learning goals, objectives, methods and means to verify that the goals were met.  But, where do we find this new knowledge? One of the best sites I have found in years for continuous learning is a recently launched web site www.iLearningglobal.tv . It is a subscription-based website that gives subscribers the opportunity to learn, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week from the experts in the Professional and Personal Development arena. Check it out when you have a chance. In fact if you are interested to learn more, Ron Finklestein and Ralph Berge are hosting an introductory event on February 26^th at Rosemont Country Club from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.  Register at: http://akrisilg.eventbrite.com or call me at 330-990-788 for details on this free tour of the web site.  I guarantee it will be worth your time.  

You Never Know Why People Buy From You?

I did a speech and during the speech I asked the audience this question: Do you know why people buy from you? Not the reasons you think they buy but the reasons they actually buy?

One gentleman in the audience takes great pride in knowing his business and being able to answer any question about his business and he was surprised I could ask him a question he could not answer. 

He took this question to his fellow business owners and asked them this question and they could not answer it either. 

He met with me this morning and hired me as his business coach.

After each sales call, I ask each person why they hired me. As is my habit, I asked this gentleman why he hired me. Here is what he said: “I sought you out because I need to grow sales and I spoke with some of your client and they are getting results. I hired you because you asked me a question I could not answer. I need that kind of objectivity and feedback.” 

Do you know why people hire you? Not why you think they hire you but the actual reason they hired you. If not, ask them. Once you find out you can build this answer into your sales call, your marketing literature, your web site, and blog, to name just a few. 

Your marketing is only as good as the questions you ask.

To your success,

Ron Finklestein

ron@akris.net

330-990-0788

I do a lot of one-on-one business coaching (www.akris.net) and I have seen this problem time and time again: owners not doing something because it takes to long. 

You want an example? One business owner did not do billing because it took over one hour to create an invoice and he did 10 invoices a month. His total process should take 10 minutes per month.

The problem: he was over thinking it trying to make it very efficient. His Business Mastery Advisory Board suggested he use a simple excel spread sheet and not outlook to track his activities. When we looked at his existing process, he came to the conclusion he could make this change in just a few hours. 

If he focused on being effective, the right amount of efficiency would have been introduced. Since he focused on efficiency, his effectiveness was being compromised. 

Time is short. It is the only thing was have. Focus on the best use of your time, not the more efficient use of your time. 

Ron Finklestein

www.akris.net

ron@akris.net

330-990-0788

I coach many small business owners and they know what they need to do but they just are not doing the necessary action. 

The reason for not doing the work is simply: “I do not know how.” 

I find this to be a lazy reason from not doing something. When I ask them to commit they say I will try. LISTEN UP LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! There is no trying. There is only doing. In this economy we need action that leads to purposeful results, not action that leads to trying.

The client I am speaking of needs a clearly defined, measurable, repeatable and predictable sales process. She knows that, I know that, her advisory board knows that. After three months she has not even started.

She talks about quality of her product and the value her company provides but she cannot define either in a way that allows the customer to understand, in a way she can understand. If you cannot define it you cannot do it or achieve it - it is that simple. 

She does not have to know how to do it, all she as to do is start doing something. Building the kinds of processes I am talking about requires documenting what you do now. If you do not know what you are doing, make something up and start doing it. 

After you try it a few times, you begin to see what works and the types of questions you are being asked. Document them. When new objections are raised, document me the objection and the correct response. 

Begin learning from your mistakes. 

Success is nothing more the learning to fail forward. If you run your sales call one way and do not get the desired results, change it and try it again. Find out what works and document it so you can teach others. Being a success is not rocket science but it does require you to stop shooting from the hip. Plan your shot, take aim, become aware of the wind conditions, take a deep breath to get steady and pull the trigger. 

Ron Finklestein

www.akris.net

ron@akris.net

330-990-0788

Several of my associates are using www.iLearingglobal.biz/ronf to help them with their personal and business growth. Below is an unedited email from one of them. I thought I would share it because this training works and works well.    

I got a lot out of the “Goal Setting” section; took some notes that might encourage others to get into the material.  There’s some good stuff there! Paul Martinelli:

• You have to use your imagination, not reasoning when setting goals.
• the reason we set a goal is not to GET something, but to BECOME something.
• Don’t set a goal on what I THINK I can do….it has to be OUTSIDE my comfort zone to inspire me….That’s where all growth takes place
• Don’t base any goals on OUTSIDE circumstances
• Give all my creative energy to the GOAL, not the plan!  The HOW will always show up; be flexible.
• Ask myself, is this goal worthy of me: I’m trading my life for my goal, it must be worthy of me.
• Ask myself: what do I really want??? Then take off the lid of reason, and tap into my imagination.

Bill Bartman:1. Make sure it’s MY goal, and not someone else’s2. Don’t call it a “Goal”….The average person misses their goals 70% of the time.   My mind just can’t “unknow” this!
Instead, call it a PROMISE to myself.   Most people keep their promises!!!   (I really like this one; it’s shifted some things for me, and I feel much more SURE of achieving my promises to myself!)3. Clearly identify the PROMISE.4. Use all the tools around you: people, support, what motivates you..5. Create a “Promise Plan”:   

• What it is I’m going to do
• When am I going to do it
• Where will I be when this happens
• Why do I want this; what is my passion
• Who; whose help do I need?
• How am I going to do it?  I can’t know this from where I am right now!   I only have to know what I want to do, and why…the HOW will show up.

6. Review the plan and the promise regularly.  Focus on it for 20 minutes daily.   (If it’s that important to me, I’ll FIND 20 minutes)7. Pay attention to what I’m saying to myself…tell myself what I can do, who I am….not what I can’t do   (Manage my self talk)8. Tell other people my promises- have confidence to do that.  It increases the risk; yet most people want to help…  be able to articulate what I plan to do.9. Envision the results before hand.

10. Start- take inspired action.

If you want access to the same training please click here to learn more www.learningglobal.biz/ronf

To purposeful action

Ron Finklestein

330-990-0788

ron@akris.net

500 Business Owners Have Spoken. They Told What They Did to Be Successful! January 1, 2009 - Ron Finklestein, President of AKRIS INC, a Business Coaching and Consulting firm, and Robert Schepens, President of Champion Staffing, A Job Near Home.com and Drug Free Solutions NEO, have published a breakthrough book called

Nine Principles For Inspired Action: A New & Targeted Perspective.This is great news for new, home based business owners and small business owners who are struggling to grow prosper and get result.  Ron Finklestein and Robert Schepens conducted research on nearly 500 successful business owners and discovered the Nine Principles that are being effectively implemented by those owners on a daily basis. They also discovered that many do not know they are doing it! They are only aware that they are getting the results they want.

“It is amazing how each individual really focused on their intelligent self-interest and how that intelligent self-interest drives not only their behavior but also the behaviors of their employees, customers and business associates.” said Finklestein. Available wherever readers buy books and online at http://www.amazon.com for a cost of $14.95. ISBN 978-0-9760297-0-0 

Ron Finklestein is a small business success expert and has been doing business and technology coaching and consulting his entire career. In 2001, he devoted his full time efforts to AKRIS INC, a business and technology coaching and consulting firm. Since that time he has been involved with hundreds of small companies and helped them achieve success by teaching them the same principles documented in this book.Robert Schepens is the owner of Champion Staffing, A Job Near Home.com and several other businesses. According to Robert: “We have discovered that owners of start-ups, established businesses and re-established businesses who achieve success have done so due to a clarity of focus in their visions. We believe we have found the fundamental principles that lead to increasing the odds of being successful, not just as a business owner, but as managers and people.”  Finklestein continues, “These principles are so powerful, we have created several products to drive these behaviors in our clients and we have been so successful in helping them achieve results that we now offer a 100% money back guarantee on our popular Business Mastery Advisory Board.” As a small business success expert, business and technology consultant, coach, speaker, and international author, Finklestein has written or coauthored three other books: The Platinum Rule for Small Business Mastery, 49 Marketing Secrets (THAT WORK) to Grow Sales and Celebrating Success! Fourteen Ways to Create a Successful Company.

Finklestein is available as a trainer, coach and consultant for your business needs. He can be reached at 330-990-0788 or ron@akris.net.  Finklestein is a lifelong resident of Akron, Ohio. Finklestein attended the University of Akron and Malone College. Robert Schepens is an entrepreneur, and former president of several business trade associations. His companies have achieved: ISO 9001:2000 Certification, multiple Weatherhead 100 Awards for Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in Northeast Ohio, The First Staffing Service in Ohio to Achieve Level II Drug Free Workplace Certification by the Ohio BWC, multiple NorthCoast 99 “Best Companies to Work for in Northeast Ohio” Awards, Northeast Ohio Business Success Award and “Top 10 Most Dependable Staffing Firms in the Central USA” Award (Fortune Magazine 2008). He is the Host of “Entrepreneur to entrepreneur”, “Innovation Northeast Ohio” and “People Making A Difference in Northeast Ohio”, video channels on A Job Near Home.com which can also be found on You Tube and iTunes. Robert is a graduate of Valparaiso University, Christ College, and attended Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University. For quantity purchases or how to implement these principles in your business please contact Ron Finklestein with any questions. Contact:
Ron Finklestein
330-990-0788
ron@akris.net

Robert Schepens

216-823-5900

ras@ajobnearhome.com