May I have a minute of your time?

Last Wednesday night my client, Howard Fleischmann from Community Tire & Auto won the Better Business Bureau’s Business Ethics Award in his category. The evening, hosted at the Biltmore included a special key note speaker, Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Entrepreneur. Ken shared with us his brilliant insight into what makes a true entrepreneur and what success really means. Success is not about what you achieve, but what you give to the world. The content of one’s character is measured by how much one loves not how much one gets.

I wish I could go into his entire presentation but instead I urge you to read his book. These are the main points I took with me from that evening.

What every entrepreneur should practice…the four Ps.

Purpose: lengthy, sleep-inducing mission statements aside. What is your purpose? You should be able to describe it in just a few words. For me, it’s: Delivering results for my clients by telling great stories.

Principle: When faced with any decision ask your self these three questions. 1) is it legal? 2) is it fair? 3) is it something you would want to see written about you on the front page of the newspaper?

Persistence: Instead of hanging a shingle out there and expecting business to come your way you have to go after it and have the tenacity that delivers results.

Perspective: Be willing to look at the big picture and cast a critical eye on yourself, your company, your purpose and your people. Surround yourself with people that complement you. Personally, my own belief is “there is no one smarter than all of us.”

I will add one more P, Positive. Humans are the only creatures in existence gifted with the power of speech. To speak words is to give them and the ideas they express, power. We hear about the power of attraction, and of course “the secret,” was part of nearly every water-cooler conversation last year. But being positive also includes personal responsibility and action. Speak only positive things. Remove no, not and don’t from your vocabulary and instead focus on what you do want. Be kind and generous with your mind, your talent and your time. The five Ps will eventually culminate into one P

… Peace.

Shameless Plugging

My friend Serina sent me this in an email today through Constant Contact. Just a simple note:

Hi Tony
How else do I get your attention?
Watch my quick video to see my shameless plug.
Your Shero,

Serina @ Athena Expressions

Today I’ve been twittering, updating my blog, updating my status on Linked In, uploading photos and video to my FaceBook page, creating art in Photo Shop, emailing reporters and clients, making phone calls, attending meetings, twittering, pitching reporters, answering calls, rewriting news releases, uploading video, making changes to my Web site … phew.  How in the world did we ever find the time to complain about not having enough time?  In Web 2.0 I feel like I’m 6.0 feet under some times.  Don’t get me wrong, I totally love what I do and I’m thankful to be able to do it everyday.  But it’s exhausting.

But the reality is that my friend Serina teaches me something and she may not even know it.  Her messages are always authentic and fun. And simple. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by how “connected” we have to be in Web 2.0 as my diatribe above illustrates.

I guess we’re like fish in a new tank finding the edges, bumping into the walls and darting through castles in our haste to see what’s out there.  What it all means.  So maybe I should have entitled this post “KISS” for keep it simple stupid. Because maybe I don’t need to be doing all of the social media every day.  Slow down and make it fun and simple.

I think.

I might know tomorrow.

In the meantime, join me for a swim around my bowl and see changes to my website and my FaceBook page … er, I know … shameless plug, but Ma everyone’s doing it. Especially Serina.