Killing the Cold Call Monster

Building your business and generating sales requires cold calling, yet most sales professionals generally hate cold calling. How to you build a successful sales team quickly and keep your team from pulling their hair out? You build it with relationship marketing, a solid network of referrals, and by positioning yourself as an expert.

1. Relationship Marketing

Being involved with community groups, and creating an effective 10 second “elevator pitch” for what you do and how you help people is crucial! Keep it simple and stupid. More importantly, listen to what the other person is saying about themselves 90% of the time. They will tell you everything you need. My friend, Craig Valentine, encourages you to disqualify potential prospects at networking events rather than trying to qualify them.

2. Growing Your Referral Business

Change the word “Referral” to “Introduction” and watch your prospect’s barriers crumble.“John, I’ve really enjoyed helping you and your wife with your mortgage. Who could you introduce me to that would also enjoy the same quality and service that you’ve grown to love?” is a great question to ask.

If you are not asking for referrals every time, even from people who don’t purchase your product or service, you are leaving money on the table! I go into greater detail in a previous post titled, Referral Roulette: You Can’t Afford Not to Play!

3. Become an Expert

No one has to knight you as an expert in your industry. Proper positioning you as the solution to the problems which cause your target market sleepless nights will be extremely lucrative to you and your business.

Create special reports, write articles, and blog about relevant subjects, and you will build up your expertise momentum. If you are stuck, read this article.

What are some of your success strategies for building your business?

Share this article

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Pay Attention to What Is In Front of You!

Mountain biking is a lot like running a successful small business. While you must pay attention to your vision and long term plans, you must also be aware of the obstacles and curves in the road which is right in front of you.

Small businesses and sales professionals that succeed understand this concept and strive to find a balance.

Motivate your staff, create an awesome customer experience, and remember to keep your eye on what is right in front of you. 

Please share and comment on this post! Looking forward to speaking at your next event, convention, or meeting! 

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Clear Vision and Kayak Motivation

While I was kayaking this morning, my sunglasses quickly became covered with water droplets from the splashing of my paddle. Which got me thinking...my vision became blurred and I needed to clean my lenses to see clearly.

Many distractions can pop up and cloud your vision when you are pursuing a goal, growing a business, or even raising a child. Cleaning the distractions off of your glasses will restore vision, and help you to stay motivated!

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Commandments of Customer Service Excellence

Most businesses say that customer experience is important to their mission, yet very few intentionally do the necessary work to create amazing customer experiences at every level. When a business designs a predictably awesome customer experience, the barrier of price and commodization fade away.

Weaving awesome customer experiences into the fabric of a business requires strategy, execution, and empowerment. When done correctly, the customers will contagiously spread how great their experience was to anyone who will listen. Would you rather visit Disney or a county fair? Stay at a Four Seasons Hotel or a Motel 6? Use an Apple Genius Bar or risk asking for help at a big box store?

Berry, Director of Customer Experience Awesome-Ness and Convention Attendees

Whether your business is established, or you are starting it today, here are 3 Commandments that every awesome organization employs:

1. Hire for attitude and outlook, train for specific skills.

The specific task a team member does for a business is far less significant than who they are, and how they interact with your customers.

The Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, VA hosted a national convention where I was the keynote speaker. Their airport shuttle was running painfully behind schedule, and my patience was wearing thin. When the shuttle arrived, the driver, Berry, was quite apologetic and explained that traffic and congestion delayed his arrival.

“I will do everything I can to make your stay at Hilton a wonderful experience, Shef!” he confidently assured me.

I joined 15 other convention attendees on this shuttle who were raving about how cool Berry was, and how impressed they were with him. They were right.  I shared the story with the audience of 400 during my program, and at the mention of his name, the audience broke into cheers! Kudos to Berry and to the Hilton.

2. Conduct a 5 minute standing “huddle” meeting at the beginning of the day to share what was great about the previous day, and re-commit to the mission and the vision of your organization.

Motivation requires constant reminding  to be effective. Zig Ziglar stated, “Motivation is not permanent. Neither is bathing. You need to practice both on a regular basis!”

Do NOT leave your mission and vision to chance.

3. Empower your team to WOW

If your staff requires your approval on everything, you don’t have a business…you are a babysitter. Morale suffers, turnover increases, and your organization begins to lose its soul.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotels authorize their employees to spend up to $2,000 per day, per guest to rectify a customer complaint. How empowered do you think their culture is?

Check out my previous article, The How of Wow for other examples. Businesses today are living in a world of high-touch and high-connection. What are some of your favorite customer experience stories?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Why a New Entrepreneur Should Keep Their Day Job

When many people start their business, they believe that it will be a road paved with gold. Not so. How you navigate the ups and downs of your new business will determine how successful you will be. 

A young entrepreneur  (we'll call her Tammy) called me, let out a loud sigh and says, "I've come to the realization that I need to take a job while I'm building my business." The tone of her voice sounded like she had just struck out in the game of business. After all, one of the most despised words to an entrepreneur is job.

Our phone call continued for several minutes, and our conversation focused on why taking a job could be the best thing for her business in the long run.

Here are 3 benefits of growing your business while working full time:

1. Predictable structure and expectations

It takes an immense amount of discipline to stay focused and structured when you are your own boss! If  no one holds you accountable for deadlines and results, your business is destined to fail. Entrepreneurs who are working a job while building their business view their job from a different perspective. Imagine the valuable tools you could use if you worked on an iPhone launch, concert promotion, or any other useful marketing task, and how it would help you in your business.

2. Build Relationships

Many entrepreneurs believe in the Field of Dreams approach to marketing their business..."If you build it, they will come." Cool movie, horrible marketing strategy. The relationships you build while working at a job may turn into your dream clients or potential team members down the road. Someone who understands this strategy better than most is one of my coaching clients, Dave "Coach K" Kinneberg. He is a full time high school teacher and a part time Realtor at Coldwell Banker At Your Service Realty in Rochester, MN. He has a passion for teaching, and his high school students and their parents often come to him when they need to buy or sell a home. His part time real estate income usually exceeds his teaching income for the year by April. Don't ignore the relationships that may be in front of you!

3. Insulation from the ups and downs of revenue

Revenue is awesome for a business, but cash flow is the key to keeping an entrepreneur sane. Chris Guillebeau, author of the $100 Startup, offers great advice in his article on Starting a Business While Working a Full-Time Job. Multiple sources of income can be a great sanity saver while you are pouring your heart and soul into building your dream business.

Bottom line: If you need to seek outside employment for a short time while building your business, check your ego at the door and get the most out of it!

What are some of the most memorable experiences you had from starting your business?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

The 7 Most Common Executive Speaking Mistakes

A smartly dressed executive steps onto the stage to address his audience. Within five minutes of his opening salvo of “Good morning!” his audience is tuned in…to anything but what this CEO, CFO, or other executive is talking about. Some executives are complete failures when it comes to speaking to group; others captivate their audience’s without breaking a sweat.

Any speaker must be able to convey a message, stir up the audience’s emotions, and paint a clear vision for the future. Do it correctly, and your audience will “buy in” to your message; anything less will disconnect you from an audience quickly. Here are the 7 Deadly Sins of Public Speaking for Executives (and a few tips about how to correct them):

1.        Begin your speech with “Good morning, afternoon, or evening”.

The audience does not need to be reminded of what time of day it is. The only thing worse than beginning with “Good morning, afternoon, or evening”, is repeating it in a sing-song type of tone, waiting for your audience to respond. This creates resentment and often builds a wall between the speaker and the audience.

Success Speaking Tip: Your audience will remember the beginning and ending of your speech. Launch immediately with a powerful story to “grab” your audience’s attention

2.       Read your speech word-for-word.

When someone loses their place when reads their speech word-for-word, panic and finding their place trumps connecting with their audience. A CEO is not a newscaster reading from a teleprompter! The best speakers touch their audience’s hearts, which is impossible to do when robotically reading something from a card.

Success Speaking Tip: Use bullet points if you require a “memory jogger” to help you stay focused. If you lose your place, a quick glance will often remind you of your place.

3.       Journey into PowerPoint hell

Many executives deliver speeches containing slides filled with 100+ words, then read most of the content printed on the slide to the audience. With very rare exception, more than 3 words on any slide will confuse and shift their focus from listening to you to reading a slide.

Speaking Success Tip: Use pictures. People think in pictures, not words. If you think your profession is different…you are wrong. One book that revolutionized my speech preparation is titled, Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo. Get it.

4.       Grip the lectern like your life depended upon it

Some executives hold on to the lectern as if it were a lifesaving piece of driftwood in the middle of a raging flood. When you let go of the lectern, you are able to move with purpose and enjoy a deeper connection with the audience.

Speaking Success Tip: Practice moving with purpose during your speech. Body language integration and animation will not only help you keep your audience’s attention; it will help your speech become more memorable.

5.       Ignore the clock

Most CEOs would not tolerate someone who constantly showed up 15 minutes late for meetings. Running over your time slot is the speaker’s version of being tardy. When you exceed your allotted time limit, you are being disrespectful of your audience’s time. It also robs the other speakers of their allotted time slots.

Speaking Success Tip: Practice and time your speech. Remember that audience interaction is necessary and will eat up time. Prepare a speech which is five minutes less than needed.

6.       Ummm, ahhh, you know, and other verbal pauses

Most speakers don’t realize that they are using verbal pauses. Imagine ordering a sandwich at a deli and saying, “I am..ummm..Tom…ummm…and I’ll have …ummm…the turkey sandwich…you know….” You look no less ridiculous using verbal pauses during your speech.

Speaking Success Tip: Join a Toastmaster’s group. (To find one near you, visitwww.Toastmasters.org). They are an amazing organization dedicated to helping people improve their communication skills. There is no greater return on investment for helping you improve your speaking skills.

 7.       End with Q & A

Your audience will remember the beginning and the ending of your program. Even the greatest closing story can be killed quickly by a question and answer session. Think about it, when does a Q & A session conclude? When no one else has anything else to say! This leaves your audience with the impression that there is nothing else interesting about your topic and that you have exhausted all of your knowledge on the subject. It also opens the potential for someone to perform a “mini-speech” about their question, or to drag their question on for 5 minutes.

Speaking Success Tip: If you must include a Q & A, ask for questions ahead of time via email or other promotional means. If you are speaking for a 3-4 hour time slot, ask the audience to submit questions during the mid-session break. You may address the appropriate questions during your program. For other tips, read my previous post, 3 Ways to Become a More Flexible Speaker. This format also allows you to plant the seed with the audience that you have much more information for them than time allowed.

The most effective CEOs and other executives are the most effective communicators. Whether you are addressing an audience of 10 or 10,000; your communication style can act as a catalyst to light the audience on fire, or put them to sleep!

What are your thoughts on executive speaking styles?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Traits of a Great Credit Union Leader

There are some CEOs who are pretty good, then there are those who weave their personality and vision into the fabric of an organization, creating a lasting legacy. A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of meeting the CEO of Ascentra Credit Union, Paul Lensmeyer (as a bonus, he is a huge Green Bay Packer fan). Ascentra Credit Union has 10 locations in the greater Quad Cities Area. 

I also had the honor of working with the great team at Ascentra in a consulting capacity, and they displayed excellence at every level. Last week Paul passed away, but his memory will continue to live on. Paul was a dedicated family man and a great leader. Here are 3 great leadership traits that every great leader (including Paul) display every day:

1. Realize that your work family is just that...a family. 
When an employee enjoyed success inside or outside of work, they were eager to share it with Paul, who always lent an eager ear. He was also a voice of encouragement when times got tough. If you needed a cheerleader, he was there; if you needed a kick in the butt to accomplish your goal, he was there as well.

2. Weave a vision into the fabric of your organization and reinforce that vision continuously. 
Like many CEOs, Paul could boil down the most complex ideas into bite-sized sayings and action items. Keep your mission simple and repeatable. Ascentra's mission of "Listening, Caring, Doing What's Right" embodies just that.

3. Engage your community!
No one builds a business alone. Your community must be reminded that you are on their side. The best local banks and credit unions make it a point to help a sick or injured customer or member when times were tough (See my previous post on Business Awesomeness), they'll involve their people into community events, and will generate goodwill in their community.

Whatever your business may be, strong leadership principles and hard work will help shape it into everything it can become. The true test of a great leader is how something runs when they are not there. Paul will be missed by many people, but his legacy will live for generations to come.

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Business Building Strategies for Professional Speakers

"If I could just find someone to book my speaking dates, life would be great!" says 90% of the speakers on the planet. Get over it. Unless you are a celebrity, or a very established speaker; it is up to you to fill your calendar. Successful motivational, sales, and other expert speakers invest 90% of their time  marketing their speaking services.

John Assaraf, Jeffrey Gitomer, and Shef in San Diego

The way that you position your expertise and style to an event planner makes a world of difference with regard to the success you will enjoy as a professional speaker! Regardless of if you are just starting in the speaking business, or if you are a veteran; these strategies will help you produce great results:

1. Specialize and Customize to Monetize

If your message is for everyone, your message is for no one. "Helping people get the most out of their lives." is a common reply that I hear when asking speakers about how an audience benefits from their message. With a few very rare exceptions, no one hires a generalist. An example of a better, more focused reply could be, "I help women entrepreneurs with children build a successful business without feeling like they are robbing their family of their time."  

My previous post titled, Un-Stick Your Speaking Business, contains a few other ideas that will help you.

2. Ask the right questions

If you walked into your doctor's office seeking relief from a broken leg, but he launched into a long conversation about allergies, you would still have a broken leg and would have wasted your time. Many speakers do the same thing. Your message is not a "One size fits all" type of message.

Some typical information that I require when someone is booking me to speak includes audience size, gender split, income range, and the key objectives and problems that the client is hoping to address with this event. By asking the right questions, you are able to craft your language to become a solution for their problem.

3. Create Pretty Promo

My promo package used to include a cover letter and a few references thrown into a Priority Mail envelope with a couple of my books. When I first visited Speakermatch (an amazing lead source for speakers), I looked at the professional-grade folders that other speakers were submitting.

From that point forward, my promo information is not only customized, but is neatly tucked into a folder. I also include a one-sheet for them to review. (Look at my Keynote Speaker One Sheet Here). Many industries suffer from the same ailments, yet replacing a few words within your promo material can make a world of difference in positioning you as an expert in the client's eyes.

You cannot steer a boat that is not moving. The only way that you will transition from someone who can speak to a professional speaker is to get moving! Civic clubs are a great place to start. I wrote an awesome guide titled, Tapping the Goldmine of Civic Clubs, and it is yours for free. Just contact my office and request it.

What has been the most effective marketing for you as a speaker?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Motivate Yourself to Stay Above Water!

Would you paddle a kayak or canoe on a raging river without the protection of a life jacket? Would you go skydiving without a parachute? I would sincerely hope not. Millions of people every day engage in behaviors that are just as risky and reckless. They place their minds at risk of being poisoned by negativity and fear by engaging in media autopilot.

Staying motivated at work and at home requires work! Feeding your mind a diet of growth, encouragement, and success will help keep the negative forces in the world at bay. 

I shot this video yesterday on the shores of the Mississippi River, let me know what you  think! What do you do to stay motivated and protect yourself?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Ways to Create Excitement Everyday

Everyone feels has days where they feel like they are going through their days like a robot. Day in...Day out...boring! Discover how you can create more zest and passion in your day (and your career) by following these 3 simple strategies:

1. Realize that you are your own promoter. You must create and fuel the buzz around what you do, even if it seems silly. Even movies that bomb have a huge promotional schedule to stick to. 

2. Realize that you are the only one responsible for how you feel.

3. Surround yourself with people who stretch you. These are not just people who will sit idle while stay stagnant. They are people who seed more in you than you may see in yourself.

Please share this video on your social media sites, and comment below on how you create excitement in your world.

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Speaking Business Stuck?

The speaking business is awesome...except for when it's not. I can't count how many speakers who I've met who have possessed amazing talent, great passion, and a sincere desire to help people with their message...until they give up! 

Most speakers give up when the "newness" of their business loses it's luster and it becomes a business, complete with the normal ups and downs of any business. 

Here are 3 tips that help hundreds of speakers going when they are ready to quit:

1. Always carry a pocket full of mental floss! 

The right Podcasts and audio books will feed your mind with "can do" when the world keeps throwing "doo-doo" at your dream. When I began speaking, I owned a janitorial business. I was literally listening to inspirational tracks from Les Brown, Jeffrey Gitomer, Zig Ziglar, and Tony Robbins while I was cleaning bathrooms!

2. Attend a multi-day personal growth seminar. 

Surrounding yourself with success-minded people provides you with amazing tools and connections that you won't find anywhere else. The Think and Grow Rich Summit on April 25-27 is guaranteed to rock your socks off, and is a steal at only $177! You will see amazing speakers like Jeffrey Gitomer, Bob Burg, and a host of others (including yours truly). Get there!

3. Pick up the 300 lb. phone!

Don't worry about being perfect on the phone, simply connect with people you know and let them know that you would like to speak to their business or civic club. "How can we make that happen?" is a magic phrase that will fill your calendar.

Whatever you do, don't let your message die inside of you. If God gave you a dream, He also gave you the means to make it come true. How do you keep your dream alive?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Ways to Become a More Flexible Speaker

The only thing that will never change is...CHANGE! Any speaker who markets, promotes, and sells at their events like it was 2006 is destined for massive failure! Some people feel that even though the business landscape is constantly changing; their business is immune from having to change. They call those people "Former Speakers".

Shef;s Hair Band Days!

While persevering toward a meaningful goal is an essential trait of all successful people; realize that it is okay to change your goals. During my late teens and early 20's, I was destined to be a rock star. I invested countless hours practicing my guitar, spent days in recording studios, and thousands of miles on the road...pursuing the dream of "making it" in the music business and needing security to fend off beautiful women who were just trying to get my autograph!

Then...my goals changed. I hung up the guitar and picked up a vacuum cleaner. I was learning the world of direct sales and sales management. That decision afforded me the ability to travel around the world, build huge sales organizations, and introduced me to the world of personal development. From there, I launched a successful speaking career and have written several books. The goals changed, but I never gave up (Although, I thought I would be signing a boob, not a book!)

Here are 3  ways that any speaker can grow their speaking business by being flexible:

1. Always ask, "So What?"

No matter how awesome or heart-wrenching your story is; the audience will remember you when you show them that you are tuned into their needs. If you think that your story is different, it's not. Get over it.

2. Get to know your audience before the event!

So many speakers miss the mark on this one! Here are a few basic questions that every speaker should know:

- How many people will be attending?

- What is the gender split of the audience? (anything heavier than 70% either way will require customizing. Women often respond best to relationship and feeling based stories. Men like achievement, recognition, and legacy.)

- What are some challenges that they are dealing with currently?

3. Ask the event planner, "What would make this an awesome event for you?"

Winning a game is so much easier when you know what winning looks like! If you event planner wants the audience to walk away with a particular feeling or action plan; frame your program around that. Talk to several attendees and ask them what they would like to hear. It doesn't matter what you want; it matters what they want.

Being a great speaker requires constant improvement and flexibility. Continue to hone your craft, and realize that you will never get noticed if you blend into the background. For additional marketing ideas, read my previous post here.

What are some ways that you customize your speaking programs?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

3 Marketing Tools Every Speaker Should Use

Why do some speakers consistently get hired, yet others fail to impress event planners? It has little to do with talent, and has even less to do with your desire to succeed at building a successful speaking business. The most important activity someone who is growing their speaking business is  creating sustainable marketing that sticks.

Whether you are new to the speaking industry, or a seasoned veteran; I will share 3 simple ways that top ranked professional speakers create a buzz around their brand and effectively book speaking dates. (Please comment below with examples of marketing that has worked for you).

Event planners will forget about you if your brand doesn't stick with them, and your goals will slip your mind unless you make them sticky enough to hang onto. Here are 3 simple tactics that many of my high achieving clients and I have found useful:

1. Stop getting ready to get ready and speak at a few civic clubs!

Momentum beats motivation...every time! When you get out there and speak, people notice you. Civic Clubs are a fantastic place to grow your business. They won't pay you, but who attends Rotary, Optimist Club, Jaycees, and the like? They are usually filled with prominent people in the community who are influential. Influential people book speakers.

My daughter, Molly Cain, doesn't let grass grow under the feet of her speaking goals. I have been working with her for the past several months on building a successful speaking business. (Many of the techniques I use with my clients are found in my Tapping the Goldmine of Civic Clubs e-book which you can download for free here) 

Incidentally, Molly suffered a traumatic brain injury 10 months ago, was in a coma for 2 weeks, went through months of intensive rehab at two different hospitals, and had to relearn how to do everything. (Speaking, walking, combing her hair, etc.) She is making a great recovery and has booked four speaking dates in the last 30 days. What is your excuse?

Are you afraid that you won't do well your first couple of times speaking? You won't! However, if you practice consistently, you can be a rock star! Now pick up that phone!

2. Write!

Blogging is a simple and free way to instantly publish your content one way that my coaching clients publish their books in a very short period of time is that they blog their way to a book. Regardless of your subject area, people are searching for the knowledge that resides in your head. Give it to them.

Writing white papers, special reports, and e-books is another terrific way to build your expertise within your niche. Creating videos of your content is also extremely profitable. Brendon Burchard is easily the best example of effective and simple video marketing. Check him out.

3. Use multiple methods of contact.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to effectively grabbing a prospect's attention. Create a marketing strategy. Email newsletters are an extremely effective way to build your list. I personally recommend MailChimp for beginning speakers because it is totally free (check with MailChimp for size and sending limitations on free accounts).

Printed mailings are also very effective, but make sure you are targeting your prospect list with accuracy. James Malinchak is a master at creating awesome mailers that have worked for a lot of speakers. Postage and printing can be expensive. Lumpy mail is also a great method of grabbing an event planner's attention. Whether you are sending a bank bag, tennis balls, or any other strange object to grab their attention; you will make an impression.

I also strongly recommend a subscriber service for speakers called Speakermatch. They are awesome at helping you get in front of the right people.

The speaking industry is strong! You do have a message inside of you, and I'd encourage you to share it with the world! What are some ways that you have successfully marketed your services?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412

Be Your Own Siri

Siri is Apple's favorite know it all babe. She can give you the answers to nearly any question, provide you with directions to a destination, and even nag you to pick up a gallon of milk on the way home from work.

Everyone possesses their own Siri (even  those people without an Apple product). Siri is like an electronic version of your subconscious mind. 

The subconscious mind never stops working, cannot tell the difference between what is vividly imagined and what is real, and will find answers to whatever questions you ask of it. The problem is that most people ask really terrible questions of themselves.

Imagine that you were wandering aimlessly in a strange city, pushed the button on your iPhone to summon Siri and asked, "Why am I always getting lost?" Naturally, her response will be something like, "Where are you going?" or "What can I help you find?" If you are like 97% of the population, you would say, "I dunno. I'll know it when I see it though!" Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it? 

In this article, I will share 3 simple success tips that you can apply today and achieve positive results instantly!

1. The quality of your questions determines the quality of your outcomes.

Most people ask terrible questions of themselves like, "Why am I so fat?", "Why won't anyone hire me?", and "Why am I no good at (whatever)?". Your Siri (subconscious mind) goes into overdrive seeking answers to your questions. Here are a few questions that I use to shift what could be perceived as a negative situation into a positive one:

- What can I learn from this situation?

- What is great about this situation?

- What about this situation would make a funny or meaningful story that audiences would enjoy?

2. Where are you at currently? 

I can ask Siri for good Chinese food, but the answers will vary greatly dependent upon what city I may be in. She must know where I am at currently so she can help me get to where I want to go. The same is true in everyone's life. Knowing a starting point is a crucial ingredient to getting you to your destination. If you are committed to getting in shape, but can't even see you shoes because of your gut; admit it! Don't ask, "Why am I so fat?", a better question would be, "How can I create the body I deserve, and enjoy the process of creating it?"

3. Remember your contact list.

Siri can locate people on your contact list. For some strange reason, when many people decide to begin a new business or pursue a goal, they are unwilling to ask the help of others. When pursuing a goal, business, or any other venture; NO ONE does it alone! Build up your personal board of directors who will not only support you, but will also hold you accountable to your commitment. The power of the Mastermind has been around since the dawn of time and is a common thread in any success story. 

Gadgets are great, but the greatest computer ever created is the one between your ears. Feed it well, exercise it, and use it to it's full potential!

What are some of your most empowering questions?

For more information about booking The Shef for your next event, visit http://www.theshef.com or call our offices at 1-563-343-5412