Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Meet Ed McLaughlin

Ed McLaughlin
Seriously Successful Entrepreneur

Meet my friend Ed McLaughlin. Ed is a New Yorker, and he knows how to be successful in business!! Like everyone, he has had his fair share of business challenges, but he nailed them and man, did he reap the benefits!

Ed and his team built up a highly successful business in the real estate outsourcing industry. To keep ahead of his competitors, Ed scaled the business quickly, and then sold it in 2005, making himself and others extremely wealthy (the sale turned all of his senior business partners into multi-millionaires!!).

After the sale, Ed stayed on as President and CEO of Johnson Controls, the company that bought out his business.

While on his entrepreneurial journey, in 2001, Ed was recognised by Ernst & Young (EY) as an Entrepreneur of the Year – this is a highly prestigious worldwide competition that EY runs every year. As well, his company became an Inc 500 company. So as you can see, Ed is a very successful entrepreneur!

Since 2008 Ed has been an angel investor and business adviser, so he knows plenty about what causes businesses to succeed… or not. We discussed this during our meeting, so listen in to what he has to say.

In mid 2015 Ed’s first book will be published: The Purpose is Profit: The Truth About Starting and Building Your Own Business. Ed uses the principles set out in his book to filter the angel investing he does, so the book will be an excellent resource for entrepreneurs.

The Purpose is Profit will be available on Amazon from mid 2015. If you would like to receive Ed’s “Pre-Release Snapshot of The Purpose is Profit”, which includes “An Entrepreneur’s Motivation” and “The Startup Roadmap”, go to Ed’s website: www.thepurposeisprofit.com and download your FREE eBook. You will then be notified when his book “The Purpose is Profit: The Truth About Starting and Building Your Own Business” is released later in the year.

I hope you enjoy listening to Ed’s fascinating entrepreneurial journey. I promise you, this interview is ‘chocka block’ with business success tips.

You can listen to the original Interview with Ed McLaughlin here:

To connect with Ed McLaughlin:
W: www.thepurposeisprofit.com

Adèle hosts an interview series entitled:

• Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews…..
• Business Success Tips : Adèle McLay Interviews …..

…where she interviews successful entrepreneurs from around the world, asking them to share their entrepreneurial stories, and other business ‘subject matter experts’ who share business success tips. If you would like to be part of Adèle’s success community and receive the interviews and much more directly to your inbox, please click here.

Listen to more Successful Entrepreneurs and be inspired in the Successful Entrepreneurs Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews….. YouTube and Podcast series:

Other articles on What Makes Successful Entrepreneurs:

Seven Secrets of Super Successful Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship vs The Meaning of Life
Mega Entrepreneur Defined!
Supercharge Your Profitable Business!
Leadership Qualities
What Makes Great Entrepreneurial Leaders?
All Work + Little Play = Boring!
Entrepreneurial Success without Fulfilment: Who Wants That?
Millionaire Mindset
NZ Entrepreneurship Success

Pavlova Perfection

Pavlova is a tradition in New Zealand. There are ongoing debates between New Zealanders and the Australians as to which nation created this very sweet dessert. The Australians claim it as their own, saying it was created for Anna Pavlova, the famous ballerina who visited their country.

Regardless, it is a favourite dessert with Antipodeans. It is very easy to make, and you can decorate it as you please with any fresh fruit your family adores.

If you haven’t tried it, pavlova is like a meringue, but it has a gooey chewy centre. It is not solid throughout like a meringue.

The photo above is the pavlova we created for my daughter’s 13th birthday party. She added extra decorations to make the pavlova more festive for her friends. Of course, you can do the same.

Pavlova
4 egg whites (at room temperature)
225g caster sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
3 teaspoons white or malt vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Filling
300ml whipping cream
Fresh fruit (raspberries, strawberries etc)

Preheat oven to 150° C/Gas 2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until very stiff. Slowly add the sugar, a little at a time while beating until fully mixed in. Slow the beater and add the cornflour, vanilla essence and vinegar.

Draw a 20cm circle on baking paper. Turn the paper upside down and place on the baking tray. The circle should still be visible. Pile the egg mixture onto the circle. With a knife or spatula, spread the mixture to within 2cm of the edge and level the mixture to suit yourself. In our family we like the pavlova to look a bit like a mountain with craters and crevasses, rather than cake shaped. Place into the oven and bake for 45 mins, then turn the over off and leave to cool in the oven. Carefully place the pavlova onto a serving plate, removing the baking paper. Decorate with whipped cream and the fresh fruit of your choosing.

Once ready, sit down and devour with your family and friends. You will experience a real sugar blast as a result, so perhaps games with your family are next on the list, in order to work off the calories and sugar rush. Enjoy!!

Other Delicious Delights

Classic Carrot Cake
Bonanza Banana Cake
Rocky Road Cookies for Summertime Fun
Death by Chocolate Cake

Inspirational Success Stories : Meet George

George
101 years (Feb 2015) and a wonderful man

I hope you enjoyed my earlier blog about George, a relative of mine who turned 101 years on 12 February 2015. Here’s the link to the blog if you missed it.

George is a delight. Life has not been easy for him – it isn’t for anyone. He has certainly had his fair share of challenges, yet to listen to him speak and hearing his stories, you would never guess it.

At 101 years, George remains a vital, interested and interesting gentleman. I adore talking to him, and just love it when, on a whim, he telephones me for a chat. We can spend hours talking about life, family, friends and politics – a topic he has always loved, and continues to have strong opinions on.

At his stage in life, many of George’s loved ones and friends have long since departed. But as George so loves to engage with people, he tries really hard to keep up with the ‘young of today’. For instance, while he has never owned a computer, he is really interested in how email and the internet works, albeit it is anathema to him.

I hope you enjoy listening to the interview I did with to George, and hearing a little of his life story.

I plan to be at least 101 years too, and I am going to be vibrant, fit, healthy and more . 🙂 What about you? How is your life going to be when you hit your ‘advanced years?’ I’d love to know.

You can listen to the original Interview with George here:

Adèle hosts an interview series entitled:

• Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews…..
• Business Success Tips : Adèle McLay Interviews …..

…where she interviews successful entrepreneurs from around the world, asking them to share their entrepreneurial stories, and other business ‘subject matter experts’ who share business success tips. If you would like to be art of Adèle’s success community and receive the interviews and much more directly to your inbox, please click here.

Other Inspirational Success Stories

A Long and Happy Life – the Secrets?
Let’s Change Our World!
‘Luck of the Irish’ – Do You Have Have It?
Life & Success: What’s It All About?

A Long and Happy Life – the Secrets?

Meet George. He is a relative of mine (by marriage – his wife and my grandmother were cousins), and he is 101 years this week – 12 February 2015 to be exact.

He is my hero; my role model for living a healthy, adventurous and engaged life. A long and happy life; a successful life! I plan to enjoy sizzling health, vitality, relevance and wellbeing at +101 years too. Do you?

So what are the secrets to a long and happy life? What are the secrets to a successful life? Interestingly in many respects, George’s life mirrors the seven elements of my Mega/High Performance Coaching Framework (for life and business)… for a magical happening life.

1. Soulful Vitality
George oozes energy and enthusiasm for life at every moment. George has always taken care of his health, wellness and fitness. Even at 101 years he still exercises every day; he has always been a very keen power walker and sportsman – playing outdoor bowls until well into his 90s. George also eats healthily, maintains a good weight, and alcohol is not something that he partakes of in any major way – although he does like a wee dram from time to time. George has learnt the art of introspection over the years – something we could all benefit from. George is also a spiritual man, and he nurtures this aspect of his life. George is a giver in all aspects of life; he is a generous man. He also lives in a constant state of gratitude for all that he is and has. He counts his blessings every day. He sees the joy in life, constantly.

2. Seductive Clarity
George and his wife, Anne, had interlinked clarity on how they wanted their life to be. They had a wonderful life – they were the centre of each other’s worlds, and they knew what was important for them in their lives. Together and with their children, they travelled the world; they explored. George has always believed that travel is an important component of one’s ongoing education. Sadly, Anne passed away almost 30 years ago. In later life, George has found friendship with Mary, and together they have a wonderful, loving and adventurous life.

3. Sensational Mindset
George has always understood the importance of mindset and belief patterns. Like everyone else he has had many challenges and issues in life – relationships, death, business, money, health and more – but he has always bounced back; he’s always regained perspective and a zest for life – his life. I can’t remember a time in my life with George when he wasn’t the positive man that he remains today.

4. Steadfast Focus
George has been witness to many world and life changing events over his lifetime. He knows how life can change in a heartbeat, and he knows the importance of working hard to get ahead in life. He has always taken ownership of his life, and even today, he still does. He fully pays his way in life. George has worked for all he has gotten and achieved in life, as did Anne. They never gave up in business and in life, even when it was very tough. George now lives in what he calls ‘genteel poverty’. He has the financial resources to enjoy the lifestyle he wants for the rest of his life.

5. Skilful Excellence
George and Anne were business owners at various times in their working life, and they always aimed to be the very best they could be. George has always been a lover of lifetime learning, and continues to be widely read and knowledgeable about the world around him. He loves politics and to this day, has lots of opinions on the topic. George has always embraced the changing world in which he lives, and while at times he hasn’t always understood it, he has gone with the times, and therefore, remains alert, relevant, in touch and engaging.

6. Sincere Relationships
People have always been important in George’s world. He adores extended family, including my own. Even to my mother’s dying days, George was in regular contact with her, as they loved and respected each other, and had a wonderful relationship notwithstanding the distances (he in Scotland and she in New Zealand).

George loves to recount early and lifelong friendships with the many people he has met around the world as a result of both living overseas and travelling widely. George loves nothing more than stopping and chatting to people in the street, at a party or tea dance, and getting them talking. As a widower travelling alone, George often preferred to stay in hostels rather than hotels, as that meant he could meet loads of new people, often young people, something he has always enjoyed. Even now he continues to take an active interest in the young people in his life, and my family in particular.

Given his age, sadly many of George’s friends are no longer with us; they have passed on, but George still recounts wonderful times with those people, taking the beauty and sadness of life in his stride.

7. Self Expression
Self expression in life is critical to one’s wellbeing, and what that means is different for everyone. Self expression can be creative; it can be sporting; it can be verbal; it can be in writing. It is whatever a person needs to feel whole; to feel alive. George is a beacon of light and joy in this regard. He holds an engaged audience when talking; he travels the world; he has played sport; he has done most if not all the things that he wants to in his life. He got his 100 year birthday card from the Queen last year too. George is a contented man with a life of memories lovingly stored in his mind and soul.

So that’s a quick summary of what a long and happy life; a successful life; a magical happening life, is – according to George and in relation to my Mega/High Performance Coaching Framework.

My hat’s off to George, achieving a remarkable 101 years of age. Happy birthday dearest George, and I hope there are many more to come.

Could some guidance from me be helpful to you? If so, please arrange a free 30 mins Skype strategy meeting with me. Here’s my calendar to book a meeting. I’d love to support you in some way to gain ‘seductive clarity’ in any aspect of your business or life.

Other Inspirational Success Stories

Let’s Change Our World!
‘Luck of the Irish’ – Do You Have Have It?
Life & Success: What’s It All About?
Meet George

Business Success Tips : Meet Francis Preedy

Francis Preedy
Trade Mark Attorney, Nucleus IP Limited

Are trademarks relevant to small businesses? Are personal trademarks necessary? You might think they are not, but let me tell you just how important they are.

About 10 years ago, a business in New Zealand had a trading name and logo that was very similar to that of Harrods in London. It was a teeny weeny business at the bottom or the world (don’t get me wrong, I love NZ, but it is a very long way away from London). Harrods wouldn’t care, you would think. Oh yes they did! They came down on that little business like a tonne of bricks. Via their lawyers, they were intimidating and very aggressive. They threatened to prosecute that little company if it did not desist in using that trading name and logo.

What happens if another business starts calling itself by the same or similar name to yours? You can’t do a thing about it… unless you have trademarked the name and protected the category you are operating in. If you are an international business, you can protect your name, logo and category around the world too. And it is not as difficult to do as it might sound or feel.

Meet my friend, Francis Preedy, a leading London based Trade Mark Attorney, working with Nucleus IP Limited. Listen to the fascinating interview I did with him this week on the importance of trade marking your business name and logo, and possibly your own name.

Regardless of where in the world you are, or how big or small your business is, think about your business name and logo. How would you feel if someone else started trading with the same name in your local area? How might that impact your business?

Enjoy the interview and all the information that Francis passes on to help keep your business and its intellectual property safe.

You can listen to the original interview with Francis Preedy here:

To connect with Nucleus IP:
W: www.nucleus-ip.com

Adèle hosts an interview series entitled:

• Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews…..
• Business Success Tips : Adèle McLay Interviews …..

…where she interviews successful entrepreneurs from around the world, asking them to share their entrepreneurial stories, and other business ‘subject matter experts’ who share business success tips. If you would like to be art of Adèle’s success community and receive the interviews and much more directly to your inbox, please click here.

Listen to more Subject Matter Experts and be inspired in the Business Success Tips: Adèle McLay Interviews….. YouTube and Podcast series:

Other articles on What Makes Successful Entrepreneurs:

What is a Customer?

What is a customer? Here is a slide I found some 30 years ago, defining a customer. Personally I think it is still relevant today. What do you think?

10 Commandments of Good Relations

Here’s another quote I found over 30 years ago, that has recently resurfaced. What do you think of it – the 10 Commandments of Good Relations. Sadly, the author remains unknown.

What is Business Marketing?

What is business marketing? How do I market my business? How do I market to get more customers?

A lack of understanding in marketing is the most prevalent reason why many of my clients seek coaching assistance in the first instance. They don’t have enough customers to sustain their business, and they don’t know how to address the issue. For many business owners, marketing is not understood or is an anathema. Often business owners are scared of marketing.

I have created the 8Cs of LOVE Marketing Mastery™, which is one of the pillars in my mega/high performance business coaching framework.

All marketing needs to be about LOVE. For me, LOVE in the context of marketing means:

Lucid (clearly expressed)
Outstanding (exceptionally good)
Veracious (truthful)
Effective (achieving intended results)

Then there are the 8Cs of LOVE Marketing Mastery™. The 8Cs are:

Customer Avatar
Channels to Market
Capturing Leads
Communications Strategy
Conversion Rate
Cash Value of Sales
Customer Continuity
Creating Customer Referrals

Let’s briefly look at each one in turn.

Customer Avatar
This is about understanding the perfect customer for your business. To work this out, what do you know about your current customers? Which ones are the most profitable for your business? What is the lifetime value of your current customers? Customers are an asset and MUST be looked after. Start looking at your current customers, and that will help you work out what type of customers your business works well with, and therefore, what types of potential customers you should start looking to build more business with.

Channels to Market
With the development of social media, there is now a myriad of ways to market to potential customers, and to start building relationships with them. What channels to market best suit your business? It is not a case of selecting all channels to market. Select the channels that best suit you and your personality and your targeted audience. For instance, if you are targeting retired people, then it is unlikely that you will find vast numbers of them by using Twitter as your key marketing channel.

Capturing Leads
Just because you are ready to sell to your potential customers, it doesn’t mean that they are ready to buy from you. When you receive basic information (usually name, phone number, email) for a potential customer (or lead), how do you capture the lead and keep the information safe and in an automated system so that you can regularly communicate with your existing and potential customers, keeping them up to date on your business?

Communications Strategy
What is your communications strategy? If you are a retailer, you can’t ring your customers to update them on what’s happening in your business. All businesses – big and small – need a communications strategy that effectively updates your existing and potential customers on a regular basis on offers you are making, and also how on you are an expert/authority in your industry niche.

Conversion Rate
The conversion rate is the percentage of leads you have in your leads pipeline that become customers in your business. Do you know your conversion rate?

Cash Value of Sales
Do you know what the average cash value of the sales you make in your business per customer is? It is easier to keep existing customers and sell more products and services to them than it is to continuously look for new customers. In your business, how can you increase the cash value of sales to your existing customers by selling more to them? With new customers, how can you include ‘up/down and cross-selling’ opportunities in your offers to them?

Customer Continuity
All businesses should be aiming to have their customers become the business’s cheerleaders and customers for life. Are you losing customers? If so, why? There are two main reasons why customers leave a business: a) They don’t feel special or important to the business, or b) there is unresolved conflict. While you might think that customers leave due to pricing, in many research studies undertaken it has been proven over and over again that of the customers that leave a business, only 9 percent of them leave due to getting a better price elsewhere.

Creating Customer Referrals
If you are doing great work for your customers, why not ask them for testimonials and referrals? If they are your cheerleaders, then they will be delighted to assist you to grow your business.

Which of the 8Cs can you influence?
The following chart shows you how the 8Cs link into making money within your business. Which of the 8Cs can you influence to assist your business to grow?

As business owners and entrepreneurs, we can control and influence: the channels to market; how we capture leads; and how we communicate with potential and existing customers. If those tools are effective, then our conversion rate will be higher, so we can influence that too.

Sadly, we cannot make a potential customer buy from us. That is their decision. But get all the factors leading up to that right, and they will want to buy from us. We cannot influence whether our customers will give us testimonials and referrals, but treat them brilliantly and specially and they will want to help us.

We can influence the cash value of sales made to the business and how many of our customers continually buy from us. Plus we can influence our gross margin. Get all of those factors right and we increase our customers, we increase our sales, and we increase our gross profit.

So what is business marketing? Business marketing is understanding the 8Cs of marketing; creating strategies and systems for the elements of marketing we can influence and control; and implementing them with LOVE. That is business marketing.

Other articles on Branding, Marketing and Pricing:

Do You Compete on Price? Bad Business Decision!!
Is Customer Service YOUR Key to Business Success?
Creating Superior Customer Value – do you do that in your business?
Which are Your Most Profitable Customers?
Finding Customers via LinkedIn
Using YouTube for Finding Customers
Who Wants High Customer Retention?
What is a Customer?
Increase Your Prices & Make More Profit
What’s your Personal Brand?

A Short Course in Human Relations

I first found this quote almost 30 years ago… forgot about it, and recently found it again. It was relevant then and still is now, in my opinion. What are your thoughts on A Short Course in Human Relations? Would you add anything to it?

Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Meet Steve Pollard

Steve Pollard
Scotsman; Salesman; Serial Entrepreneur

Meet my friend Steve Pollard, self confessed serial entrepreneur, sales and marketing genius… and immodest Scotsman (according to his LinkedIn profile). 🙂

Imagine being in the highly competitive UK mortgage broking game during the global financial crisis. Scary stuff!! With his partners, Steve owned a large UK wide mortgage mortgage broking business employing 170 staff – a very successful business – and then the GFC hit…. and yet another rollercoaster in his business journey began. Notwithstanding, Steve was able to sell his business and make money from the sale, when many other brokerages just closed their doors.

Steve’s now moved to a new industry where he is aiming to create yet another large and distributed business, this time based on an online and freelance staff business model. He’s in the process of scaling the business up, so it is exciting times for Steve and his team.

I hope you enjoy Steve’s fascinating, and at times, nail biting entrepreneurial story.

You can listen to the original Interview with Steve Pollard here:

To connect with Steve Pollard:
W: www.businessuplift.com

Adèle hosts an interview series entitled:

• Successful Entrepreneurs’ Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews…..
• Business Success Tips : Adèle McLay Interviews …..

Listen to more Successful Entrepreneurs and be inspired in the Successful Entrepreneurs Stories : Adèle McLay Interviews….. YouTube and Podcast series:

Other articles on What Makes Successful Entrepreneurs: