Give A Job

The unemployment rate is as low in this country as it has ever been and this is partly because us small business owners love to create jobs. We are the first to hire young people and train them, we are the first to hire folks who come off welfare and we find joy in watching our children develop into leaders who can help us grow our businesses.

Giving people an opportunity to learn and grow and earn a living is the driving force for many of us. This is because just making money gets boring while understanding how to help people be the best they can be provides a difficult and ever-changing challenge.

As you look to the new year, maybe you will hire a person who could turn out to be the one who takes your place. You can learn from Shiv Krishnan how to create jobs and then help employees learn and grow.

Give Your Heart

We went to the Crystal Cathedral's Glory of Christmas a few days ago. It is a magnificent and stirring telling of the Christmas story. A little boy shepherd sang a song that I remember singing myself years ago. The lyrics tell us that as he watches the Wise Men bring their extravagant gifts to the baby Jesus he realizes that he is so poor there is nothing he can give to the baby that would measure up next to the gold, frankincense and myrrh. The song ends with the little boy deciding that he could only give what he had so he offered his heart.

Small business owners run their businesses with their heads and their hearts. When we can't give the highest wages in town we find ways to give our hearts to employees. At Gadabout SalonSpas, employees teared up when they told me what it means to them to work for Pam McNair. More than one employee said, "Pam changed my life."

Pam obviously gives her heart.

Giving Really is Better Than Receiving

Frank Jao reminded me that what my Mom used to say is true, it just takes years for Mom's advice to sink in. When my Mom would tell us that giving is better than receiving I know that as a little kid I had no idea what she was talking about because I like to get presents.

When we taped Frank's story for our show I met a man who is very wealthy today. He is rich with property, cash, a beautiful wife who is his valued partner in business, darling daughters, happy customers, loyal employees and too many friends to count.

How did he become so rich? He would tell you that his goal was set in childhood. He grew up very poor in Saigon. Once a year an uncle who seemed rich to Frank would visit and would bring food and gifts to Frank's hungry family. Frank decided around the age of eight that he wanted to become like his uncle, the giver, rather than like his father who had to be on the receiving end.

So set a goal to be the giver and the work that you do towards that goal will enrich everyone around you, including yourself.

Turn Customers Into Givers

Cindy McIntee has always given time and cash to help build the business district of her hometown, Newport, Oregon. When Mo's Chowder, the restaurant she bought from her grandmother, turned 50 years old, she decided to thank the community in a big way.

Customers who came to eat on the restaurant's birthday were turned into givers. Fifty percent of the total on every ticket written in all six locations of Mo's was given to charity. Customers were given the opportunity to tell Mo's where to send the donation from their table. What a great idea.
Cindy promoted the event and the donations added up to $18,000. You can turn your customers into givers, teach your staff the art of giving and help worthy causes all at the same time. Learn more about Cindy and other generous business owners at Small Business School.

Give Now and Later

It's the season when all of us are rushing around looking for just the right gift for the people we love. Believe it or not, the small business owners we know spend a lot of their time all year round looking for the right gifts for the customers and causes they love.

Sure it's great to give Christmas and Hanukkah presents but having a philosophy of giving as part of the way you run your business is even better.

We learned from Wing Lam, who owns Wahoo's Fish Taco with his brothers, that giving food away has become an important part of Wahoo's marketing strategy. He told us that they never give a discount because that will tarnish the brand but they are happy to give food to local causes.

Saying Merry Christmas Works

Veteran business reporter Neil Cavuto said on his television show yesterday that he has research that quantifies the use of the expression, "Merry Christmas" versus the catch-all greeting, "Happy Holidays." He said that stores who use "Merry Christmas" make more profits than ones who have been using, "Happy Holidays." Since I didn't stop to listen to the entire story I can't tell you the source of the research. However, I know that if you are a small business owner who celebrates Christmas yourself, you should feel comfortable saying, "Merry Christmas" to your customers.

I have Jewish friends who love Christmas and when I say, "Merry Christmas" to them they say it back to me! So don't be shy. We now have research that proves the best strategy is honesty and authenticity. Your customers will respect you and keep buying from you. No need to take the politically correct path because that path is made plastic that has cracked up under the pious pressure of a very small group of aging activists.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Giving Pays

It's Christmas and I can tell you that without exception, strong business owners give even if their CPA tells them not to. You may know some greedy people but we try to avoid them. Over and over we meet men and women who do for others before they do for themselves.

This is a business strategy. This is a decision made by owners who are either naturally nice or by owners who know they need to be nice.

Catch some Christmas spirit from the owner of Zubi Advertising. She gives her employees a bonus even when her CPA tells her not to. Her decades of success in business prove her strategy works.

Job Growth Trending Up

What bad economy? I am sorry for people who got over their heads with a mortgage they can't afford but in general, the economy is cooking along. Unemployment is holding at 4.7% which is amazing and there are jobs being created in health care, professional and technical services and food service.

The founders of Biosite who recently sold, were some of the best job creators I know. Their company makes a device that gives health care professionals test results in 15 minutes. Learn how they started with an idea and grew the company to over 2,000 employees.

The U.N. is Corrupt so Ignore Bali

Most American newspapers have an article on the front page today about the United Nations kicking off a two-week conference set in Bali which will focus on global warming. Two weeks? Does that mean that the U.N. PR machine will be pumping out news releases for the next 14 days designed to make us hard-working-fossil-fuel-driven prosperous Americans feel guilty? Yes. The good part is that as a small business owner you can ignore this blab-fest.

Don't feel guilty, feel happy! Feel happy because we've just entered the Christmas season and as I have already written about in this blog, you can use the global warming hysteria as a business management tool.

For example, tell your customers you are working to save energy and invite them to sign up to pay your invoices electronically. Right now I am laughing out loud because all of the people who actually have been brainwashed to believe that this will make a difference in the temperature at the North Pole, will take your offer quicker than they would have a year ago.

And, just think. You have turned the global warming scare into a cash management solution for your business. For more on running your business by the numbers, watch and listen to my favorite number cruncher, Jim Schell.