Driven to Business with Eddie Mayfield

Sean Clark is a management consultant specializing the hospitality industry. He had years of experience as a chef prior to starting True Hospitality. (www.truehospitality.org)

The restaurant business, especially in Atlanta, is a tough one, and the failure rate is high. Sean’s perspective on why this is so is not only interesting to those of us that frequent restaurants, but contains valuable business insights for anyone in a business leadership position.

You’ll enjoy this program.

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield, is heard every Saturday morning at 11 on Atlanta’s business radio, Biz1190 AM.

The show is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Eddie Discusses Team Building and Coaching

To say that Glen Meakem has been a successful entrepreneur would be an understatement. Glen was an early achiever in the technology boom, founding several high tech firms. Among them were Kiva Systems- sold to Amazon, Hotpads-sold to Zillow, Shipwire-sold to Ingram Micro, and CloudMeter-sold to Splunk.

Glen is a venture capitalist, and was the co-founder of Freemarkets, which at its height, had a market cap of $13 billion. In addition to all of this, Glen hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, “Glen Meakem on the weekend.” Glen was a combat officer in the Gulf War, and is a Harvard MBA.

His latest venture is perhaps his most interesting. Glen founded Forever Inc in 2012. Forever is the world’s first and only permanent media storage and sharing company. Visit Forever’s site HERE. Forever is actually hosting a 3 day photo and scrapbooking extravaganza right here in the Buckhead area September 24-27. You can read about that HERE.

Most of us use digital media to take pictures, videos, and generate documents. We attempt to store them for safekeeping, perhaps on a DVD, hard drive, or even using the online storage sites.

A common and reasonable concern has been that the media we’re using to back things up might not be readable in a few years. As a for instance, at one time our company backed up files on 7 1/4 inch floppy disks. We now have nothing that will read those disks. There is almost no media any of us are using, that will not be replaced or fail at some point.

That has opened up a huge market for online backup, but there are issues. Google, for instance, is a great company, and does a good job at storing your data online, but it has a downside. Google’s free storage is limited, and they mine your data. Under Google’s present plan, you can only store up to 16 MP resolution. Larger files are compressed, and original documents are discarded. The question of exactly who owns those files once uploaded is an open question. Facebook, for instance, to their credit, is very open that THEY own your photos once you upload them.

Glen founded Forever with a different mindset. Their mission is to back up your media and memories, guaranteed for your life plus 100 years. To accomplish this, he founded the Forever Guarantee Fund, designed to grow over time like an endowment. The majority of fees paid by Forever subscribers goes to this fund, to ensure that the media is preserved for generations. It’s a unique and smart approach, much like most of Glen’s other business ideas.

Don’t miss this conversation with one of the most interesting businessmen you’ll ever hear.

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield is heard every Saturday morning on Atlanta’s business radio, WAFS, 1190 AM. The show is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Nicole Fallon wrote an article for Business News Daily listing 15 business ideas for 2015. Not all of her ideas appeal to me, but it’s an interesting article, and the topic of our discussion this week on Driven to Business.

In the first place, this is an exciting time to be an entrepreneur. Opportunities that never before existed are out there to be seized. At the same time, we’re in one of the most unstable times my generation has seen. Obamacare, the devaluation of currency, a huge increase in the dependent class, and the subsequent rise of class envy has eroded much of the American dream.

Here’s how I look at that; no one can predict the future with certainty. Even the New Testament warns against this in the book of James, saying: “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow”

So, we live until we die, and the worst thing anyone can do is hunker down in a hole and await the apocalypse. But all that being said. I remain an optimist.

Here is a sampling of Ms Fallen’s ideas..

• Kid Friendly Apps.. Reminds me of when Apple began supplying computers to elementary schools so kids would grow up liking Apple computers. ANYTHING you can do that appeals to kids AND their parents is probably a good business idea.
• Freelancing.. figure out what a business manager hates to do, and learn to do it for them. Outsourcing is huge, driven in part by businesses leery of adding employees due to regulation, insurance, and instability.
• Translator.. don’t laugh.. IF you are fluent in languages other than English (and are fluent in English) many businesses need you. Heck, even if you don’t speak another language, you can still start this business and simply hire those that do.
• Traveling beauty and nail salon.. admittedly, not for me, but with an aging population still wanting to look good. Mobil services like this can fly.

There are more, and we discuss them and more on this edition of Driven to Business..   give it a listen..

Driven to Business hosted by Eddie Mayfield is heard every Saturday morning on Atlanta’s Business Radio.. BIZ1190. The show is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Major league hitters sometimes go into what’s described as a “slump.” The time honored advice- is to “bat your way out of it.” That’s actually sound coaching, because slumps get worse when you stop swinging the bat.

It’s the same for us in business; the worst thing you can do is resign yourself to being in a slump, because just like the batter, it will become a self fulfilling prophesy.

One of the temptations is to think that the business environment in which we live today is somehow, not the norm. Here’s a news flash.. it is! Accept that, and learn to be successful in the new normal.

Here’s a couple of quick ideas to help you swing your bat.

Play the paradigm game: It goes like this.. gather your team around you and ask “what is impossible to do today, that if it were possible, would make a substantial positive impact on our business?

Let everyone run pretty wild with this; after all, you’re talking about the impossible right? Write the answers down on a notepad or whiteboard. If necessary, trim the impossible thoughts down to two or three.

Then ask a harder question.. ” is there any part of the impossible situation that actually could be possible?” Here’s a quick example: Let’s say your lunch restaurant would do incredible business IF you could serve everyone their meal under ten minutes. But, that’s impossible because it takes longer than that to cook much of the food.

But, boring deeper, what food could be prepared in less than ten minutes? And, would there be a market for having a “quick serve” menu that people could order from if they were in a hurry?

Maybe yes, maybe no, but these kind of exercises put energy and creativity to work for you.

Here’s another idea..

Take a look at your customer list with your team, and spend some time talking about who actually buys from you. Then consider what that same person might be buying from someone else, that you could supply at a profit.

It costs a lot less money and is a much easier sales effort to sell additional products or services to people with whom you already have a relationship than it does to prospect for new ones.

Here’s one more..

Brainstorm about how you can “add value” to your customers and prospects.

Do you have expertise that would be of value to them, even if its not directly related to what you sell and service? IF so, then offer “lunch and learns” (or webinars) and add the value of your expertise to them at no cost.

This allows you to earn the right to their business, and puts you in a much better position than your competitors who are simply trying to sell them something. Remember the adage, people love to buy, but hate being sold. Add value to your customers and prospects

That’s this week’s discussion on Driven to Business. Tune in Saturday at 11.

Driven to Business with Eddie Mayfield airs each Saturday at 11 AM on Atlanta’s Biz 1190 AM. The show is podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes, and streams live on biz1190.com

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Rich Russakoff is an internationally acclaimed speaker, business consultant, and coach. Rich’s website is www.coachtothebest.com .

He is the author of ”The Bible of Bank Financing” and a current contributor to CBS MoneyWatch, blogging on topics of interest to CEOs who wish to deliver more to their own bottom line.

I’ve known Rich for many years; he was instrumental in coaching and consulting with me during the formative years of EMA Inc.

You’ll not want to miss this lively discussion ranging from leadership practices, to business management. In fact, the discussion was so good, we’re doing a part one and part two. This is part two.

If you’re in a leadership role in any sized business, you’ll find this helpful and informative. It would be a good idea to have a notebook handy to jot down ideas that could help you transform your business.

And.. on top of everything else, it’s a fun program that will make you smile as you are encouraged to expand your business thinking and horizons.

You can email Rich at rich@coachtothebest.com

Eddie Mayfield

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield is heard every Saturday morning on Atlanta’s Business radio, WAFS, Biz 1190 AM. The program is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes. Subscribe to us on Itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Rich Russakoff is an internationally acclaimed speaker, business consultant, and coach. Rich’s website is www.coachtothebest.com .

He is the author of ”The Bible of Bank Financing” and a current contributor to CBS MoneyWatch, blogging on topics of interest to CEOs who wish to deliver more to their own bottom line.

I’ve known Rich for many years; he was instrumental in coaching and consulting with me during the formative years of EMA Inc.

You’ll not want to miss this lively discussion ranging from leadership practices, to business management. In fact, the discussion was so good, we’re doing a part one and part two. This is part one.

If you’re in a leadership role in any sized business, you’ll find this helpful and informative. It would be a good idea to have a notebook handy to jot down ideas that could help you transform your business.

And.. on top of everything else, it’s a fun program that will make you smile as you are encouraged to expand your business thinking and horizons.

You can email Rich at rich@coachtothebest.com

Eddie Mayfield

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield is heard every Saturday morning on Atlanta’s Business radio, WAFS, Biz 1190 AM. The program is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes. Subscribe to us on Itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta.. Driven to Business.

Easy to forget that the legal business, is..  well, a business.   Patrick Norris is the Managing Partner at the Atlanta Law Group, where he oversees the firm’s corporate and estate planning groups. (hit the links for contact info)

People, in general, have a love hate relationship with lawyers. Patrick has a great sense of humor, and he and Eddie disuss this and other facets of running a small but highly regarding legal firm.   Think customer service doesn’t matter to legal clients?  Think again.

Think that the internet and other technologies hasn’t affected how they do business, how they find clients, and how they serve them?  Again..  think again.

You’ll find this an interesting and enlightening discussion.  Give it a listen

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield, is heard each week at 11 AM on Atlanta’s business radio, Biz 1190 AM.  The program is streamed live on Biz1190.com and podcast on Eddiemayfield.com and Itunes.  

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta..  Driven to Business.

Matt is the director of marketing for Vacation Myrtle Beach.  Did you know that Myrtle Beach is the third most popular vacation destination in the country after Las Vegas and Orlando?  You can find Matt at www.vacationmyrtlebeach.com . 

The vacation rental business is hot, and Matt is in the midst of it.   Per Matt, many vacation properties are now owned by individuals and rented;  these developments are planned that way from construction.  People choose their vacation destinations in a variety of ways, and people that market destinations such as Matt have to be atop of these decisions.

It’s a great interview, give it a listen.

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield, is heard every Saturday at 11 AM on Atlanta’s business radio, WAFS, Biz 1190.  The show is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and Itunes.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta..  Driven to Business

Dharmesh Vora is the founder and president of Medhtech, an IT consulting firm.  Businesses of all sizes today are faced with a rapidly changing IT environment,  and it can be overwhelming.

Eddie and Dharmesh discuss Cloud computing, internet and system security, and enterprise software.

What are some of the decision criteria that a business manager should use in deciding whether to use cloud based or more traditional software?  How do you insure that your data is secure?

It’s an interesting discussion that every business leader should hear.

Driven to Business, hosted by Eddie Mayfield, is heard every Saturday at 11 AM on Atlanta’s Biz 1190 AM radio.  The program is streamed live on biz1190.com and podcast on eddiemayfield.com and itunes.  Download the Biz 1190 App!.

Simply the best business radio in Atlanta..  Driven to Business.