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 While driving home, my brother-in-law, Kevin, slammed on the brakes when a woman ran into the street, flagging him down. It was a cold night, and she needed a ride. Turns out, she had a different kind of ride on her mind. She tried playing a game of show and tell, but he sat that one out. Remember the movie Pretty Woman? She wasn’t. Besides, Kevin’s not that kind of guy. When the “working girl” realized she couldn’t close the sale, she demanded he drive her home. Remember, it was cold. Thus, Kevin’s dilemma.
It’s in a man’s nature to protect the fairer sex; however, there are exceptions. O.J. comes to mind.
My husband never fails to open a door for me, and he actually has done that for every woman he was with. He learned, early on, that one of those doors could lead to the bedroom.
Some men are afraid to be chivalrous and understandably so. There are women who scornfully spurn the door opener, shoving him aside, proving she can do it herself. She doesn’t need a man.
But what’s wrong with allowing a man to be a gentle one? I don’t expect him to throw his coat over a puddle, allowing me to step across without muddying my Manolo Blahniks. (I actually don’t own a pair, but I liked the alliteration.) However, I enjoy the courtesy of a manly man opening the door and waving me through ahead of him, protecting me from the elements, even if it’s just sunshine.
As for my brother-in-law and his not-so-pretty woman? He drove her home. He even opened the door for her, but she was left to warm herself. Who said chivalry was dead?!
Tanna is the afternoon radio host on 98.1 KUDL. She’s also a charity fundraising auctioneer and an agent with Prudential Kansas City Realty. She’s always looking for that open door. Call her at 913.568.4888 or e-mail tanna@kudl.com.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 When David Bernstein, the President of Beauty Brands, made the decision to aggressively grow the company’s cosmetic and skin care lines, he began an extensive search for someone to manage the details of this critical evolution. The search lasted nearly a year and ended when he met Tara Simon, then the Divisional Merchandising Manager of Color at Sephora. “Not only does she have the right skill set and level of experience, she fits perfectly into our unique culture – or, as we call it, family. She’s remarkable and has tremendous energy. In short, she is a slam dunk for this job,” remarked Bernstein. The Houston native arrived in Kansas City in July 2008, armed with twenty-two years of experience in the beauty industry and packing the right combination of verve, charm and business connections to make it all happen (and then some).
Please tell us about your background.
I grew up just outside of Houston. In Texas, you can’t get a driver’s license until age 16, unless you had a hardship in which case you could get your license at age 15. My father asked me to explain what hardships I had and what needs weren’t being met. Well, I grew up in a very normal, middle class family. We didn’t have a lot of money, but both my parents worked really hard, and I didn’t want for anything, but I just knew that I wanted to earn my own money. I was raised to be that way, but as he sees it coming to fruition, I’m sure he thought, ‘Oh, dear, what have I done?’
We had a family friend that owned a little boutique which sold specialty sandals and casual clothes similar to Hang Ten or Ocean Pacific. So I went to work the summer after my freshman year of high school before I was 16, at this little boutique. I worked all summer including every Saturday and continued to work each summer until I graduated from college. During that time, I fell in love with boutique retail and dreamed about having my own business, which I still may do some day.
I attended the University of Texas, and graduated with a marketing degree. I then went to work for Foley’s, which is now part of the Macy’s organization. I stayed there for 19 years, and during that time, initially I worked in the stores, which I think you have to do to be a well balanced leader. You have to understand the customer and you have to understand what you are asking your staff to do. From there, I became an assistant buyer in Menswear before transitioning into cosmetics. I had tremendous respect for the gentleman who recruited me into the cosmetic’s buying office, Hal Williams. When I went into the interview I let him know that I wasn’t sure about going into cosmetics, because it seemed that no one ever left there once entering. And he said, “I promise you, my darling, you will love it, and you will never want to leave either.” And here I am, 22 years later, still in the beauty business.
In 2006, Federated acquired the May Department Stores, and my job was eliminated. I was given the opportunity to relocate to New York or Atlanta but my mother was critically ill at the time, and I just couldn’t leave. She was so upset with me at the time that I decided not to go, but it was a decision I have never, ever regretted.
I found myself for the first time since I was 15 years old, wondering what I was going to do for a living, but I didn’t have to wonder too long. While I was still under contract with Foley’s, I received a random phone call from the Senior VP of Human Resources at Sephora, prompted by the President of J.C. Penney’s whom I had worked for at Foley’s. The job was based in San Francisco so I had to let them know I couldn’t relocate because my mom was dying. I ended up accepting the job at Sephora after they agreed to allow me to commute from Houston every week.
In that position, I learned a lot and got a tremendous amount of a different experience than what I had, transitioning from a very traditional department store to a company that is entrepreneurial, ground-breaking and unique in many ways. They were breaking all the rules. For years, I had been watching them from afar, applauding them silently for being so cutting edge. With their approach, Sephora was blowing the top off of everything. I was thrilled with the opportunity to join them. It was a great experience.
What led you to Beauty Brands?
After my mom died, I was struggled with “now what do I do” because I really owed Sephora a relocation to San Francisco, though it had only been implied. However, I knew my heart was definitely not in San Francisco so I had to begin to determine what was next.
One day I received a phone call from a search firm regarding a position at Beauty Brands. I had never heard of it. I found out that they have locations in Houston TX where I had lived my whole life, so initially I was not very open. However, I was paying attention because it seemed like the yellow brick road was unrolling in front of me.
I eventually spent some time on the phone with David Bernstein, the President of Beauty Brands. He was likeable and I was really very comfortable with him on the phone. I agreed to come to Kansas City for an interview, to talk and meet David and Bob Bernstein. Because collaboration is an important part of the company’s culture, I also met with the Beauty Brands senior management team, which is a very small group. I met with each of them, and then met with Bob at the end of the day. When I walked in, shook his hand and looked into those piercing blue eyes that remind me of my father’s; somehow I knew I was supposed to be there.
As I have gotten to know the Bernstein family and the way the business is structured, my admiration and respect continue to grow. They are really all about the personal connection and the respect and trust and loyalty. I know I am going to take care of them and their company, and they are going to take care of me.
Now sold on Beauty Brands and its owners, I spent time in and learned more about Kansas City to ensure it was a place in which I would feel comfortable. I moved here in July 2008 as Vice President of Merchandising and Supply Chain, charged with helping to evolve the Beauty Brands business model and take the company to the next level. Beauty Brand customers were asking for more and more product lines, and more prestige, and that’s what they’ve hired me to do.
Please tell us more about Beauty Brands.
Bob Bernstein founded the company in 1995, based upon the idea of providing convenient, one-stop shopping for today’s busy woman. At Beauty Brands, she can get her hair done, get a massage, get her nails done, have a facial and purchase hair and skin-care products. Through research, we’ve learned that it’s time for the company to evolve in a number of ways. A part of the plan is work with a design firm to reconfigure the interior to create this shop within a shop environment. So with this “Beauty Evolution” as we call it internally, the result will include more prestige make-up and skin care brands along with an increased number of bath and body products and an expert, elevated customer service experience. When selecting the products that will be placed, the requirement is that they had to have a national brand awareness, they had to have good editorial press coverage, and they have to appeal to savvy women primarily aged 35 to 45. We will see this all come to life here in Kansas City in four pilot stores in May. Our plan is, before the holiday season to have this pilot rolled out to all locations including the 53rd set to open later this year at135th and Metcalf. This is very exciting!
Who are your mentors?
One of them is Chris Johnston, Senior VP of Cosmetics for Macy’s East. She was my boss’ boss when I came into the cosmetics division at Foley’s and I worked for her or on her team for almost 15 years. She is a very tough, very strict and traditional Irish Catholic woman. I always thought she was really tough but then I realized she didn’t treat me any differently than she treated her kids. So, I decided it was ok. She taught me the way and let me go my own way. And she was always there to ensure I didn’t go off the beaten path. She is amazing and is highly respected in the cosmetic industry. She remains very special to me. I feel like I have ridden on her coat tails for years.
The second person is Debbie Murtha, Senior VP of Cosmetics for Macy’s Merchandising Group, which is a group that oversaw all of the Macy’s divisions and helped them gain consensus as one, and be more powerful in the marketplace. She had that same role at May Department Stores. I worked with her, but not directly for her, for the 15 years I was in cosmetics. Much like Chris, she so well respected, very kind, and always supportive. She championed causes, taught me how critical partnerships and relationships are, not only in this business, but in life. It is all about partnerships and relationships, and those two ladies taught me that.
Thirdly, my parents were important mentors to me. My mother was the most positive person I’ve ever known in my life. It didn’t matter what she was facing. She showed me what was possible through examples such as raising three children, teaching during the day and studying at night as she pursued her graduate degree. I don’t know how she kept all those balls in the air and I never knew it was hard for her because she was always so upbeat. I don’t have any of those jobs so it’s difficult for me to comprehend how she managed all of that so successfully. She taught me that I could do anything. There are no limitations and if I wanted to do it, then just go do it and make it happen.
My father was strong, direct and certain. I’m probably more like him. He taught me to be self-sufficient and independent.
What has been your most valuable lesson?
That life is short and you should live each day to the fullest. I lost both of my parents far before I was ready. My father died suddenly with no warning, and my Mom was just the opposite. There were valuable and unique lessons that I learned with each loss. The bottom line is that we never know what tomorrow will bring, so be happy, be kind, and have a ball.
As far as my business knowledge, at Sephora, I learned how to help incubate business and brands. Sephora has a very broad assortment of brands, many of which are young indie brands, and they don’t necessarily have their business plan completely baked when they come and pitch their products. One of the extraordinary gifts that Sephora has given the cosmetic industry is that they have taken it upon themselves to jump right in and partner and align themselves with the vendors, and help them develop as a brand, help them develop product and a marketing strategy, and it was like nothing that I had ever experienced. Most people don’t understand the impact that Sephora and their team have truly had on the smaller brands in the cosmetic industry. The CEO of Sephora, David Suliteanu is really extraordinary, and I feel fortunate to have had time under his tutelage, because he is a visionary and he breaks every rule. He doesn’t have the rule book and isn’t interested in one.
What are the primary reasons for your success?
I’m driven, relentless and do not accept defeat. I’m surrounded by great people who provide me with proper guidance and support. I’m tough, fair and consistent and heavily rely upon partnerships and relationships.
What do you do to bring balance to your life?
I have a terrific network of friends that I rely upon. Many of these people are like family to me and are relationships that were formed in my youth, and early in my career. I am constantly in touch with them. I spend as much time as I can in Kansas City with my new friends, and am enjoying broadening my circle. I look forward to the summer, when I can begin to explore ways to spend time in Kansas City choosing some terrific organizations to which I can volunteer my time. This is the first time in years that I have not been as busy with my volunteer work as I am with my career.
Beauty Brands • Tara Simon, Vice President of Merchandising and Supply Chain
4600 Madison Avenue, Suite 400 • Kansas City, MO 64112 • www.beautybrands.com
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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Many people ask me why they need to supplement their diet when they eat right, exercise often, get regular chiropractic care and drink plenty of water. A few reasons are our soil has become depleted, we are a sleep deprived nation and the chronic stress we have put on our body, mind and spirit.
Appropriate supplementation does not only refer to a single multi-vitamin but an arsenal of vitamins working together to make your body function efficiently. It is not always easy to know the degree of additional vitamins that your body needs. Someone living in Florida could have completely different supplement needs compared to someone living in Montana.
There are many ways to determine which supplements your body needs. You can do an assessment with your wellness practitioner and/or blood testing. Blood testing can help your wellness practitioner create a custom fit supplement plan for you.
Even though the body’s needs might differ greatly from person to person, there are some basics to supplementation that most can benefit from.
Fish oil—Fish oil contains Omega 3 Fatty Acids that are essential for a healthy body. It can reduce inflammation, support a healthy cardiovascular system, stabilize blood sugar, balance hormones, and increase healthy brain function. They are also even more important when pregnant, not only for the mother, but also the developing baby. Even though Omega 3s are found in many plant sources, they are hard for the body to break down and are not easily absorbed.
Probiotics—Probiotics are friendly bacteria. The body has more friendly bacteria in the digestive system than it has cells in the entire body. They reduce inflammation, food sensitivity, allergies, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and irritable bowel. Probiotics are especially important after you have completed treatments with an antibiotic. This will help you replenish the good flora in your gut.
High quality multivitamins—Essential nutrients provided by multivitamins allow the millions of biochemical reactions to take place every second of every day in every cell in your body. Due to modern farming techniques and agricultural practices, our soil has become extremely deficient in vitamins and minerals. Poor soil leads to reduced nutritional density in our food supply. Medications deplete many important vitamins from our bodies that a multivitamin can help replenish. Also, remember that one size does not fit all when it comes to multivitamins; it may take some time to find the one that is perfect for you, and it might not be perfect for you five years from now.
Antioxidants—Antioxidants are essential to good health. High antioxidant capacity is believed to play an important role in the elimination of free radicals, which is a major part in the theory of anti-aging and in the achievement of physiological balance. Antioxidants support healthy glucose metabolism and aids energy production in muscle tissue.
Something to Keep in Mind
Not all supplements are created equal. Because there are no enforced standards for manufacturing, many companies are producing ineffective products. It is estimated that 90% of the supplements available to the general public are of very low quality, not absorbed, or simply do not contain the amounts that their labels claim. Some fish oils can even contain high levels of mercury, lead, and PCB. It is always important to do your homework to make sure that you are buying supplements from a reliable retailer.
I encourage you to also be mindful of the impact your supplementation is having on your health. Some questions to ask yourself: Am I sleeping better? Do I get out of bed easier? Do I have more consistent energy throughout the day? Am I digesting my food better? Am I thinking more clearly?
Lastly, no supplement takes the place of a good balanced diet!
Dr. Michelle Robin is the Founder and Chief Wellness Officer of Your Wellness Connection, P.A. Contact her at 913.962.7408.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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Jazz – A Louisiana Kitchen
4 STARS – I’d eat here once a month
Located on one of the most decorated streets in Kansas City when it comes to restaurants – 39th Street at the corner of State Line Road. This is one of my favorites in Kansas City.
Let’s start with the Stuffed Zucchini. This dish is served with an entire zucchini cut in half and partially hollowed out down the center. From there, it is stuffed with a crab and shrimp mixture that has a Parmesan cheese sauce. They then bread the wonderful creation and give it a quick dip in the fryer. Wow! Talk about heaven. Next up is the Shrimp Czarina. This is linguini pasta served with a Parmesan cream sauce with shrimp, lemon juice, cayenne and julienne vegetables. This dish can be ordered as a half order, which is plenty for one and, for those of you who know me … I can eat! For drinks, try the Hurricane – you’ll really feel like you’re in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out their daily specials, and they also offer live music nearly every night. They have a calendar you can check to see who’s playing online. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Zest
3 STARS - I’d eat here 2 - 3 times a year
Located in Leawood at 10681 Mission Road -- is the newest restaurant to find its home in what used to be the Saddle and Sirloin club, now known as Mission Farms. Over the holidays, my husband and I decided to try it. Upon entering, we were treated as if we were the most important guests that had entered. We were quickly seated and our server promptly arrived to take our drink order. Our meal started with the Creole fried calamari. This was absolutely delicious … I don’t think we left a single crumb on our plate. For dinner, we had the porter-braised pork shank and the chicken. The pork shank arrived on a bed of lentils. This, by far, was the tenderest piece of pork I have ever had. The menu describes this as being fork tender, and it does not lie! The lentils were also tasty. My only disappointment was that the plate offered no color … a green veggie, perhaps spinach, would have been awesome! The chicken was also very tasty. This, too, was very good. We finished our meal with bread pudding. I’m not sure I would recommend the bread pudding unless you ask for extra sauce … it was somewhat dry. Over all, it was a good dining experience. I would like to return after they’ve had a few more months of business under their belt.
Laura Berger is a self-proclaimed food critic. Contact her at laura_berger@fotzkc.org.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 Why do some leaders thrive while others with similar levels of intelligence and technical competence do not? Cleary, technical competence and brain power matters. You must be good at what you do, whether you are an accountant, engineer, or salesperson. But there is ample research suggesting that “emotional intelligence” is what separates the most successful people from the also-rans. At its core, emotional intelligence is two things: 1) managing oneself and 2) managing relationships with others in your work environment.
Inappropriate Use of Emotions
So, what does it look like when someone is ineffective at managing themselves? Do you recognize yourself or others in these descriptions?
- “Dr. Jekyll and Mr./Ms. Hyde.” These people are inconsistent in their behavior and how they treat others, depending on what is happening with them. Their inability to control their emotions leads them to become the dreaded Mr./Ms. Hyde – a not-so-nice human being. They are clueless about how their behavior swings negatively impact their relationships with others.
- “Ready – Fire – Aim.” These leaders tend to jump to conclusions, often based on emotions rather than facts, and don’t think things through before acting. This impulsiveness leads to poor decision making, resistance to change, and undertaking the wrong actions.
- “Know It All.” Refuses to engage others in key projects, processes and decision-making. These folks tend to not understand their own strengths and weaknesses. This blindness to their own weaknesses and arrogance leads to underperformance from themselves and those around them.
And what does it look like when someone struggles in managing their relationships with others?
- “All About Me.” These folks only care about themselves. They show little to no empathy to those they work around. The organization is there to serve them. No surprise, they struggle with building strong and trusting relationships.
- “Stone Cold.” Perhaps the opposite extreme from “Jekyll & Hyde,” this person is unemotional and detached. They do not engage with others in a supportive way. While they keep negative emotions out of the work place, they also show no positive, encouraging emotions either. They do not “connect” with others.
These examples show a range of emotion-driven behavior that can derail one’s career. The ability to manage your own emotions and empathize with others to build strong relationships is critical to your career success. If any of the above resonates with you, perhaps you need to focus on your “emotional intelligence.”
Using Your Emotions in a Positive Manner
As our “Stone Cold” character showed, becoming robots and showing no emotion is not the answer. How can you harness your emotions in a positive way?
As with many things in life, awareness is the foundation. You must be aware of your own emotional responses and what triggers your “negative” responses to rear their ugly heads. What sorts of people or situations set you off? Your options are to change the people/situation or change your response to it. The option you can best control is to change your behavior.
But before you change, you need to increase your awareness of other’s emotions and tune in to them. Too often we can get locked into an argument or position without stepping back and putting ourselves in the other’s shoes. Tuning in to how others are feeling and being able to respond appropriately is the key. Upon recognizing your emotions and the emotions of others, positive interactions will occur when you can match your behavior to the situation.
We all know leaders who intuitively seem to know when to praise people, when to challenge them, when to use humor, and when to be serious. Not only do they have a repertoire of behavior to use, they are in tune with the others and know what will work for that particular situation. That is what you should strive for.
Can You Learn to Manage Your Emotions?
Yes. There are assessments available to test these “soft skill” areas and to receive feedback from those you work with. With this information, you can begin to focus on your specific issues. Working with an executive coach strategizing ways to change behavior can also help you make the necessary changes. Changing our behavior as adults is hard but can be well worth the effort when it leads you to greater career success!
CAN YOU CONTROL IT?
- Harnessing one’s emotions, or emotional intelligence, separates the most successful leaders from others.
- There are numerous ways where emotions can damage your own performance and negatively impact your relationships at work.
- To effectively use emotions, you must become aware of both yours and others’ emotions and learn to match your behavior to the situation.
Joni Lindquist is president of KHC Executive Coaching, a division of KHC Wealth Management Services. Contact her at 913.345.1881 or jlindquist@makinglifecount.com.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 This is the question at the top of every investor’s mind. The main question that we get on a daily basis is, should I continue to contribute to my 401(k)? This is a difficult question to answer in a difficult market. It is important to point out that acting on advice given in general terms is like asking a physician to diagnose an illness without being given any of the symptoms. Here is some information to get you started on the right path.
First of all, contributing to a 401(k) with your employer that offers a matching program is like getting “free money.” So why turn down such a great offer? Here is an example of what that could amount to:
Let’s assume that your salary is $85,000. Your contribution amount is 3% or $2,550 per year. Your employer matches this annual investment. At no growth, you would have $204,000 (or $102,000 that you saved plus your employer’s “match”) but you are concerned about the volatility of the market. The key is to be in the right position at the right time.
A systematic investment during down and up markets creates an average share price that is lower than the average market price per share.
Missing the Best Days in the Market
If you are considering moving into a cash position in a bear market, one thing to keep in mind is the possibility of missing the best days in the market. Since we cannot predict the end of the bear market and the beginning of a bull market, there is a good chance that your reinvestment strategy may yield you less if you had held your investment for the duration.
“If you had invested $10,000 in the S&P 500 on January 1, 2008, but missed the five best market days by moving in and out, your investment as of June 30 would have been worth $7,433 — a loss of 26%. If you had stayed in the market, your investment would have dropped to $8,717 for a much smaller loss of 12.8%.”**
In-Service Distributions
Not comfortable with the investment choices in your retirement plan? Your 401(k) Plan Document through your employer may allow for “In-Service Distributions.” This particular distribution would not be a taxable event and can be done while still employed and contributing to the retirement plan. Some plan documents allow for a portion of your contribution to be rolled over to an IRA outside of you current plan. This would allow you to have access to a broader base of investment options.
In addition, if you are over the age of 59 1/2, you may also be eligible to take an in-service distribution. It is important to make sure that your plan document allows for this type of rollover. Making sure that the in-service distribution is not a taxable event is crucial. You should consult your tax adviser and financial adviser to make sure that the distribution is handled properly.
* Dollar cost averaging does not assure a profit and does not protect against loss in declining markets.
** Source: American Funds Three Lessons to Learn from Recent Market Volatility.
Juliann Smith is the President of Advanced Financial Solutions, L.L.C., with business partner Christina Lomas. Contact Juliann at jsmith@afsllc.us.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 The economy stinks, the weather is foul, and business is dragging. Despite that, you must rev up revenues fast or soon you will have to make some unpleasant decisions. What to do? One thing you can do is to revisit your target marketing.
You likely identified your target market when you launched your business or stepped into the marketing position at your company. But how recent was that reviewed?
In today’s business environment, it’s crucial to find strategies to give your business the edge. If you opened your own business, you had the luxury of choosing the market space you entered. But if you moved into a marketing position in a larger corporation, you inherited a product or service to promote. Your mission: figure out what makes your business, service or product unique, and how to promote those unique features to customers who are interested in them.
You have two basic approaches to marketing: differentiated marketing and undifferentiated marketing, and rarely the twain shall meet.
Undifferentiated marketing focuses on a broad market – the average or general customer. It’s driven by mass advertising. Undifferentiated marketing works when you have little competition or the product is widely used. For example, if yours is a high-visibility company, such as Quaker Oats and you’re selling oatmeal – a hot item at this time of year – you probably will advertise widely because a broad spectrum of customers will see and respond: they’ll buy the product because they want something warm and nourishing for breakfast.
In this economy, however, smaller businesses with less hefty budgets likely are more inclined to differentiate their marketing. Differentiated marketing historically builds greater brand loyalty and repeat purchases because you consider the customers’ needs or desires.
Simply put, you can boost sales through differentiated marketing by laser tight marketing efforts focused on selected market segments. In other words, you’re aiming your marketing arrow at the center of a target to hit the bull’s eye.
All of which brings us to target marketing or identifying market segments that would be interested in your product or service. Markets usually are segmented or targeted initially based upon such standard demographic factors as age, income, gender, location, geographic factors and family life cycle.
Another type of market segmentation is developed based upon psychographics – identifying motivations that would interest a particular market group.
For example, an alternative healthcare practice received few new patients despite a broad advertising campaign. The professionals at the practice knew that huge amounts of money each year are spent on alternative healthcare. But the practice’s lead practitioner couldn’t identify market segments that represented her clients because “they’re men and women of different ages from a wide array of backgrounds.”
Deeper research reinforced by questioning some of the practice’s existing patients (current customers often prove invaluable in helping you learn what you need to know) revealed that people attracted to the healthcare resource tended to be spiritually motivated.
Based upon the research, the practice limited its advertising to local wellness and spiritually focused publications, and replaced the remaining dollars chopped from its advertising budget on an outreach program to spiritual centers, churches that support various healing traditions, chiropractors and selected alternative and conventional healthcare professionals. The objective: drum up referrals and build awareness among spiritually-minded people. The outcome: a much more targeted, cost-effective and productive marketing campaign that continues to produce new patients.
Clearly, it was more cost-effective and more profitable to attract patients from a smaller market segment than to try to attract patients from the entire community.
Once you’ve addressed market segmentation, you should consider your competitiveness in the market. Competitive success is focusing on the little differences that give a marketing edge or are important to customers. One online marketing maven whose career I’ve followed is known for her no-holds-barred, potty-mouth approach to communications. Her clients often say the potty-mouth approach is what attracts them: “Nobody else is so real,” one client recently attested.
Whatever your competitive edge – something your product or service provides that your competitors don’t offer, such as a discount for frequent customer purchases, a broad choice of product or service options, online purchases, free delivery, or a unique approach to business communications – if it’s important to your customers, leverage it in your marketing.
And while you’re at it, revisit these strategies periodically to see if there are other niche markets that you haven’t tapped that also would appreciate your product or service and uniqueness. In this down economy, finding new markets that you hadn’t considered before might make all the difference between revving up revenues and making tough decisions. Happy Marketing!
Marna Courson is the President of CCI Public Relations & Marketing Communications. Contact her at 816.471.2900.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 Q: We’re planning a trip, and I am concerned about the prospect of our airline filing bankruptcy. If that happened, are we still able to travel and, if not, how can I recover my money for the tickets?
Answer: First, using a credit card for payment is a way to protect your funds. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), credit card consumers have more protections than those who pay with debit cards, money orders or cash. If your airline files for bankruptcy protection, it will likely be under Chapter 11 (see Aloha Airlines bankruptcy filing as an example). Typically, the airline may send an e-mail (if you’ve provided an e-mail address for contacting you) that all flights are halted, and maybe even cancelled. By paying with a credit card, you may be able to dispute the charge and recover the funds from the credit company by calling on the charge back provision for services not rendered. Importantly, if you purchase travel insurance, read the terms carefully since policies often do not cover air carrier insolvency. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for the airline to respond to your inquiries before contacting your credit card company to dispute the charge. After news of the bankruptcy filing, the website and automated telephone line will likely be flooded. When disputing the charge under the Fair Credit Billing Act, follow these steps: (1) Write to the credit card issuer at the address given for billing inquiries or bill disputes (not the address for sending payment), and be sure to state your name, card account number, and address; (2) State that your airline has declared bankruptcy so you will not receive the services that were originally charged. Consequently, you request a billing error credit along with a charge back; (3) State the date the ticket was purchased and price paid for ticket; (4)) Include a copy of your e-ticket, itinerary or receipt; (5) Send your correspondence by certified mail, with a tracking number and return receipt requested; and (6) Remember to submit your correspondence within 60 days from the date of the charge. Understand that while it is not bound to honor prior purchase obligations, the airline corporation continues to run its business operation in Chapter 11 bankruptcy while it undergoes (hopeful) debt and contractual restructuring. The goal will likely be that the financially distressed company will eventually emerge from bankruptcy – a process that may take many months and even years. As a consumer, your ticket likely falls into the category of unsecured creditors. Under bankruptcy law, unsecured creditors have the lowest priority in terms of getting their claims paid from the assets of a bankrupt company.
Q: I was a temporary driver for a small trucking company. The state’s department of revenue contacted me. I considered myself an employee but, apparently, the company said I was an independent contractor. Will the state agent tell the IRS about this, and how do I show I was an employee?
Answer: Concerning the sharing of information, the IRS has signed memorandums of understanding with 31 states to exchange information arising from worker classification audits, so it is likely that your former state of residence may share information with the IRS. Though this worker classification issue affects many industries and both small and large companies, a case that may be of interest was a class action lawsuit filed against Federal Express by its drivers who alleged that they were common-law employees despite agreements with the company that described them as independent contractors. The company argued that the drivers should have understood the agreement(s) they signed, though the drivers responded that Fed-Ex’s rules governing their work made them employees. The total taxes, penalties and interest at issue in the case was in the hundreds of millions of dollars. In your particular situation, whether you will be considered an employee or independent contractor is largely fact-driven, and you should discuss your circumstances with a qualified tax professional who can review the appropriate factors with you.
The information contained herein is general in nature and is based on authorities that are subject to change. It is not, and should not be construed as, accounting, legal or tax advice or opinion provided by The Banking & Tax Law Group LLP to the reader. This material may not be applicable to, or suitable for, specific circumstances or needs, and may require consideration of non-tax factors and tax factors not described herein. Contact a tax professional prior to taking any action based upon this information. Changes in tax laws or other factors could affect, on a prospective or retroactive basis, the information contained herein; The Banking & Tax Law Group LLP assumes no obligation to inform the reader of any such changes. Finally, in accordance with IRS Circular 230 governing the standards of practice for tax practitioners, any tax advice contained in this letter is not intended or written to be used as condoning, marketing, promoting or recommending any product or transaction and cannot be used for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the IRC or applicable state or local tax law provisions.
Susan Berson is Partner at The Banking & Tax Law Group LLP. If you have a question for Susan, please send it via e-mail to LegalQ@flourishmagazine.com.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 People are our most valuable asset.” How many CEO’s and leaders make this claim? How many vision and values statements include this or a similar phrase? To what degree is this true for your organization? Actions speak louder than words … How evident is your commitment to your employees?
Statistically, organizations whose leadership REALLY values employees are the most successful. Why? As Walt Disney once said, “The way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers.” Equally important is the impact that positive employee management and development systems have on your organization’s performance.
Good People Strategy is Good Business!
“Employers of Choice” make time to attract and hire the right people. Once they find great people, they train them effectively, lead them responsibly, and create a culture that results in high productivity, alignment with strategy, and low levels of absenteeism and turnover.
Are your people trained to be goal-oriented and focused on getting results for themselves, their teams and the organization? If people are your greatest, and generally most expensive, asset, it’s a wise investment to develop peak performers.
Developing Peak Performers
High performing people see things both as they are and as they could be. Your first step is to create an environment and structure where people truly participate and genuinely believe that they are integral to the organization’s success.
When people expand their focus on what is possible, they begin to seek new and better ways of doing things. They realize they have the capacity to shape their lives rather than accept things as they are.
Leadership in well-aligned organizations is the norm, not the exception. Everyone is encouraged to examine situations and lead in response to them. Previous habits of “doing it this way … because we always have” gives way to new attitudes, innovative thinking, and process improvements. The philosophy, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” gives way to, “No matter how good it is, we can make it better!”
The leader’s role is to coach people to higher levels of performance. This is easiest when high performance serves both the organization’s and the individual’s best interests. Every employee needs to see how their personal success can be accomplished through organizational success.
If the environment is not conducive to supporting and guiding people to new levels of achievement, new skills and behaviors will not thrive. You cannot lead people to higher levels of achievement if the systems do not support such behavior.
Significant achievement is not likely without change, and change in behavior starts with a change in thinking.
Something to Think About
How does your organization enable employees to develop to their full potential and how well is your workforce aligned with organizational objectives? The following questions will help you think strategically about how well your people systems are aligned with your strategy. When you find gaps between where you are and where you want to be, consider it an opportunity and take action.
What efforts do you make to build and maintain an environment conducive to performance excellence, full participation, and personal and organizational growth?
Who are you hiring and how do you determine fit? What are your orientation and training practices? How well do your managers understand employee motivation? Are employees given the tools and training necessary to do their job well? Is performance feedback provided regularly? Do employees know how their performance affects clients and peers? Are suggestions solicited and used when possible?
Do your people have the attitudes, habits and behaviors to help you meet organizational objectives? Do employees know your organization’s vision, mission and values? How well do they relate to them?
What management, leadership and communications skills do your people require to be successful? What are you doing to further develop these skills? Do you spend time on improved communications? Are communications one-way or two-way? How much and how often do you invest in people and organizational development?
Final Thoughts
When I work with analytical people, they say this is the “soft stuff.” They claim that they are not good at it and don’t understand the importance of this strategy. Yet once they understand that effective communications and employee development is the means to achieving a competitive edge, not an end in itself, their attitudes change. They see the value of creating systems to get and maintain the best employees in order to achieve the organization’s objectives.
People development is challenging. Why? Because most people are averse to change. Developing people to use more of their potential doesn’t guarantee that they’ll stay forever, but people development serves as both an employee retention plan and as a strategy for improving business results … both of which can help your organization turn more of your goals into achievement.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
- People development serves as an employee retention plan and a strategy for improving business results, both of which help your organization turn more of your goals into achievement.
- It’s critical that your people development and management systems are aligned with your organizational objectives in order to create a competitive edge.
Allison Darling is President of ManagementConcepts, Inc., a Kansas City based Strategic Consulting Firm.
Contact Allison at 913.649.4833 or allison@goalgetters.biz.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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This book will help you gain a new appreciation for advertising and group behavior. It may also help you look more critically at how you’re treated by salespeople, co-workers, bosses, parents and friends.
In its fourth edition, Influence: Science and Practice, by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D., provides the psychological basis for human buying behavior and suggests practical tactics for taking advantage of these human tendencies—or for avoiding being taken advantage of by unscrupulous people. (Please note, Cialdini has also published a similar book titled, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, but it is not as practically focused and reader friendly.)
Cialdini is a professor of psychology at Arizona State University. By studying buying habits and selling techniques, the art and science of persuasion emerges for the college professor.
He finds six fundamental social and psychological principles help shape our buying perceptions.
Reciprocity—has been found to be deeply rooted in our human interaction and is the basis for making concessions in a negotiation. Basically, people feel obligated to give back the form of behavior given to them. So, the general attitude and behavior of one person will elicit a similar attitude on the other side.
Commitment and consistency—the human drive to look and be consistent is another behavior that has been confirmed by research. Commitments are most effective when they are active, public, require effort and are viewed as internally motivated and not coerced.
Social Proof—people want to do things that they see other people are doing and follow cultural norms.
Authority—people tend to obey authority figures. Use of experts can be very powerful.
Liking—people are easily persuaded by people whom they like. Relationships built on positive social interactions and feelings of affiliation are the key to successful negotiations. (Corporate negotiation strategies do not overlook this important dynamic.)
Scarcity—perceived scarcity generates demand. This may easily be manipulated by savvy sales and marketing strategies.
Of all of these, reciprocity is the greatest dynamic people should not overlook. Parties in an intense conflict may overlook their ability to encourage cooperative behavior, but it does have an impact. And negative interaction does trigger a negative reaction.
Even if you just scan this book, the heightened awareness you will gain will be well worth the time and money you invest.
Valerie Howard Burke, attorney, mediator, arbitrator and conflict management educator, can be contacted at 913.339.8793 or navigateconflict@gmail.com.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 Last spring, a voluntary affiliation of the executive directors and presidents of various Kansas City women’s business organizations met at the Kauffman Foundation to create Kansas City’s first Women’s Business Roundtable. Attendees included representatives of: Association of Women Lawyers; Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus; Kansas Women’s Business Center; KC Crew (Commercial Real Estate Women); KC Council Women Business Owners; MidAmerican Minority Business Development Council; Missouri Women’s Business Center; National Association Women Business Owners Kansas City; National Association Women in Construction; Progressive Women’s Political Caucus; UMKC Women’s Center; Women Construction Owners and Executives; Women Impacting Public Policy; Women in Communications; and Women in Film.
Unlike many of the other minority groups, each having either an established Chamber of Commerce or industry groups with full-time executive staff, women business owners and executives have no such readily identifiable body. Accordingly, where government entities attempt to communicate pending issues to women business owners, there is no “one stop” contact point enabling a quick and efficient flow of information.
The creation of the Women’s Business Roundtable is designed expressly to create a cohesive communications network among Kansas City’s women business groups. The specific goals of the voluntary Kansas City Women’s Business Roundtable affiliation are: (1) To create a communications network between all metropolitan women business groups and governmental entities; (2) to identify shared bi-partisan policy initiatives and create grass roots mechanisms within the membership structure in support of those bi-partisan policies which benefit the advancement of women; and (3) to effectively advocate for those issues important to women business owners, executives, and the young women leaders within the Kansas City metropolitan region.
The organization meets quarterly with a rotating organizational chair. The next meeting will be held April 16, 2009, at 8:30 a.m., location to be announced.
Denise is an AV rated attorney practicing business, commercial construction, and equine law. Known nationally for her special emphasis in government contracting and minority/ women business programs, she can be reached at 816.842.0800 or by e-mail: dfarris@farrislawfirm.com.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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 In my last article, I encouraged everyone to “find your own personal green,” and noted that we could do it one step at a time. Well, it’s time to get started on that journey.
I know what women can do as a united front and what you can do when you embrace a cause. I have seen the awareness you have brought to this nation about breast cancer. I have heard the discussions with women and their daughters about the Ali Kemp tragedy and witnessed the self-defense classes grow to great numbers. I have seen women bond together in business to form alliances like never before in history. The women of Kansas City are a powerful group, but you need to move together as one on this issue. I know and have seen this: women will go green before men. You can be the change agent to move this all forward. Ask yourselves, what is my child’s school being cleaned with? Why is asthma up over 600% since 1980? Why is it that Missouri just passed the green cleaning school program to start in 2009, but Kansas has not? Ladies, these are some of the larger green issues you can get involved with during 2009, if you want to be.
Over the next few months, I will be writing a series of articles on many different topics, including the green cleaning processes, greening your home and business, and finding your own personal green. Check back in upcoming issues for more about living a greener life.
Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can effect change.
- Buy a rain barrel and paint designs on it with the kids. The kids will have fun painting flowers on it, and they will learn that catching the rain water and using the water for your plants will conserve water. You can buy them at Habitat Restore or at The Green Garden Circle Center in the River Market.
- Start a recycling program at home with the kids. Put a jar on the counter and, every time they recycle something, add your spare change to the jar. You can even have amounts for items the kids recycle, or actions they take. Make it fun for them and for you. Have them set a goal and work for something they really want (there’s a novel idea).
- Gather up all the unused construction materials in your home and donate them to Habitat Restore (all for a great cause – and they’re wonderful people). We all have “stuff” in our basement and in the garage that was left over from the construction of our homes, and we all say, “we’ll build some shelves with that one day.” Well, six years later, the wood is still setting there stacked in the garage taking up space. Don’t throw it away … Donate, let someone use it; let’s keep it out of the landfill.
- Here’s one for the office: we switched all of our quotes to flash drives. No more paper, plastic covers, ring binders; everything is on a cool little reusable flash drive that has our logo, phone number and Web site on it. The great thing is that our company information is with them wherever they go. It’s reusable, eliminates paper and plastic and we get serious cool points and marketing all in one little package … now that’s green with a purpose.
Gary Walker, the King of Green Cleaning, is owner of Magic Touch Cleaning, Inc. You can reach him at 816.554.3366 or gary@magictouchcleaning.net.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
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Women’s Business Roundtable Created
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