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THURSDAY THOUGHT 1/6/11

THE JESUS ANGLE 

I’m in business and I enjoy selling.  And just for the record, true selling is not manipulation, but the art of persuasively showing how what one person has to offer can genuinely benefit another.  We all do it.  We all sell something: the parent who tries to persuade the child to eat his veggies; the boy who tries to convince the girl to go out on a date; anybody who has ever interviewed for a job.  We all sell, and we do it to gain something … and that’s not bad.

Oh, yes, there is one exception:  Jesus.  He didn’t have an angle, and He didn’t sell or persuade for personal gain … though He did work awfully hard to convince people to “buy” his message.  However, He didn’t ask for anything in return.  With all His powers of persuasion, He could have truly been king, or at least the wealthiest man on earth.  He asked for nothing in return, at least for Himself.  As a salesman, I say, He blew it.  As a Christian, I say, “Thank you, Jesus.”  

My point:  There is no Jesus angle.  He offered and He gave … and He gave the ultimate gift.  There is no fine print, so power-grabbing surprise.  He gave.  We win.  What a deal!  Pass it on! – jri 

TUESDAY 1/6/09

The King of Stupid

Bernie Madoff is perhaps the stupidest man on earth.  I say this because — in spite of his ability to con numerous people out of billions of dollars — I don’t think he had a clue as to WHY he was doing it.  Mindless, blind ambition!  I wonder if he had friends or just an entourage he bought and paid for with cash.  Sad.  Stupid.  He has a true gift, and he has squandered it.

I suspect the psychiatrists would have a field day with this sad little man, who had to rob and cheat people — hmmm, not sure why — perhaps to feel good about himself.  I wonder if the eighth billion feels as good as the first billion … or if it’s like trying to get the same satisfaction stuffing  the eighth slice of pizza into our mouths we got from that first bite of the first slice.  It fills the belly but not the soul. 

My point:  I think we all have a hunger, a hole in our soul.  The stupid ones attempt to fill it with stuff and busy-ness.  The smart ones actually do fill it with friends and family and a positive purpose in life.  Take time today for the real things, the smart things.  — jri 
 
“Battle your way to the top, says the world,
and you are a man.  Why is it then that the
men who get there are often the emptiest,
most frightened, prideful posers around?
They are mercenaries, battling only to build
their own kingdoms….  The same holds true
of the adventure addicts; no matter how
much you spend, no matter how far you take
your hobby, it’s still merely that — a hobby.”
    –    John Eldredge
           (Wild at Heart)

THURSDAY THOUGHT 6/5/08

Jesus Christ, CEO
 
Jesus was a lousy businessman.  I mean, He had a one-of-a-kind product, but He just gave it away, never charging a nickel for curing dread diseases and raising the dead.  His marketing plan consisted of wandering aimlessly around a backwater province with a staff He probably underpaid and who had no idea what their titles were or what they were supposed to do.  I don’t think He even ever passed the hat after one of his stop-a-clock sermons.  (Imagine Jesus as a head of the Church Fundraising Committee!)  But He blew it.  Missed opportunities!
 
A couple of appearances on Oprah and He could have been rich and famous, maybe even franchised The Miracle Business.  (Thursday special: Buy One Healing, Get One Free! No Rainchecks.) But He died with nothing, just a few garments and a handful of supporters, few enough to count on the fingers of each hand.  No, He could have taken Pilate aside, made a side deal by curing a tooth ache or shrinking an ulcer, and gotten off with a tongue lashing and maybe even a bag of goodies.   He could have retired at age 33 to a villa by the sea, made an appearance now and then to keep the royalties rolling in.  But, nope, He blew it.  
 
My point:  Christ gave it away.  No profit or gimmick.  He was the genuine article.  He did it all to profit us, not Himself.  So, celebrate and enjoy this amazing gift … and share it with those around you.  No charge.  — jri
 
“And he directed the people to sit down
on the grass.  Taking the five loaves and
the two fish and looking up to heaven, he
gave thanks and broke the loaves.  Then
he gave them to the disciples, and the
disciples gave them to the people.  They
all ate and were satisfied….”
        –    Matthew 14:19-20
Thanks for the opportunity to share my daily ramblings with you.  No charge!  And on that note, even though my material is copyrighted (why, I really don’t know), please feel free to share my ramblings with others.  I think Christ would be okay with that.  Thank you and God bless. — John

TUESDAY THOUGHT 5/27/08

Nation of Whiners?
 
Rumor has it that we’ve become a nation of whiners.  I think that’s because the media and certain political groups feel they must promote victimization to keep their audiences. 

Economically speaking, we criticize Bill Gates and Sam Walton and McDonalds (but, curiously, never Walt Disney), because their companies  make too much money, a simple-minded complaint.  In the 19th century, we called the men who built America’s prosperity — Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, Ford, Rockefeller, and Firestone and many more — robber barons, another simple-minded lament.

My point:  Don’t whine.  Celebrate.  We should give thanks for these hard-working, visionary men for making our lives comfortable and prosperous, for making it possible for us to fly from coast to coast, to ride a train, to drive a car, to flip a switch and get electricity, to turn a tap and get clean drinking water,to cook in a non-stick pan, to walk into a store and buy more things than we imagined even existed,  to click on instant access to the world via the internet, and on and on and on.  — jri

“When you’re drinking the water, don’t forget
who dug the well.”
            –    Chinese Proverb 
  

WEDNESDAY THOUGHT 5/21/08

The Jesus “Elevator Talk”
 
I love this idea.  As a businessman, I have a 30-second “elevator talk.”  That’s a brief summary of who I am, what I do, and why prospective clients should work with me.  So, why not a Jesus Elevator Talk?  (No, it’s not original with me.)
 
That way, when someone either asks why I talk like someone who believes in God’s love, who challenges me at the sight of my cross, or who just seems like someone who is simmering in the pain of life, I can give him or her a half-way intelligent, focused reply.  (Mine has four points.  It’s not brilliant, but better than stammering like an idiot.  For details, check it out below.)
 
My point:  Just as you might do in explaining what you do in business or on the job, map out and practice your own Jesus Elevator Talk, and then plan to give it at least once a day — to a friend, a neighbor, a relative, a stranger at the bus stop.  You just might be amazed at what comes of it.  God bless and enjoy the wonders of this wondrous day. — jri
 

“These twelve Jesus sent out with the following
instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles,
and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go
rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, proclaim the good news, The
kingdom of heaven has come near.’”
        –    Matthew 10:5-7

My four-point Jesus Elevator Talk:

DAILY THOUGHT 5/1/08

Don’t love what you do.  Do what you love!  When I first started my business nearly 25 years ago, I would leap out of bed every morning at 5:30 eager to get down to work.  I loved it.  Well, I admit that over the years, there were some long stretches when I found myself bored, restless, trapped.
 
The good news is that I always found a way to reinvent myself — branching out into new areas, introducing new products, changing the entire direction and structure of my business.  As a result, these days, I still manage to wake up many mornings feeling like it’s Saturday, a day of relaxing fun, because I love what I do…again. 
 
My point:  Re-invent yourself if necessary, but do find a way to keep your heart and your attitude revved up and super excited about what you do, even if you have to turn things inside out now and then.  Work hard. Make money.  Most of all, have fun. — jri
 
“The secret to success is making your
vocation your vacation.”
        –    Mark Twain

BIZ THOUGHT 4/21/08

Keep good records.  Track your activity.  Maybe in a go-go economy, you can afford to slop along and stay in the black.  But survivors and thrivers in business these days know which products make the biggest profits; which customers generate the most sales; which employees are worth their wages.
 
Most of all, don’t just set goals or make vague plans.  Hold yourself and others accountable.  Set goals and deadlines, and be darn sure to measure how well you are doing every step of the way.
 
The bottom line:  Know where your bread is buttered and where you’re choking down dry toast. Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.
 
“What gets measured tends to get
done.”
        –    Mickey Straub, President
               Sales Activity Management
               www.SAMInspires.com  

THURSDAY THOUGHT 4/17/08

“If you enjoyed your stay (your new product/our service), please not only let us know, but be sure to tell a friend.”  As a businessman, I’m big on networking, the power of mouth-to-mouth marketing.  One satisfied customer giving a referral to a friend or associate is the best kind of recommendation.  It is the single most effective way to connect quickly and powerfully with the right people.
 
It seems to me it’s the same with God.  I’m in a business conference this week.  Most of the attendees are old friends. Over time, many of us discovered (slowly and haltingly) that some of us are people of faith.  We got talking about that at dinner last night … openly and unabashedly.  As five of us talked, two other people at the table listened with quizzical looks on their faces.  We weren’t preaching or speaking in tongues, just talking about stuff from a Christian perspective. 
 
My point?  Wear your faith on your sleeve.  No, don’t stand on the street corner and hand out salvation pamphlets (unless that sort of thing really turns you on).  For me, that means wearing my cross (like a Tommy Hilfiger t-shirt for Christ), trying to act like a Christian, and not being afraid to thank God and mention His name in public when it seems appropriate.  Sooooo, enjoy this beautiful day and don’t hesitate to do some networking for God.  — jri
 
“And call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will glorify thee, and thou shalt
glorify me.”
            –    God
                   (Psalm 50:15)

TUESDAY BIZ THOUGHT 4/1/08

Enthusiasm is the key to success in sales. 

Yes, it’s good (sometimes even important) to know your products and to understand proven selling techniques.  But the catalyst, the spark, the firing pin to a successful sale is enthusiasm.

Tell your story and tell it with passion and excitement.  Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  — jri

“A salesman minus enthusiasm
is just a clerk.”
    –    Harry F. Banks

MONDAY BIZ THOUGHT 3/31/08

I don’t think I’m the only one.  As a business owner, I find myself pretty much constantly thinking about (actually, worrying about) money, about sales, about taxes, about getting clients, about losing clients, about making sure that every project is top notch.

In other words, I’m a bit paranoid.  And that’s good.  That keeps me on top of my game, helps me avoid complacency. 

My point?  Never take your success for granted.  We all work hard to make every sale, keep every customer, earn every dollar.  That comes from constant vigilance … which is very close indeed to paranoia. 

So work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  And, yes, be a bit paranoid. — jri

“In business paranoia is not a psychosis,
it’s a reality; it’s probably survival. People
who are unafraid scare me; they make
me afraid.”
    –    Fred Adler

THURSDAY BIZ THOUGHT 3/20/08

We all sell something, and we are always selling…like it or not.
 
When we smile, we sell a relationship.  When we short-change a customer or client, we sell doubt and distrust.  When we fail to persuade prospects to buy our product, we have sold them on our lack of ability to meet their need. 
 
The bottom line:  Every word, gesture and attitude is a sales presentation of some kind.  Make yours always positive so you get the sale you want.   Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun. 
 
“A sale is made on every presentation. 
The prospect either sells you that he
can’t or won’t buy, or you sell him that
he can and should buy.”
    –    Zig Ziglar

TUESDAY BIZ QUOTE 2/12/08

When I was young(er), I saw business dealings as winner-take-all propositions.  I wanted the whole pie! 

Then I learned that the best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.  Rather than battling it out with competitors in a bunkhouse brawl in which everybody came out bloodied, I now have dozens of friends and associates.  We all work together these days and, amazingly, we each end up sharing a much bigger piece of the pie. 

The bottom line:  The name of the game is not screw your neighbor, the customer or a competitor.  Instead, long-term business survivors know it’s all about win/win deals.   So, work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  Oh, and play nice. — JRIngrisano

“It is possible that, in making other people
wealthier, happier, and more secure, you
will have more of your own needs satisfied.
This is, in fact, an ideal result of any
negotiation.”
    –    Gerald I. Nierenberg
           (The Art of Negotiating)

MONDAY BIZ QUOTE 2/4/08

The best part about being in business is that there are no guarantees.  It’s not a pony ride at an amusement park; it’s an extreme adventure without a safety net. 
 
I still get the biggest thrill in the world when I land a new contract…and just about die from despair when I lose an existing client.
 
The bottom line: Business is tough.  That’s why only some of us are crazy and tough enough to be in it.  So, work  hard.  Make money.  And, yes, enjoy the adventure. — jri
 
“To be an entrepreneur, you have to
be like a bobo clown.  You punch it in
the nose and it pops right back.”
    –    Lisa Renshaw

MONDAY BIZ QUOTE

I am an unapologetic capitalist.

Why?  Because, as a Christian and a person who cares about the human condition, I have learned that capitalism has done more to help individuals, reduce poverty and foster democracy than all the socialistic warm-womb do-gooders’ pious hand wringing.

Care about people?  Love humanity?  Then you should be a capitalist.  Work hard.  Make money.  Have fun.  — jri

“During the Industrial Revolution, the
average expectancy of life increased
by greater than seven years [from 34.23
years to 41.31] in the course of just
over a century.”
–    Andrew Bernstein
( The Capitalist Manifesto)

TUESDAY BIZ QUOTE 1/15/07

I know business owners who, if they did the calcs, would find that they make somewhere between $5 and $10 an hour.  They could make the same income, maybe even with benefits, clerking at the Quickie Mart … AND get to go home at night without a care.

Sadly, strangely, proudly, that’s just not us. It takes a strange breed of person to be a business owner.  Some of us know what we are doing; most of us do the best we can.

One thing is fairly certain: We’re pretty much independent, stubborn, somewhat unemployable elsewhere.  So, you might as well just …  work hard, make money, have fun.  — jri

“He who learns mostly from his own
mistakes is either a fool or self-employed.”
–    Source Unknown