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Q&A With Dave

NOVEMBER 2012

Your Source for Best Business Practices From the Trenches

REVIEW

Score a Touchdown Every DayHiring lessons from the NFL

EntreLeadership Review2

Welcome to ou r Novemb er i s sue . A s I w r ite t h i s colu m n , we’ve ju st f i n ishe d a not her i ncre d ible E nt reL eadersh ip Ma ster S er ie s i n O rla ndo, F lor id a . E ach t i me I go to one of t he s e eve nt s , I ’m a lways su r pr ise d at how re cha rge d I get. I l itera l ly l ive t he con-cepts ever y day at work , but when I hea r Dave or ot her members of t he E nt reLeadersh ip tea m spea k , I lea r n somet h i n g new.

But that ’s just the start. W hat really fires me up is the change I see i n ou r at tende e s . E nt reLeadersh ip Master Ser ie s g ive s t hem t he tools to hope a nd d rea m a ga i n . T hey no lon ger have to be over-whel me d or lost. It ’s pretty power f u l stu f f, a nd it ’s somet h i n g I ’ l l never get t i re d of w it ne ssi n g .

E nt reL e adersh ip M a ster S er ie s i s not t he on ly tool for bu si ne s s ow ners t hou g h . We have a mu lt it ude of cha n nel s for you to get plu g ged into, including this EntreLeadership Review. So take a few m i nute s , sit back , a nd lea r n how to g row you rsel f, you r tea m a nd you r prof its wh i le hav i n g a lot of f u n a lon g t he way. E njoy, a nd have a happy, happy T ha n ksg iv i n g .

Daniel Tardy, Vice President, EntreLeadership

Review PreviewYour Source for Best Business Practices From the Trenches

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Table of Contents

Celebrating One Million Downloads How the EntreLeadership team found a better way to serve

Show, Cast and Know Building great company culture

Q&A With Dave The ultimate EntreLeader answers your questions

Are You Guilty of Distraction? Take this quick test to find out

Meet Ryan Weissmueller Arizona-based CFO shares his best leadership advice

Getting the Job Done How to delegate to your team

Passing It On Don’t allow a spirit of fear to drive you

How to Launch Your Dream and Avoid a Nightmare Ensure not only your independence but also success

Hiring Lessons From the NFL How to attract more talent

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EntreLeadership Review4

It has been said that one small idea can change the world. And when the EntreLeadership team came up with one nearly two years a go, it was a doozie. Recently, the concept started by just a handful of Dave’s tea m members reache d a major m ilestone . The E ntreLeadership Podcast has officially been down-loaded more than 1 million times and has been heard everywhere from Albuquerque to Zaire. Since its debut, it has remained iTunes’ number-one podcast on leadership.

A Unique Way to Serve

Not bad for somet h i n g t hat was de si g ne d a s a si mple com mu n i-cat ion tool t hat m i g ht, be st case , reach a couple thousand people. A f ter cre at i n g E nt reL e adersh ip Master Series, the team was looking for a way to b et ter ser ve t ho se who had attended . The best way to del iver it , t hey de cide d , wa s t he podcast.

“ We were t ravel i n g a l l over t he c o u n t r y a t E n t r e L e a d e r s h i p event s ,” s ays p o dca st pro ducer

C h r is Mef ford . “ E ver y where we went, people were asking us how they could get more of this stuff.”

From the beginning, the vision for the podcast was to offer something sma l l-busi ne ss ow ners cou ld n’t get a ny where else , sta r tin g w ith a business lesson taught by Dave, followed by a g ue st inter v iewe d by host C h r is LoCu r to.

“ I t h i n k t h i s i s wh at m a ke s ou r p o dca s t s o p owe r f u l ,” Me f ford s ays . “ It cont i nue s to rei n force the success of the principles Dave teaches at EntreLeadership. You hear from Dave and think, I can’t do this—Dave’s special. He got lucky. But when you hear from another business leader basically saying t he s a me t h i n g , you sta r t t h i n k-ing , Maybe I could do this . Maybe it ’s worthwhile. Maybe they are on to somethin g .”

Big-Name Guests Impart Wisdom

Once the idea was born, it was time to get t he g ue sts . A nd get t hem t hey d id . T he podcast g ue st l ist is a ver itable who’s who of busi-ness and leadership. Tony Hseih of Zappos, NFL coach Tony Dungy, Stephen M . R . Covey, Jim Collins , Patrick Lencioni and Simon Sinek are just a few who have joined the podcast, a lon g w it h Dave .

For L o C u r to, Me f ford a nd a s s i s -tant producer Becky Powell, each g ue st ha s brou g ht what L o Cu r to describes as little nuggets of wisdom t hat blew t hem away. T hey have been so power f u l , t he tea m says , t hey ’ve kept a l i st . A few of t hei r favor ite s i nc lude :

• Yo u r p e r s o n a l v a l u e s n e e d t o m a t c h y o u r c o m p a n y ’s core values.

—Patrick Lencioni

• Be intentional with your life. Do not live improvisational. You can’t just wing it.

—Clint Smith, CEO, EMMA

• It’s okay to make mistakes. You just need to make new ones, not the same ones.

—Tim Sanders

• As a business owner or leader, there are three things you need to do: Learn more from books, get involved with your peers to help you set stretch goals for yourself, and give back to your community.

—Cordia Harrington, CEO, Tennessee Bun Company

• No high achiever ever woke up in the morning and said, “Let’s see what happens.”

—Dan Miller

• A rrogance that leads to success w i l l a lways eve nt u a l ly le ad to fa i lu re .

—Jim Collins

Now that they have one year under their belts, the podcast team, which also includes audio engineer Collin Fat ke , lo ok s for wa rd to b i g ge r a nd b et te r p o dca st s w it h eve n more i nteract ion f rom t hei r l i s-teners . T hey t r u ly fe el l i ke t hey a re play in g their ow n sma ll pa r t i n cha n g i n g t he world , a nd t hey can’t wait to find out who will join t hem on t hei r que st.

Celebrating One Million DownloadsHow the EntreLeadership team found a better way to serve

For more tools to grow your people, profits and personal development, check out our website. 5

I n a p e r fe c t wo rl d , you r te a m wou ld be t he crea m of t he crop: h i g h-per for m i n g go -getters who a re loya l , cre at ive a nd pa s sion-ate about their jobs. But life’s not p er fe ct , r i g ht? Wel l act ua l ly, i n t h i s ca s e , it i s . You ca n at t rac t rock-star staffers without paying M icrosoft-size salaries, and it all beg ins by intentionally buildin g a g reat compa ny cu lt u re where p e ople wa nt to work . Ju s t l i ke Rome, though, an awesome work-place ca n’t be bu i lt i n a day. But you ca n get sta r te d by follow in g t he se easy-to - execute t ips .

Show Them You Care

The best way to begin is by imple-menting one of the most powerful but simplest of policies—the Golden Rule. “ Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31) It ’s one of t he core pr i nciple s of D ave ’s comp a ny, a nd it i s prac-ticed by every person on his team.

Simply put yourself in their shoes a nd t hen act t he way you wa nt to b e t re ate d . W hen you wou ld

expect pra ise , pra ise . W hen you wou ld ex pe ct g race , g ive g race . W hen you wou ld expect a repr i-ma nd , g ive it prompt ly a nd pr i-vately, because t hat is what you wou ld wa nt. Someone on Dave’s te a m playe d a n i mp or ta nt role i n la nd i n g a $1 . 2 m i l l ion dea l . It wa s out s ide of t h i s te a m me m-b er ’s a re a , s o D ave d id n’ t have to pay him a commission . He did a ny way. W hy? Dave fol lows t he Golden Rule—plus he wanted him to do it a ga i n!

Cast Your Vision

How can you fire up your team and keep them inspired? Repeatedly let them know what they are working toward. Share your vision with them early and as often as possible. In fact, Dave says it is impossible to talk about your v ision too much .

“ W hen you cast a bi g v ision , t he te a m s e e s wh at p a r t t hey pl ay, a nd you a re pu l l i n g people i nto goa l s i n ste ad of pu sh i n g t hem ,” he s ays .

Let Them Know They Matter

E ver yone yea r n s to b e appre ci-ated, and that includes your team members. They want to know they m at te r. A nd one of t he e a s ie st ways to show how much you value them is by recognizing them. Make a habit of catching people doing something right and letting them k now about it .

It ca n b e si mple a s a sm i le a nd a no d . M a ny le ade r s at D ave ’s of f ice w r ite note s to t hei r tea m members. The few minutes they t a ke to p e n t he let te rs e qu a l a

ye a r ’s wor t h of go o dw i l l . How about a $50 handshake or simply recognizing them in front of their peers? The value is immeasurable. But don’t stop t here . L et ot hers k now ab out t hem too. It ra i se s you r te a m up a nd shows t he m t hey a re va lue d .

The above tips are just a few simple ideas to get you started. They are the first steps to taking your busi-ness and your team to the next level . A s you build a better and better culture, people will line up to join your team, and customers will be right behind them. Everyone is happy, and leadership becomes what it is supposed to be —satisfy-ing and fun.

Show, Cast and KnowBuilding great company culture

“When you cast a big vision, the team sees what part they play, and you are pulling people into goals instead of pushing them.”

EntreLeadership Review6

For small-business owners every-where , h i s stor y i s one of hop e . F lat broke w it h two k ids to fee d a nd a m a r r i a ge h a n g i n g on by a t h re ad , D ave R a m s ey picke d himself up and started over. And what began on a card table in his living room just two decades ago has turned into a national brand that has helped millions achieve financial peace. Dave now employs more t h a n 3 0 0 te a m memb ers , a nd h is rad io show rema i ns one of the highest rated in the country.

Dave and his team are celebrating a not her major accompl ish ment t hat ’s brou g ht a ton of hope a nd a ton of help to sm a l l-bu si ne s s owners and leaders everywhere. The EntreLeadership Podcast, which wa s c re ate d l a s t ye a r, h a s of f i-cia l ly h it t he one -m i l l ion- dow n-load mark! Since its debut, it has re m a i ne d iT u ne s ’ nu mb e r- one podcast on leadersh ip.

To m a rk t h i s m i l e s to n e , D ave joined podcast host Christ LoCurto,

producer Chris Mefford, assistant producer Becky Powell and audio engineer Collin Fatke for a special show in which he answered ques-tions sent in from listeners. Here’s a sampling of Dave’s conversation w it h C h r is .

Dima: How do I keep our bookkeeper, who has been here for seven years doing the same job over and over, from being restless?

Dave: There are actually people out there who thrive on details, and your bookkeeper is probably one of them. They get a little bit of a high when the key accounts balance. They’re just wired that way. Now me, personally, I ’m not that way. But I have plenty of people on our team who are, so I never really struggle with trying to keep them interested or engaged. If your book-keeper is continually restless, you may have someone in the wrong seat on the bus.

Nancy: What do I do with a key team member who’s extremely negative? She’s our top sales rep and she’s bringing in the most money, but she’s frequently the Debbie Downer in the building—a finger-pointing, non-team-player personality. Should I work with her to change her attitude?

Dave: T he way we ha nd le t h is kind of situation is sit down with t hem a nd have a ver y clea r con-versation. I discovered that I was

Q&A With DaveThe ultimate EntreLeader answers your questions

“There are actually people out there who thrive on details.”

For more tools to grow your people, profits and personal development, check out our website. 7

too nice sometimes. I wasn’t being ex t re mely d i re ct or cle a r a s to wh at ’s goi n g on a nd t he con s e -que nce s of t hei r act ion s . I wa s s et t i n g t he m up to fa i l . S o you need to be very clear with Debbie D ow ner. You ne e d to s ay some -t h i n g l i ke t h is:

“I really value you and I think you’re a g reat s a le s person , but t he att i-t ude a nd negat iv it y t hat you’re t h row i n g a rou nd t h i s pl ace fa r outweigh your sales. So here’s the de a l : You ca n s t ay, but t he at t i-tude has to go. Today. You ne e d to come i n w it h a sm i le on you r face. If you’ve got a problem, you nee d to cover it w it h me beh i nd closed doors. Running around the of f ice br i n g i n g ever ybody dow n doe s not of fset t he fact you’re a superstar sales person . I will still f i re you .”

A nd t hen , t he f i rst t i me t hey s ay boo, you pu l l t hem i n t he of f ice and g ive them that last warn in g:

“Do it again, and you’ll be cleaning out your desk.” Now I ’m a little bit n icer t ha n t hat , but I wa nt you fol ks out t here to be ver y clea r.

I f I ’m on the other side, I want to k now I ’m h a n g i n g of f t he e d ge of a c l i f f . I don’ t wa nt to t h i n k I ’m sta nd i n g i n t he meadow a nd ever y t h i n g is good , a nd t hen a l l of a sudden t he t ra i n h its me . I f you tell me, then I have a chance to cha n ge my att itude .

Jeff: What’s your opinion on outside investors? Is taking investment money equal to taking on debt?

Dave: It’s probably worse, because you’re now giving up ownership. You can never pay off your stocks. I found in years past that when I’m tempted to look at angel investors, it ’s time to slow down.

A lot of business owners think if they’re not growing at astronomical rates, they’re not successful. When it comes to business, just staying open makes you successful. You don’t have to go from $500,000 in gross revenue to $50 million in 20 minutes. Grow slowly. Remember, the tortoise wins the race every time.

John: I’m starting a business. What are some steps I can take to determine the best initial fees for my services?

Dave: Study other people in your market to see what they are charg-ing. If there is no one in your area, t r y a not her one si m i la r i n si ze , psychographics and demographics. For example, I might not compare

Buffalo, New York, with Nashville, Ten ne sse e , even t hou g h t hey ’re similar in size. But I might compare Bu f fa lo w it h Clevela nd , Oh io, or Nashv i l le w it h Aust i n , Texas .

Once you have your information, just experiment with your pricing by sta r t i n g sl i g ht ly lower. A f ter you have some bu si ne s s on t he book s , sta r t ra isi n g you r fee s .

Eric: How do you balance between hustle and burnout?

Dave: I f you work 80 hou rs a week for 10 years, no matter what you’re doin g , you’re goin g to h it a wa l l . You r he a lt h i s goi n g to catch up w it h you , a nd you’re going to lose your relationships. T here w i l l be bu r nout.

But an 80-hour week to get some-thing off the ground is fine. I tell folks around here all of the time t hat we work f rom 8 : 3 0 a . m . to 5 :30 p. m . A nd we t r y to keep to that schedule. But there’s going to be a period of time when things a re happ en i n g a nd we have to get t he ox out of t he d itch . We h ave to ta ke adva nta ge of t he opportunity that ’s in front of us. We have to get the hay in before t he ra i n come s . You ca n’t leave it on t he g rou nd ; it w i l l rot. You just don’t want to make a habit of you or your team working incred-ibly lon g hou rs .

“A lot of business owners think if they’re not growing at astronomical rates, they’re not success-ful. When it comes to business, just staying open makes you successful.”

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To w i n i n bu s i ne s s t a ke s more than great ideas, sales ability and an awesome work ethic. You have to keep your eye on the ball at all t i me s . A nd t hat requ i re s i ntense fo c u s . B ut i n to d ay ’s wo rl d o f i nsta nt acce ssibility, it ’s tou gher t ha n ever to work on you r bu si-ness instead of in it , which is why we i nvente d t h is qu ick te st. A nd ye s , we k now it ’s a d i st ract ion . But it ’s wor t h t he t i me b e cau se we ’re g iv i n g you s olut ion s to o. I f you a n swer ye s to a ny of t he fol low i n g statements , you m i ght be too d ist racte d .

1 Your last written goal was to get a date to the junior prom.

S olut ion : Most people a nd orga-nizations fail from a lack of clear goa l s a nd fo cu s . G oa l s a re t h at i mpor ta nt. A nd not just for you r bu si ne s s —you ne e d to set goa ls for all areas of your life, including:

• Financial

• Spiritual

• Physical

• Intellectual

• Family

• Social

2 At the end of the day, you feel like you haven’t accom-plished anything.

S olut ion : I nstead of put t i n g out f i re s a l l day, t ra i n you r te a m to come up with some solutions and a possible course of action for the problems that pop up. After a few weeks, they ’ ll be ready to g radu-ate to t he f i n a l , mo st-awe s ome step of a l l : T hey ’ l l si mply s e nd you a n ema i l t hat de scr ibe s t he problem, their solutions and how it was ha nd le d .

3 You always answer your phone, no matter where you are.

Solution: Unless you’re the presi-dent of the United States, a doctor or possibly Mark Zuckerberg, you don’t need to be accessible 24 hours a day. T u r n of f you r phone , lock it up in your desk, or do whatever it ta ke s to brea k t he habit. T hen s et t wo t i me p e r io d s e ac h d ay to retu r n ca lls or a nswer ema ils . When you are at home, do the same.

Lose the cell, play with your kids, and kiss your spouse instead, and see what a difference it makes in you r busi ne ss a nd you r l i fe .

4 You opened this email within 30 seconds of receiving it.

Solution: Email can be a total time vacuu m i f you don’ t put it on a s che du le . L e ade rs a re re ade rs , s o you prob ably sub s cr ib e to a lot of g reat i ndust r y a nd leader-ship newsletters—not to mention a l l t he blog s a nd we b s ite s t h at i ntere st you . I n stead , sub scr ib e to a n R S S reader ser v ice , wh ich keeps all your content in one place a nd up d ate s it d a i ly. A n e m a i l like this one can be forwarded to you r read i n g cue too. T here a re even apps out there that will sum-marize all your reading material . Once you’re set up, de d icate a n hour a day to review the content.

5 Your meetings are boring, drag on forever, and accom-plish nothing.

S olut ion : Set a t i me l i m it, ma ke sure there is an agenda, and stick to both . If an issue isn’t resolved, assign someone to work on it and report back by a certain date, then move on . Wit h ju st a few sm a l l changes, you can transform your life from being totally stressed to accompl i sh i n g g re at t h i n g s . S o what a re you wa it i n g for? F i g ht t hose d ist ract ions a nd w i n .

Are You Guilty of Distraction?Take this quick test to find out

“Most people and organizations fail from a lack of clear goals and focus.”

For more tools to grow your people, profits and personal development, check out our website. 9

What I Do

I am the chief financial officer for Solterra Senior Living in Scottsdale, A r izona . Solter ra of fers a cont i n-uum of care for seniors at five resi-dent ia l com mu n it ie s i n A r izona a nd Colorado.

A Characteristic Every Leader Should Possess

O p e n n e s s . A l e a d e r m u s t b e approachable, welcome feedback—whether positive or negative—and be recept ive to ideas ot her t ha n h is/ her ow n .

My Mentors

I ca n’t pi n it dow n to just one . A good fr iend , La r r y, is my mentor f rom a te ch n ica l aspe ct. He has tau ght me to think critically and a sk t he r i g ht que s t ion s to con-stantly challenge myself on what I a m doi n g a nd how I a m doi n g it . My fat her, a succe s sf u l ent re -p re ne u r, t au g ht me t he i mp or-tance of people. He cares deeply about people and is never afraid

to get i n t he t renche s w it h t hem . B ot h men a re pa s sionate ab out my success and have challenged me in many ways to find my own pat h i n gett i n g t here .

My Best Leadership Advice

Trust is key. It can sometimes take work to ea rn , but once it ’s lost, it is almost impossible to earn back.

My Best Hiring Advice

You h ave to m a ke a hu ge t i me i nve s t me nt whe n h i r i n g to get the right people in the right seats on the right bus. Time and money on the front end w ill save two to four times as much down the road.

If I Knew Then …

I would be much more diligent in h i r i n g , set clea r expectat ions i n all that I do, and make our culture infectious and viral from the outset.

I’m Passionate About ...

1 . My fa m i ly. I a m ble s se d w it h a n a ma z i n g w i fe a nd two fa n-tast ic k ids .

2 . L e a r n i n g . I con s t a nt ly s e e k k n o w l e d g e a n d p e r s o n a l

growth—business-related , per-sona l i ntere st a nd bibl ica l .

3 . F it ne s s a nd s p or t s . I love to ch a l le n ge mys el f phys ica l ly a nd me nt a l ly, b ut watc h i n g others in sports is also a great way for me to u nw i nd .

How to Beat the Competition

Consta nt ly ask , “ W hy not? ”

My Favorite Part of the Job

Our people genuinely care about each other and our residents. No m at te r wh at h app e n s — a nd we have cha l len ge s —it go e s a lon g way. It ma ke s it e a sier to enjoy t he h i g hs a nd a l lows us to g r i nd t h rou g h t he lows .

“Time and money on the front end will save two to four times as much down the road.”

“Trust is key. It can sometimes take work to earn, but once it ’s lost, it is almost impossible to earn back.”

Meet Ryan WeissmuellerArizona-based CFO shares his best leadership advice

EntreLeadership Review10

I n t he world of ad m i n i s t rat ive assistants, it doesn’t get any better than Christy Graham. In the nearly s even ye a rs she h a s worke d at Dave’s compa ny, she’s ea r ne d a reputation as simply one of the best. Du r i n g her ca reer, she’s lea r ne d a lot about delegat ion . So when it ca me t i me to w r ite about t h is subject, we wa nte d to sha re t he v iew f rom t he ot her side of t he de sk . Here a re C h r ist y ’s t ip s on how to make the most of delegation.

1. Slow Down

We’ve a l l been t here . You a re i n a mad r ush a nd need someth in g done ye sterday. So you qu ick ly delegate the job, and it falls apart. Who’s to blame? Look in the mirror. If you don’t clearly communicate you r ex p e ctat ion s , t he job w i l l

never b e complete d to you r s at-i s fac t ion . Stop b e i n g i n s uc h a hu r r y. C lea rly g ive i n st r uct ion s and have the person you are del-egating to respond, verifying what you expect. “ Ever yone nee ds to be on t he s a me pa ge before you h it go,” C h r isty s ays .

2. Stop Micromanaging

Dave says there is only one time that a leader should micromanage. That ’s when a team member first joi ns a compa ny. A s t hey prove their competency, it ’s time to give them more responsibilities. That c a n b e done re a l ly qu ic k ly on ba sic t h i n g s , but it ta ke s lon ger for more compl ic ate d t a s k s or projects. “I would have never been t r u s te d t he f i r s t ye a r w it h t he sa me re sponsibilitie s I had a f ter six years,” Christy says. “ I had to prove t hat t hey cou ld cou nt on me for ever y si n g le deta i l .”

3. Provide Resources and Authority

W hat ’s one of t he e a sie st ways to brea k dow n a g reat compa ny culture? Give someone responsibility

without the authority or tools to get the job done. W hen Christy orga-nizes a team event, for example, she is given a budget, a few parameters a nd per m ission to ma ke cer ta i n decisions on her own . “ I ’m given the freedom to do my job,” Christy s ays . “ O u r le ade rs don’ t wor r y about t he proce ss of how we get t here . T hey ju st ma ke su re t hat we meet t he end goa ls .”

It has been said that delegation is one of t he most m isu nderstood , abu se d a reas of leadersh ip. But without it, your business will never grow. Learn to do it well, and you a nd you r te a m ca n b e succe s s-ful beyond anyone’s imagination. Delegate, and you’ll soon be able to celebrate !

Getting the Job DoneHow to delegate to your team

“It has been said that delegation is one of the most misunderstood, abused areas of leadership. But without it, your business will never grow.”

“Everyone needs to be on the same page before you hit go.”

For more tools to grow your people, profits and personal development, check out our website. 11

What I Do

I ’m pre sident a nd co -fou nder of A l k a l i B e ne f it s a n d I n s u ra nce Services in Plano, Texas. Alkali is an independent insurance agency that helps employers with employee b e ne f it s a s wel l a s i nd iv idu a l s a nd fa m i l ie s w it h t he i r he a lt h , auto and home insurance needs.

My Biggest Decision as a Leader

Giving up “rugged individualism.” I had to let go of the thought that the only way our company could go further was for me to make all of the decisions and work harder a nd lon ger.

A Characteristic Every Leader Should Possess

I believe that every leader should have t he abi l ity to ack nowle d ge their weaknesses and be human . I f we ca n’t accept t hat we ma ke m i s t a ke s , t h e n we a re n ’ t c o n -ne c te d to re a l it y a nd m i s s out on t he oppor tu n ity to g row.

My Inspiration

I am truly inspired when I see the l i g ht go on , a nd s ome one act u-a l ly ta ke s re sponsibi l ity for t he re su lts t hat t hey create i n t hei r own lives. Whether it is someone rea l i z i n g t hat t hei r money prob -lem s a re cau s e d by t he p ers on they’re seeing in the mirror, or it is someone who realizes that their employer doesn’t “owe” them a job a nd begins to create a new story, t here is not h i n g better.

My Best Leadership Advice

You must learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Tough deci-sions a nd tou g h d iscussions a re a l l pa r t of bei n g a g reat leader.

My Biggest Obstacles

Identifying the good team members from the great! I am so passionate about what we do as an organ i-zation, I sometimes have a hard time distinguishing their energy from my own.

My Favorite Movie

Rudy! It ’s the story of Rudy Ruettiger, a n u n likely hero who overca me

a l l o d d s to d o t h e s e e m i n g ly i m p o s s i b l e a n d p l ay fo o t b a l l fo r No t re D a m e . H e h a d a t r u e c h a m p io n ’s h e a r t !

The Secret of My Success

I have been blessed with a vision a nd pu r p o se for a much bi g ger a nd b et ter f ut u re for ever yone around me, but I realize it begins w it h me .

The Secret of Great Delegation

Clear communication of expecta-tions is key. They include the desired outcome, the time frame and how much input I want to have along the way. There are some things I delegate that I just want to go away, while there are others I delegate that I want to be able to provide feedback on throughout the process. D elegat i n g b ot h ta sk s t he s a me way would be a huge mistake. If I am clear on my expectations, we are both likely to feel satisfied with the results.

My Biggest Obstacle to Delegation

Sometimes it ’s tough to recognize early enough something should be delegated. Too often, I hold onto things thinking, I won’t bother so-and-so. I’ll take care of it myself. And then, I run out of time and still end up asking them for their help at the last minute, which puts more strain on them than if I would have just delegated the task in the first place. I am acknowledging my shortcoming so that I can create a new opportu-nity for growth in this area.

Meet Steve NeunerAn EntreLeader shares his delegation tips

“I have been blessed with a vision and purpose for a much bigger and better future for everyone around me, but I realize it begins with me.”

EntreLeadership Review12

Maybe it ’s t he idea of creat i n g a legacy. O r t he ch a nce to fol low you r p a s s ion , he lp ot he rs , a nd become t he next Dona ld T r u mp (minus the comb-over). Whatever is driving you to become an entre-preneur, how do you know when it ’s t i me to tu r n t hat d rea m i nto a rea l it y a nd lau nch you r sma l l bu si ne s s? Or more i mpor ta nt ly, shou ld you even do it at a l l?

There are several factors you should consider before ta k in g that fina l le ap i nto b e com i n g a f u l l-t i me busi ne ss ow ner, i nclud i n g:

Asking Yourself Why

Q u e s t i o n a n y s u p e r- s u c c e s s -f u l b u s i n e s s o w n e r a b o u t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e i r c o m p a n y, a n d t h e y w i l l t e l l y o u c o u n t-l e s s w a r s t o r i e s . I t i s n ’ t e a s y making green. Starting a company u s u a l l y i n v o l v e s l o n g h o u r s , s up e rhu m a n e f for t s a nd b orde r-l i n e d i s a s t e r s o n a d a i l y b a s i s .

Before you make any move, take s ome t i me for s ome de ep s ou l-sea rch i n g a nd ask you rsel f why

you want to open a business. If it ’s strictly for the dollars, then count yourself gone. To make it, you have to have a higher calling. You need a burning desire for what you are about to create. “ Find something you love doi n g so much t hat on the tough days you have a reason to f i g ht on ,” Dave s ays .

Starting Part Time

N ow t h at yo u ’ ve d e c i d e d yo u ca n’t l ive w it hout sta r t i n g you r compa ny, it ’s t i me to ju mp sh ip from your current position, right? Not exactly. Unless you have more money in the ba n k tha n the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , sta r t slowly on your venture, meaning part time, and keep your day job wh i le d ippi n g you r toe s i nto t he ent repreneu r ia l waters to se e i f your product or service will sell .

Dave recommends coming up with an income goal that is a percentage of your salary, and then work like a crazy person to get there. When you reach it, you can concentrate 10 0% on you r new vent u re . For exa mple , i f you ma ke $75,0 0 0 a yea r, you r goa l cou ld b e to qu it when you r side busi ne ss has a n a n nua l i ncome of $ 50,0 0 0.

Remember to set the number high enou gh to be able to ta ke ca re of your family and not too far away f rom you r pre sent s a la r y. I f you currently earn $60,000 a year and you r bu si ne s s br i n g s i n $ 5 ,0 0 0 a n nua l ly, t he gap is too w ide .

“ It ’s h a rd to work you r d ay job and spend a ton of hours on your business, but it is harder to make a m istake and lose your home in foreclosure because you jumped before the boat was close enough to dock ,” Dave s ays .

There are some exceptions to this r u le , howeve r. I f a l l you r ex t ra i ncome i s f rom one cl ient , t hen stay at your current position until you have a larger customer base. T here is a lways t he cha nce t hat you may lose t hat customer a nd your extra income would drop to zero i n a hea r tbeat.

On the other hand, if your business is steadily growing each month from all your extra work, from $6,000 to $7,000 to $8,000 for example, the decision to leave your current position may come sooner.

Owning your own business can be one of t he most t h r i l l i n g , joy f u l things you’ll ever accomplish. But no m at te r how much you wa nt to get sta r te d , b e w i se a nd wa it u nt i l t he t i me i s r i g ht , en su r i n g t h at you’ l l not on ly h ave i nde -pendence but success, happiness a nd a f utu re for you r fa m i ly.

How to Launch Your Dream ( And Avoid a Nightmare )

Ensure not only your independence but also success

“Before you make any move, take some time for some deep soul-searching, and ask yourself why you want to open a business.”

For more tools to grow your people, profits and personal development, check out our website. 13

I n the world of football , they are the k in gs . T he supersta r players whose na me s a re as fa m i l ia r as t he tea m s t hey repre sent. T hey a re t reate d l i ke roya lty. Just ask C ha rle s Joh n son’s payche ck . I n 2 01 1 , t he defen sive end for t he Carolina Panthers signed a record-bre a k i n g , s i x-ye a r, $76 -m i l l ion contract, making him the highest-pa id profe ssiona l pi gsk in player of a l l t i me .

But Joh nson is not a lone . T here are 30 NFL players on Forbes mag-azine’s list of the world’s top 100 h i g he st-pa id at h lete s t h i s ye a r. Q u a r te r b a c k P e y to n M a n n i n g w i l l ea r n $32 .4 m i l l ion w it h t he Broncos. Rams quarterback Sam Brad ford w ill ea r n $26. 8 m i ll ion . A nd t he l ist goe s on a nd on .

T h e t h e o r y b e h i n d t h e s e b i g dol la rs is t hat t he players a re so e xcept ion a l ly t a le nte d , t hey ’ l l help carry their team to the Super Bowl or at least t he playof fs . But that ’s not always the case. In 2011, Joh n s on m ade ju s t 4 0 t ac k le s , and his team had a dismal record

of 6 -10. Ma n n i n g spent t he 2 01 1 s e a s on on I nd ia n ap ol i s ’ b ench nursing his injuries. And Bradford? H i s te a m h ad one of t he wor s t records of t he yea r.

W hat ’s the busine ss le sson to be learned from these guys? Big sal-a r ie s don’ t a lways pro duce bi g results. And that ’s something you should keep in mind as you try to attract talent to your team. Business success is about much more than who spends t he most money. A s Dave teaches at EntreLeadership Master Ser ie s , t here a re severa l ways to f i nd a solut ion .

Start With the Culture

If you build a place where people love to work , t hey w i l l come . I n fact, they’ll be knocking down your door. A nd t he be st way to beg i n is to follow the most golden of all rules: “ Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31) If you would expect praise, don’t ju st g ive it , but do it i n f ront of their peers, family—heck, anyone who w i l l l i s te n . I f t hey ne e d a helpi n g ha nd , lend it . W hen you would expect grace, give it. Before you k now it , word of mout h w i l l spread , a nd you r tea m w i l l tu r n i nto you r be st re cr u iters as t hey let everyone know that they work at t he Super Bowl of compa n ie s .

Have a Generous Spirit

W h at ’s one of t he b e st ways to create an awesome vibe for your company? Be generous with your products, services and profits for you r te a m , cu stomers a nd com-munity. Volunteer, give back, and let your team do the same. When

possible , beg i n a l locat i n g f u nds e ac h mont h for t he s e t y p e s of proje ct s , a nd si mply show you have a bi g he a r t . A s D ave s ays ,

“ The dividends in terms of smiles and personal satisfaction far out-weigh the few dollars committed.”

Champions Beget Champions

It ’s a fact. Winners like to hang out with winners. So when you have a bu i ld i n g f u l l of t he m , ot he rs w i l l nat u ra l ly fol low. Ta ke t i me in your hiring process to find the perfect person for every position, no matter how strong the need. At Dave’s company, there is a 12-step hiring process that takes several months to complete. The result is a building full of people who are as passionate about winning as any tea m Ma n n i n g ever d rea me d of.

B y c r e a t i n g a c u l t u r e w h e r e p e ople love to work , you’ l l at t ract more ta lent tha n you’ ll ever n e e d , a n d y o u ’ l l c r e a t e a S u p e r B o w l -w o r t h y t e a m . W i t h t h i s t y p e o f b u s i n e s s , e v e r y s e a s o n w i l l b e a w i n n i n g o n e .

Hiring Lessons From the NFLHow to attract more talent

“If you build a place where people love to work, they will come.”

JOIN DAVE AND HIS TEAM AT THE OFFICES

May 5–11, 2013EntreLeadership.com

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