livemygoals Editor Blog

Keran McKenzie : Big Hairy Audacious Goals

Blog Author — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:18:31 GMT

Keran McKenzie

Keran is your typical can do kiwi bloke who grew up in small town NZ spending school holidays working on farms & as a builders labourer. After 7 years in tertiary education Keran turned his back on doing things the traditional way and forged an education in the university of life. Never going anywhere without God on his side, Keran has lived from one adventure to another.

* Published author
* International speaker
* Successful business owner
* Popular blogger on social media, technology, marketing and business
* Father, husband, Jesus follower

* Personal challenge for 2010: Participate in the 2010 Transsyberia Rally

Name
Keran McKenzie
known online as Mr K (Twitter: @oo00_Mr_K_00oo )

Business Interests
Right now I actually have no business interests outside my full time employment with Yellow Pages Group. My core focuses at the moment are family, faith and fun. I still work in the online space however playing with a few side projects in the web and online technology areas. Am currently working with some talented iPhone lads on my first iPhone application (it'll be a guitar tuner - so I know Dwayne's gonna want a copy of the app!)

Who am I? (Describe yourself in 140 characters- note not words)
One crazily passionate guy who loves a challenge almost as much as he loves his daughter (who can be a challenge at times) & wife. (well okay probably not, the wife & daughter are my ALL, challenges are .. just challenges!)

24/7 - my obsessions
At this point I should be saying God - being a "good" christian and all that. Faith should be my obsession. So on top of faith & family, if it's a gadget, electronic device, Apple device or ... if it's a tin box with four wheels and an engine (actually doesn't need four wheels), that'll be me. My favourite blog is www.autoblog.com, followed by gizmodo.com & engadget.com - cars are and always have been a passion for me. Of course I wouldn't be where I am if I wasn't equally passionate about the web & all it can be for businesses today. I built my first commercial website 15 years ago - and haven't looked back.

My BHAG for 2010
It's become know as Rally Challenge 2010 & it is one hell of a big challenge. I want to participate in the Transsyberia Rallye 2010 - that is a rally that runs from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar (that's the capital of Mongolia). It's 6,200k's over 14 days. One of the toughest motorsports events around (although less likely to kill you than the Dakar rally). I want to do this without spending a single $ of my own (I don't have any to spend anyway), and raise a decent chunk of change for Make-A-Wish Foundation (NZ).

My biggest mistake
Not learning from my mistakes - which happens some times. I've made my share of mistakes (some with a number of zero's attached), but I don't dwell on them. Life is too short for that. We all screw up, get over it, move on. There is another adventure (and probably more mistakes) just around the corner.

How I used the learning’s
Fuel for the fire. Mistakes are often coupled with apologies, and I hate that 'sick in the gut' feeling you get when you have to apologies for really screwing up. So I have a little prayer I pray "God, whatever it is I'm learning here, help me learn it, cause I sure as hell don't want to go back through this again!" These things fuel me to get better & improve at what I do & how I do it.

My source of pride
My daughter - she might be only two but she is an immense source of pride for me. Funny really. See I failed high school, failed University, failed Polytechnic, was told I'd be NOTHING without a degree. But I'm a published author, I've spoken at conferences internationally, I've run successful websites, I've managed successful businesses & I'm now helping shape the future of internet and mobile solutions here in NZ - but all of that is nothing, compared to a smile & hug from my little girl. She's my pride, she's my reason.

Is balance possible?
Totally! I was talking to a friend the other day and he'd been looking at my online portfolio (http://www.keranmckenzie.com/) and he knows I'm involved in church (media tech advisor, small group leader & worship leader), he knows about this crazy Rally Challenge & he knows how much time I spend with my wife & daughter. "How do you do it?" he asked. I feel I could do more, I still find time to read, watch TV and hang out in the garden at home. Balance is possible - but you must get your priorities right. I have to make time for projects, just like I have to be prepared to walk away from any project when my little girl wants her Daddy.

How did you come up with this outlandish BHAG? What was the spark?
I was standing in a book shop looking at books with rich, famous people who had done some of these crazy things like, ride a motor bike from London to New York "The long way round". I got to thinking, can the normal guy do these things? The guy who's struggling to pay the mortgage, the guy who's paying his taxes and doing things the hard way?
I passed the idea off, but it wouldn't go away. I started thinking about my network and how I could leverage that. I know people, who know people, who .... how far could I push it? Could I find the right people and TALK my way into a TV Documentary, vehicles, logistics and more?

The idea was born not long after that ... and I've only hit one NO so far.

2 Myths in business
That you need a degree to get a 'real' job. Sadly this is encouraged but some businesses and HR companies. Companies need to place importance on degrees, but don't live and die by them when looking to employ. Some of the best people you can find to work with you in business, will come from the most unexpected backgrounds.
That working people 10+ hours a day, 5+ days a week is good. It's not and more companies overseas are starting to see this. I know a number of highly efficient companies who are now moving to 4 day weeks. I think this is something New Zealand companies need to embrace more. People really are only effective in their jobs for 30 to 35 hours a week, most people know this but sadly New Zealand still has a culture of "working" means in the office by 7:30am and leaving work at 6pm. I like the idea of the French 35 hour working week, and I love the idea of businesses who cherish staff to be flexible around hours - after all, your staff are the KEY to your business.

3 Rules I live by

Life is for the living - get to living it
Just ask, what's the worst they can say? - No, anything else is a bonus & you might be surprised at the answer
Don't believe everything people tell you - believe in yourself, set your mind - go do it.

Don’t Ever... (do this to me)
Tell me I can't do something - I'll probably go out of my way to prove you wrong.

My first job
Builders labourer earning a huge wage of $10/hour which I was really happy with. I remember one day being a young teenager, I picked up a 2x4 plank too fast, it spun round and smacked my boss upside the head. Through the blood & bent glasses I was given a lesson that day - if a job is worth doing, do it right! Slow down and do it right.

I knew I was onto something when ...
I met my wife - if you are looking for some business thing here, you are outta luck.

How do you personally handle failure
I'm a believer in "grieve, let it go and move on" - I'll sit down and have a good cry (if the failure merits it) and I have a little grieving session. I get up, find a mate and have a beer & a jolly good laugh. Then move onto the next thing. I heard someone say (or I read somewhere) that real failure is not to fall down. Real failure is not falling down again. Real failure is when you fail to get up .. to fall again.

The next big thing in my life will be...
Conquering this challenge, once that's done I'll work out whats next. My wife and I have some plans we have had on hold for a while that we want to explore - there's a great big world out there & NZ is pretty small.

My secret to managing people
Talk to them. I'm a people person, I love to find the story within a person. Working with people I find their story and work with that to help them bring out the best in themselves. Find the story, find their passions, find their strengths - leverage these and bring out the best in the people around you, and bring that best into your business. Remember you employ people, not staff.

I set goals that... or I don’t set goals because....
Goals, setting and not setting. I probably should but I don't really. I'm a futurist, I prefer to dream and see where it takes me. Having said that I guess I've set one HELL of a goal now though aye

If I had my wish I would have unlimited....
Wishes he he .. I have long dreamed of sitting in the back of a church or venue and hearing some young passionate person talk about going to set up a hospital in some country and being able to walk up to them quietly afterwards and say to them "Go fulfill the dream God has in your heart - don't worry about the money, it's taken care of".

I believe education is...
Overrated and underperforming in this country. I spent my entire child hood slipping through the cracks, the stuff I needed to know, school didn't teach me. I wasn't taught the value of $1, I wasn't taught how to save, invest or manage money. I left 7 years of tertiary education with a $42,000 debt and no degree to show for it. "You can't put a price on education" - bollocks, you can and people do every day. It's taken me 12 years to pay off that debt, 12 YEARS! It's one heck of a noose around your neck starting life, starting marriage etc.
HOWEVER, having said that, I would encourage ANYONE to pursue education in while they are young. I don't have a degree, and because of that I'm 3 points short of the required VISA points for Canada - a country my wife and I would love to live & work in one day. That's an extra hurdle I have to cross. Get an education - whatever that means for you - then get on with living life. Just because you have a degree in one subject, doesn't mean you can't work in another area.

People are often irritated when I
Turn out to know a litte more about a subject than they thought I did. I sometimes don't let on I know as much as I do (some times I don't know much).

People admire me for...
You'd have to ask them I guess ...

My favourite charity
Make-A-Wish Foundation (NZ) is a charity that works with terminally ill kids, giving them a moment in their lives to remember for ever. A moment that can change their lives - happy memories. I'm a believer of moments in life & love the fact that Make-A-Wish help build these moments. Did you know that Make-A-Wish has been in NZ for over 20 years? And they grant around 160 wishes a year? That's 160 lives impacted and moments created. Incredible!!

Now that the recession is ending I will...
Not really make too many changes. Things have been VERY tight budget wise for us over the past 18 or so months. But that's also taught me what we can live with and without. Another year of living tightly, means more funds in the bank for tomorrow.

Parting Shot
Rally Challenge 2010 is all about leveraging networks and asking people to get involved. I'm going to have lots of opportunities for others to get involved with this project, in fact I need your help. Do you know someone at TVNZ that can help me talk to the right people about getting a "Letter of Commitment" for a TV Documentary, can you help me source vehicles? Can you help with logistics around getting vehicles to other countries. Are you an accountant or lawyer who'd like to help out - I need advice about the best ways to set up trust accounts etc so that Make-A-Wish can get all the funds we raise, in a transparent open way.

Want to see this normal Kiwi guy battle these odds and triumph? I can't do it without your help - check out http://rallychallenge2010.com and click on Getting Involved to see how you can help.

Write a Letter to yourself : Make a committment - Dear Carey

Blog Author — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:06:00 GMT

We've interviewed Carey Smith on Livemygoals.com before. It's that time of year again when millions of people around the world make some commitments to themselves and the people around them. What are yours? Despite the media about New Years resolutions, writing down your goals and committing to them is a definate first step to achieing them. As long as you follow up of course.

We particularly like Carey's "annual letter to himself" Click the link for a few free chapters of his book "Deliver" and find out how this letter has helped him build a successful career.

Or go to his website and learn a little about his journey. Here's to the new decade , filled with the attainment of our goals through action.

Jayson Bryant: It’s Goals About Wine 2/4/7/365

Blog Author — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:07:23 GMT

Jayson’s roots in wine began when his father literally dragged him round France and injected his passion into him. From the age of 8 his family took month long holidays in France travelling through all regions and sampling their wine. No wonder the idea for Wine Vault TV came naturally all those years later.

Business Interests

Owner of The Wine Vault and Wine Vault TV, Partner in nakedwines.co.nz wine auction website, Partner in Screwd.co.nz New Zealand wine review website

Who am I?

New Zealand's most passionate wine guy, star of Wine Vault TV. Video blogger and wine story teller.

24/7 - my obsessions

I live, breathe, drink, read, and talk wine but when not doing that I am answering emails from customers about New Zealand wine. Before running The Wine Vault I used to play hockey and have a normal life.

My biggest mistake

My biggest mistake has been neglecting the wine community around the shop and concentrating far too much energy on building an online presence when I should have taken a more balanced approach and built both.

How I used the learning’s

Through the mistakes made I now try and have a better work life balance and concentrate not solely on online but all aspects of business but the biggest thing I have learnt is that in order to be successful you need to have passion and be able to tell stories.

My source of pride

The part of my life that I take the biggest pride in, apart from family, is the Wine Vault TV online wine show where we have just had our 50,000^th viewer and the audience is growing each week. I started it out of nothing, bought a camera and then started reviewing wine online. To this day I have remained completely independent.

Is balance possible?

No, certainly not. You can try but ultimately your life will be out of balance because no else cares about your business as much as you do. 18 hour days are standard and providing you have passion then it won’t feel like work.

I believe you turned your “downtime” at the shop into productive Community building time on Twitter? What have you learned from this?

Twitter, Facebook, and all the other social media sites have enabled me to engage directly with customers. Customer service is the single biggest important aspect to business. Answering questions all times of day and night are part of the job and people love being engaged with the owner and someone who cares about what they are doing, drinking, eating etc. Answer all feedback whether complimentary or not as people still like your views even though they have been mean to you.

Two Myths in business

1. That you have to have been hard and stern to run a successful business as I think you get the best out of staff if you are fair and nice.

2. That social media is for every business. I disagree, social media is not for everyone and nor should they be pressurised to invest in it either.

Three Rules I live by

1, Always treat people how you would like to be treated yourself.

2.The only relationships that are going to matter in the end are that of friends, and customers become friends then so much the better.

3, be true to yourself and love life with a passion.

Don’t Ever... (do this to me)

Don’t ever tell me I don’t care as much as you!

My first job

Selling fruit and vegetables but I sucked and really only wanted to eat the apples.

I knew I was onto something when ...

With Wine Vault TV I started to realise that I could use a business model that I had seen overseas and apply it here with much success. I started getting quite a few comments early on and an audience started watching on a regular basis, then wineries started sending me wine to review without me asking for it. People commented in-store and online about the honest reviews that I was giving them and really engaging with me and sales started to increase. I noticed a 4000% rise in online sales after one year of winevaulttv.com.

Business advice I wish I was given earlier on

Care more than you have ever cared before. Care about where you are spending your advertising budget as much as you care for your customers. Care for your online community as much as the locals that come to the store. Just care!

You have to reject certain wines that you don’t like? How do you personally handle rejection?

I am really very bad at rejection. I want to understand, and tend to over analyse, the situation why that person doesn’t like what I am doing. I then sulk about it for a few days and then start to rationalise the situation and if it means saying sorry then I do it.

The next big thing in my life will be...

Seeing my viewing audience on Wine Vault TV increase and really engage with me.

If I had my wish I would have unlimited....

Time for telling stories and answering questions about wine. Wine is a great social subject, it’s a social lubricant, a meeting place and guiding people to the best wine to suit their palate, because they are all unique, is the thrill for me.

I believe education is...

Very important but does not have to be in the form of degrees or BA, BSC or MA’s. Life skills are an important lesson for one to learn as much as economics. Not every job has to be certified.

People are often irritated when I

Talk about social media and spend time in the trenches on sites like Facebook and Twitter answering peoples questions and recommending wine and the amount of time I spend doing winevaulttv.com

People admire me for...

Having conviction and passion in what I do and to care about what people are drinking out there. There are far too many people selling wine that don’t care about what the customer is drinking. I want them to drink good wine at a good price.

My favourite charity

Animal charities are my charity of choice as animals are unable to speak for themselves and therefore should be protected.

When the recession ends I will...

Still be answering emails and caring about customers caring doesn’t stop when there is more money around.

Parting Shot

You’ve just got to be passionate about what you are doing, whether it’s making coffee, selling wine, or cutting hair.

Chris Morrison- Ethical Goals

Blog Author — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:15:33 GMT

Business / Ethical Interests

Allgood Organics (fairtrade organic bananas), Clean Planet (Sustainable commercial cleaning and products), Kokako (fairtrade organic coffee roaster, hot chocolate, food provider)Chair of SBN (Sustainable Business Network), Chair of Biogro (NZ’s leading organic certifier), Previous life was founding co-director of Phoenix Organics.

Who am I?

I am 49, married to Deb, who has her own eco funeral business (State of Grace) with four kids aged from 15 to 23, and a grandson aged 4,live in town after years out west, have a house at Piha where I can pursue my love of surfing. Also really enjoying the Ocean swims I started last year. I get huge enjoyment out of involvement with ethical and sustainable business. I am committed to doing what it takes to see this beautiful country become a leading nation in sustainability.

24/7 - my passions

Surfing, walking in the beautiful west coast bush, cranking up the veggie garden at Piha, music, good movies, family life.

My biggest mistake

Jumping into a business too quickly after moving on from Phoenix ....it was a disaster

How I used the learning’s

Took a great deal more time to look deeply into the current businesses I am involved in,

My source of pride

Growing an iconic NZ brand from a small production (making ginger beer in the bathtub) to what it is now.

Is balance possible?

Not initially with a new business, but what we should strive for in our work life.

3 Rules I live by

To live as healthy lifestyle as possible, positive outlook on life, try to make a difference

Don’t Ever... (do this to me)

Greenwash (integrity is very important to me), don’t be perpetually late.

My first job

Deckhand on a salmon boat in Canada

I knew I was onto something when...

I bought a ginger beer bug, on impulse, for $50, 24 years ago.

Business advice I wish I was given earlier on.

Actually pretty happy with the advice I was given, lucky to have a very supportive extended family

The next big thing in my life will be...

Seeing the businesses that I am involved in, (All Good Organics, Clean Planet and Kokako), really coming into their own. Combating the big guns in the Fruit & Vege world and seeing the very first Fairtrade Organic bananas being available for the public in NZ supermarkets through All Good Organics.

I set goals that... or I don’t set goals because....

I regard myself as pretty disciplined, but having a goal encourages me even more to focus, and I really enjoy the satisfaction of achievement.

If I had my wish I would have unlimited....

Influence – I would then convert all NZ farms to organic production and get the government to commit to a meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

People are often irritated when

I go on and on about the above! And the kids hate me repeatedly telling them to turn the lights off etc.

My favourite charity

Organisations working with micro enterprise funding, we have visited a couple of groups in Indonesia that we have donated to and it really does work.

Why is it important for NZ to have a sustainable future?

Simply, if we don’t, there will be no real future here.

Do you think organic can feed the world?

Of course!

Parting Shot

We are so lucky to be living in New Zealand, let’s look after it, and help create something wonderful for the generations to come.

Duncan Shand : Do as I Say, Do as I Do- goals around strategy

Blog Author — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:32:13 GMT

Duncan Shand is one of those rare people who is a consultant, and who actually creates stuff as well- one of the founders of Blinka.me.com, and MD of his own firm InsideOut, when he is not advising clients he is making the most of time with mates and family.

Who am I?

I am @duncanshand and help businesses grow by finding a clear way forward. I’m a strategy, marketing and online guy that wants to make a difference.

Business Interests

Managing Director of InsideOut Consulting Group Digital Business Planning Specialists One of the founders of blinka.me.com (recently featured by trendhunter.com, urbandaddy.com and made the weeks most inspiring ideas on Springwise.com)

Involved in strategy,marketing, branding and commercialization of startups.

24/7 My obsessions

My family, design, apple, innovation, fuel economy

My biggest mistake

Giving up the agency to import Burton snowboards. I brought the first 5 snowboards into New Zealand when I was 18, but wasn’t sure it would take off. How wrong was I!

How I used the learning’s

Believe in the long term and the short term will sort itself out. It’s easy to get trapped in the short term, but usually the short term will get in the way of achieving you long term goals. Instead of worrying about the fact I had no money and was going to University, I could have had a very profitable business to fund my student lifestyle!

My source of pride

I take pride from the work I do and what I help to create. On every job I look to find something outside of the core project that I can deliver as extra value. I believe it’s critical to always look to do something unexpected.

The best thing about being a consultant?

With every business I get involved with I get to learn about a new business what works for them and what doesn’t. This newness keeps me on my toes, engaged and interested. Of course it also helps me to build a breadth of experience across different industries that I can draw on when developing new strategies.

The worst thing about being a consultant?

It would have to be walking away from projects. You get very involved in your clients businesses, you help develop a plan and the way forward and maybe help implement some of the ideas, but at some point you need to move on and let the client do things on their own.

Is balance possible?

I believe it is. I think work fills the time available. If you can focus and immerse yourself in a problem and follow the right process it’s amazing what you can get done. If you allow work to push into your personal space it will. Of course there are going to be periods when you have to burn the midnight oil, but you need take the opportunity to enjoy a quiet day when you can.

Two Myths in business

1.The Customer is always right - while it’s hard to argue with this one it’s not an absolute. Of course you need to treat your customers with respect but not all customers are equal and sometimes firing customers can be good for your business.

2. The Need for Research - I’m very cautious about customer research. Of course you need to really understand your market, your competition and what your customers what. However you need to be careful not to rely solely on research to guide your decisions. Most research is done in an artificial environment, asking people to logically think through situations. In the real world we don’t think like that. Our experience, emotions and senses automatically make 90% of our decisions for us. Probably less than 10% of the time we really think about things. I’m not saying don’t do any research but be careful about how you do it!

Three Rules I live by

Customer loyalty is king, collaborative creation, over deliver.

Don’t Ever... (do this to me)

Ask me to dance. Ever.

My first job

I was in the accounting team at NCR. I was an Accountant in an American Multinational. I quickly realised I had made a mistake. A big mistake. It took me almost three years to get out of my Dilbert cubical and into the Marketing Department at Air NZ. But I was stronger for it. Don’t get me wrong I love numbers and accountants - it just wasn’t for me, doing it everyday!

I knew I was onto something when

My phone kept ringing. I believe that if you stick at something long enough (and if you’re good at it) you can’t help but to succeed.

Business Advice I wish I was given earlier

The importance of a strong customer proposition. We all have offers that we are making to our customers everyday. Often they are more about us than what we actually do for our customers. If things are turned around and the language is focused on the outcomes the product will deliver, the offer will be a lot more compelling. When we started we talked about being good experts in our field with unique processes and IP. This just put people to sleep. But when we turned our language around and started talking about outcomes - moving forward, generating sales, growing etc, we started closing a lot more jobs.

The next big thing in my life will be

I’m really focused right now on doubling the traffic to our site and using social media tools to do it. Part of our philosophy is to give things away, our thoughts, tools and processes. We physically can’t help everyone so we’re happy if we can inspire and inform a few people along the way.

I set goals that

Challenge me to do new things, to step outside of my comfort zone. I think we all need continue to learn and grow. Do I always achieve my goals? No - but I always learn something along the way.

If I had my wish I would have unlimited …

Patience

I believe education is …

Important but attitude and ability matter more.

People are often irritated when I …

Sing out loud when listening to my iPod

People admire me for…

My passion. I like to get involved and help people. You need to love doing what you do. We spend far too much time working for it to be “just work”!

My favourite charity

World Vision, I love donating goats.

When the recession ends I will

Hope we’ve all learned a good lesson.

Parting Shot

Act first, ask permission later.

Justin Brown - Goals around Adventure and Writing

Blog Author — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:48:00 GMT

We have all wanted to create some positive change at some point when life throws us a lemon or two.

Justin Brown is a writer, TV presenter, and an entrepeneur. He is busy doing just that.

He has had 18 books published (travel, humour, sports and children's) and also writes for TV (animation and live action).

It was when he was laid off recently from his ten year breakfast radio job that he was inspired to set up a website to promote the Good Guys.

Justin Brown is impressive not so much for his talent (which he has oodles of) but for his tenacity to just keep at it, when it woud have been easier to give up. He impressed me recently when he stood up on a stage and told the audience about his new book, then promptly brought out his guitar and sang a ditti too. He is the only person I have interviewed so far who has in turn been interviewed by CNN.

He is earning his crust by using his brain -literally- coming up with ideas that have a commercial and social value. He answers some of my questions on what makes him tick.

Business Interests

Radio, TV, writing, the Web, www.justinbrownbooks.com

Who am I?

I’m a writer, TV and radio host. My books include ‘Bowling Through India,’(currently #9 The Bookseller charts) ‘UK on a G-String,’ and ‘Kiwi Speak.’ I can’t imagine a life where I’m in an office waiting for the clock to hit ‘home-time,’ or a boss not letting me leave until he says. If you love your job, it’s not work. It gives me a buzz meeting new people and trying new things. I saw a sign while fronting tourism videos in Australia recently that summed up how I see life: ‘Adventure before dementia.’

24/7 - my obsessions

Sport, new music, ipod, new shirts, youtube, blueberries, flat whites, technology, jokes, sleep, and giggles from my kids.

My biggest mistake

I was going to say starting www.wehaventlaidanyoneoff.com. (There’s no one that hasn’t laid anyone off!). In saying that, where the site has lead me, the people I’ve met, and the opportunities I have struck by going ahead, have all been worthwhile.

How I used the learning’s

I learnt a ton of stuff about the web – twitter, digg, ping, linkedin, youtube, facebook – and how to use these incredible sites to meet people and do business.

My source of pride

My young daughters, my wife, family and friends. And a signed $5 note from Sir Edmund!

Why did CNN interview you?

For my site www.wehaventlaidanyoneoff.com. I was interviewed by Richard Quest from ‘Quest Means Business.’ CNN is an American organisation, but I had a feeling Quest, who is a quirky Pom, would be interested in such a site. And I was right.

Is balance possible?

Depends how you define balance. Writing is my job, but I love it. I might write to a deadline; I might write to relax. Not everyone plays golf. Some people’s way of chilling out is by making more deals. But everyone needs hobbies. Without squash, running, movies, nights out with mates, I would go crazy.

Two Myths in business

Everyone is interested in me and my product.

If you have a website you will make money.

Three Rules I live by

Fail fast, fail smart and move on.

Don’t Ever... (do this to me)

Say you won’t try – life is ‘Green Eggs and Ham.’

My first job

Delivering fridges for ‘Hill and Stewart’ - $4.25 an hour.

I knew I was onto something when ...

I didn’t have to rearrange my titles on the shelves to make them bestsellers.

Business Advice I wish I was given earlier on

Just give it a go. Throw some money at it. Don’t be a tight arse, go for it!

The next big thing in my life will be...

Being completely open to new directions.

I set goals that... or I don’t set goals because....

I try to set goals but they end up underneath the unpaid bills in the kitchen. I don’t struggle with motivation. We’re not being ‘marked,’ if you want to make it happen you will.

If I had my wish I would have unlimited....

Ideas

I believe education is...

Necessary, for no other reason than being able to spell accommodation and broccoli (two words I constantly struggle with.) I sometimes wonder whether I would have done better if I attended uni, but no subjects interested me. I always felt like I should have gone, purely because it was the thing to do. I don’t regret not going. I still can, right!

You’ve been known to get up on stage and work that guitar to get your point across. Describe that feeling?

People love a tune and a story. I know this from my stand up comedy days. I can see why playwrights love what they do. Unlike novelists, they hear laughter and enjoyment. It’s addictive, a great feeling. I’m currently working on a few new songs for gigs, so watch this space.

People are often irritated when I

Stress when it’s really not that important

People admire me for...

My persistence. I have been told that, unlike others, I follow through on ideas. I don’t see it that way. I think if you’re lucky enough to have an idea, you’ve got to give it a crack. Persistence, however, isn’t sexy.

My favourite charity

Radio Lollipop

When the recession ends I will...

Get out of bed, go for a run, drink coffee and think up a new project. I.e. Do exactly what I’m doing now. Those Wall Street bankers can go to hell.

Parting Shot

Network…or die!

Andrew Wadsworth: Twin Goals - Sustainability & Balance

Blog Author — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:05:11 GMT

Hometown

Wellington-born and Whakatane-raised.

Hobbies and interests

My life changed dramatically on 29 December 2008, when I became a father of twins, Luke and Samantha. It is what takes up most of my time outside of work – it is tough but great fun, and puts life in perspective.

Sport is my other passion. In my younger days I played competitive cricket, squash and golf. Now my sport activities are generally confined to watching what appears on TV!

My companies and otherroles

I am the Bayfair Shopping Centre Manager in Mount Maunganui. Most of my career has been in finance roles, but it is the management of and interaction with people that I enjoy most.

My favourite time of the day is, and why . . .

Walking in the door after work and seeing the kids smile and giggle.

I really enjoy...

My new family life, but also the peace and quiet when the twins are asleep…..this generally means dinner and a glass of wine.

How do you go about balancing the requirements of work, family and social life?

For me, family always comes first. I want to be involved in everything my kids do. I balance this with work by being contactable via mobile, taking my laptop home to check emails, and empowering my team to make decisions in my absence.

What does the recession mean to you? How are you responding to it personally and professionally?

The recession is a chance for everyone to take a step back and re-focus on what’s important. As our household is now down to one income, this has meant a stronger focus on where our money is spent – nappies are not cheap! Professionally it has meant working even more closely with retailers to find win/win solutions during a major shift in retail market conditions.

List a few of your recent accomplishments that you are proud of:

Taking leadership of a new management team when AMP purchased 50% of Bayfair in late 2006.
The team winning the Bay of Plenty Sustainable Awards, and being a finalist at the NZ Sustainable Awards.
Bringing the NZ Squash Open to Bayfair (NZ Open has not been played for the last 12 years).

You are saving the equivalent weight in waste of 240,000 hamburgers each year. Does this not cost you extra?

No , It definitely saves us money. Over the last six years our annual waste bill has decreased by 44% -a great result considering waste-to-landfill costs have increased by an average 7% every year. My hat goes off to my Operations Manager Steve Ellingford – his passion for sustainability has generated some great results.

What drove you to become involved in your industry?

When I was in London I worked as a Property Accountant for Waterstone’s Booksellers. It was my first retail role and just clicked with me. With retail, the element of change means there is never a dull day.

I knew I was onto something when:

I got the opportunity to move out of a finance role into a centre manager role, which is all about managing relationships. I always knew I had people skills and after six months in the role I knew I had found the job I’d always been looking for.

My secret for getting things done is to:

Empower my team to make decisions on their own. Not only is this rewarding for them personally, they may make mistakes along the way. This is the best way to learn.

My darkest hour was when:

Singapore Airport in 2000 – my now-wife Angela and I had been going out for six months and she was leaving for London. As a farewell we had a week’s holiday in Singapore, and I returned to New Zealand. It could have been over, but I think we both knew that we were meant to be together .Let’s just say there were a lot of tears.

I came through it by:

Making a change in my life and getting out of my comfort zone. I lived in Rotorua and had a comfortable lifestyle. However, I saved for four months and followed Angela to London – the rest is history!

What would do if you were not ...

I have always wanted to own a bar/restaurant. Don’t ask me why – it may have just been all the great pubs we visited while in London and Europe!

What do you do to cope with stress?

Exercise and spend time with my family and friends. A quiet drink with my wife always helps.

How many hours do you work each week?

I don’t see working long hours as always being productive. We get things done as a team, which generally means we can all keep to a standard 40-hour week.

What is the most important piece of advice you'd give to people who are struggling to create a positive change in their lives?

Be open to change and to be willing to listen to and take on other people’s ideas and suggestions.

What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn in life?

Becoming a father – nothing can prepare for this and a simple thing like going to visit friends can become a mission.

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

Thinking outside the square, and being open to new things.

What are the three most important personal qualities you've had to develop to become a leader?

Act-learn-act-learn approach – a failure is only a failure if you do not learn from it.
Team orientation – value the contribution each part of the business makes to the success.
Honesty and openness – seek to understand rather than to be understood.

Who inspires you the most and why?

My wife – staying at home and looking after the twins is something I’ll always admire her for.

Do you have a formal goal-setting process?

Yes – as an employee of AMP Capital Investors I sit down every year with my manager and establish a performance management agreement and a personal development plan. This sets my objectives for the current year and also looks at the skills I need and want to develop.

Have you ever been scared to .........? What did you do about it?

I have always been scared of public speaking. I did a presentation course last year, which proved that I knew what I was doing and gave some great pointers in how to improve.

The parting shot:

Don’t be scared of change – change can be good!

Glenn Edley: The Monday Motivator

Blog Author — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:32:56 GMT

Glenn Edley has made some tough decisions in the last 12 months and he is seeing the benefits. After his first e-mail business was bought within 6 weeks of starting, he knew he was onto something. He has also turned one of his weaknesses (Mondays) into a strength. He shares with us some of his learnings about business, maintaining motivation and focus during the recession and how he creates action despite the distractions.

Hometown

Auckland, New Zealand

Hobbies & Interests

Learning to play guitar, love cars, read a lot online and offline, like a bit of philosophy, design, architecture and art. Oh and I like bikes both powered and eco-friendly pedal ones.

My Companies & other Roles

My primary business is Spikemail. I also own Email Direct with Mark Hobday and we just started mygymdirect with two other business partners.

I write the MondayMotivator (haven’t missed a Monday for 6 years now) and the minimotivator. Have a car blog, car137.com, and generally try and help people out with email marketing who either can’t afford Spikemail or are a not-for-profit.

What were the circumstances around you coming up with the idea for Monday Motivator?

I was just learning about email marketing, starting a new business, seriously broke and I thought it would be a great way of keeping in touch with my friends family and prospects. Another reason was I had been living a lifestyle that meant my discipline was out the window. Writing the MondayMotivator meant I had to get up on a Monday morning, be still, write and get that email out by 9am. In the beginning I failed a few times and people let me know. It took awhile but my discipline came back and I feel positive it’s the best thing I could have done to get myself out of a hole - inspire others. Works every time.

How do you manage your time between the different brands and businesses that you run?

I am getting better at this. Lately I have needed to keep a close eye on the clock at meetings, which I hate. Also I have started to say no. Saying no is one of the most empowering things you can learn to do. Learning to say it nicely comes from knowing what your goals are, who is relying on you and how much energy you can really put into a new project.

What does the recession mean to you? How are you responding to it personally and professionally?

The recession hit me hard in December when a major clients NZ operation closed down. I feel I really put my head in the sand for a while and pretended the recession didn’t exist as we were still getting new clients. Then it slowed as people were unsure what was going to happen and budgets were cut. This made me really look at my business hard. I realised it had become bloated and it was time to get Spikemail back into shape. During that process the ideas I had and actions I took opened me to new opportunities.

List a few of your recent accomplishments that you are proud of:

Being happy with Lauren travelling for three months without me. Generating $184,000 for a client from one email was pretty cool. They had a fantastic offer though. Manning up and making some difficult decisions that have positively affected my business.

Did you celebrate them? How?

I love celebrating big and small wins so Lauren and I go to our favourite restaurant, Meredith’s whenever we can. Mostly I just do a little dance in my office or the Wendy Petri fist pump. You should mark your accomplishments. It will make them easier to remember when you’re feeling like crap after a failure.

I am busy at the moment doing:

Anything I can to keep myself busy while Lauren is overseas for three months. That includes; renovating, tweeting, reading, concreting, starting a new business, starting a new blog, moving all my content to glennedley.com, writing articles, researching as much as I can about the things I love, consulting with companies.

What keeps me up at night?

Boy racers thinking they are drifters past our house, Twitter, proposals, and ideas for clients, myself and even friends and family.

What drove you to become involved in your industry?

I love email marketing. It is grossly underestimated and underused in New Zealand. There are definitely companies doing it right but so many more are either doing it really badly or not at all. Sometimes not-at-all is the right way to go. It’s terrible. Compliance is a big thing for me. The Anti-Spam Act was an excellent step in legitimising email marketing but became a painful experience for many companies. I work very closely with the Anti-Spam investigators and meet with them whenever I can to see what’s new and run ideas past them.

My big hairy audacious goal this year is to:

Reach $100k per month turnover – with 3 staff.

I knew I was onto something when:

A company brought my first email marketing business 6 weeks after I started it. That was serious confirmation I was doing something right.

My secret for getting things done is to:

Do them straight away and turning everything off so I have no distractions.

My darkest hour was when:

I was owed money by a business partner, realised I wasn’t ever going to get it, and a supplier shut down the business until I paid them an outstanding amount. This killed me at the time but if the supplier had let me go on as I was I would have been worse off. One of the best business lessons I have ever had and the guy who did it to me is a good friend and we still do business together.

I came through it by:

Getting my head out of the sand, sharing the problem and coming up with a plan to get out of it. That only took a week but I learnt how to never put myself in that position again.

What would do if you were not ...

An email marketer? Maybe a professional race car driver. I might still achieve that goal though.

What do you do when things aren't going your way?

I probably jump up and down like a little kid for about 2 seconds and then work out what’s happening to make things not go my way. Then I either go with it, because you never know it might be the right way, or work out how to make it go the way I want.

What is the most important piece of advice you'd give to people who are struggling to create a positive change in their lives?

Practise smiling. Look at yourself in the mirror every morning, every day and every night and smile. Smile so hard it hurts and then smile at other people. They will smile back and you will feel amazing. I smile and laugh a lot. Sometimes I don’t know why but it feels good and it makes other people feel good too. I might talk a lot but people seem to like having me around. Smile.

What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn in life?

That I cannot trust everybody I like. Does that stop me trusting people? No, but it makes me ask more questions.

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

This really does depend on your idea of what success is. However, hard work and knowing what you want, even if that changes, and wanting to produce great things is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. On a business front though execution and sales skills is what separates successful people from unsuccessful people.

Do you have any daily rituals that help you keep focused and in the right mental state to succeed?

I have realised that little routines make your life a lot easier and able to be in a successful state of mind. I call this the Art of Laziness because you are constantly looking at ways to improve things or make them more efficient so they don’t take up your time and you can put all your energy into what you want to do. So my biggest ritual is getting my clothes, lunch and everything else I need ready before I go to bed. Then I can just get up, put my clothes on, have my breakfast, pick up my stuff and go. Makes every morning a breeze. I don’t have kids right now though so maybe ask me this question in a few years.

Do you have a formal goal setting process?

Sometimes. Mostly though I put my goals into a Mind Movie and I play that as often as I can. However I might write down some milestones so when I get to them I know I am on track to getting my goal.

Have you ever been scared to .........? What did you do about it?

I am always scared to pick up the phone and ask for a meeting. To get over it I just do it. I’m still scared but I do it and soon as I’m talking about email marketing I’m fine.

What comes first...success or confidence?

I have written about this before and I feel positive confidence comes first. However, it comes from small successes. Succeeding on small things allows you to grow your confidence to try bigger things and then bigger things until you’re successful.

The Parting Shot:

I’m excited about the creativity and the ideas coming from the fact people have been cruising until the recession bit them and are now using that creativity to boost their businesses and create change. It’s an exciting time to be alive.

Margaret Keys: Be Willing To Take a Chance With Your Goals- Even Now.

Blog Author — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:21:13 GMT

Margaret Keys's debut album, "Legato" is due out around in July this year. Margaret will tour New Zealand in August, just as her debut album is being released.She has always had big goals.

Margaret Keys is a young soprano from Derry N Ireland. At the age of 15 she was awarded the “Trinity College of Music London Medal” for the best overall singer in music examinations. She has sung extensively throughout Ireland, UK and America and New Zealand. She has won numerous awards including the “International Artists Profile Award,” “The New York Artist award” “The BBC Fame Academy Bursary” and was chosen as one of 8 finalists in the “RTE young Diva of the year.”

In February this year she performed at the prestigious “Rotorua Lakeside Concert” to an audience of 35,000. We have all seen the kind of determination it takes to stand out head and shoulders from your competition in the cut-throat business of music. While YouTube and other online forums have made it easier for artists to build their brand and get “the breaks” it still takes significant determination to break through the noise of new bands and artists. Margaret tells us a little about what drives her forward...

Hometown

I was born and grew up in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Hobbies & Interests

Walking, teaching, theatre and meeting up with friends and family as often as possible. I also love shopping even if it’s just to window shop!

My Companies & other Roles

· Teacher for 4 years before taking a career break.

· Two years ago I founded my own production company “MKeys Productions.” I produced and directed three productions all of which were in aid of a range of charities. I also frequently carry out singing and performance workshops for children aged 8-17.

My Favourite Time of the day is...(and why)

Night. I would describe it as my “quiet, thinking” time.

While you are an entertainer– you effectively run your own business- what are the challenges?

Being well organised.

How have you overcome them?

Planning well in advance and never being afraid to ask for help and advice.

The music business is tough. What keeps you going?

Only my love and passion for singing and performing. The way I see it is that obstacles and difficulties are put in our way to see if what we want is really worth fighting for. It’s important to follow your passion and have the courage to follow your dreams.

What does the recession mean to you? How are you responding to it personally and professionally?

It’s definitely a very tough time for everyone at the moment and is a particularly tough time for artists. I have been very fortunate and I always grasp every opportunity as an experience rather than putting a price on it.

List a few of your recent accomplishments that you are proud of:

· Securing a four album deal with Universal Records

· Winning the BBC Fame Academy Award and the New York Artist Award

· Working and training with the Broadway stars

· Playing the role of Carrie in RTE’s production of Carousel

· My debut as lead soloist in the National Concert Hall and Helix Theatre, Dublin with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

· Directing my own productions in Ireland with 80 children on stage.

· Raising money for a range of charities in particular the “Alzheimers Society”

Did you celebrate them? How?

With a huge smile, a proud heart and thanking my family for being there every second.

I am busy at the moment doing:

Preparing myself for my album launch and series of concerts.

What drove you to become involved in your industry?

I have been singing since the age of 4. Although none of my family worked as professional musicians music was always a big part of our family life. I was very close to my grandparents “Nanny” and “Pop”. Whilst growing up I spent endless hours singing with them to Josef Locke, Julie Andrews, Mario Lanza, Deanna Durbin recordings and all the classic singers of their day. My grandmother was the winner of the “Deanna Durbin Award” at aged 16 and this really inspired me to sing. Singing is a huge part of who I am.

I knew I was onto something when:

When I saw I had the ability to make people both smile and cry. Singing is a very powerful form of communication. It can reflect our own experiences, thoughts and hopes. As a singer I need to feel and experience what the song is all about and the meaning will automatically ring true to the audience. When I see a tear or a smile I know I’m doing my job right!

My secret for getting things done is to:

Be organised, trust others and set yourself a time to complete a task. Generally I set it at least 10 days before the actual deadline so that I can spend the “extra” time enjoying it and gaining confidence

My darkest hour was when:

When my grandfather “Pops” died a few years ago. As he lived with us it was particularly difficult to cope with not having him around. He was a truly wonderful person and played a huge role in my life.

I came through it by:

My faith. I truly believe that he is looking out for me in everything that I do. Just before I perform I always repeat the words he used to say to me “Give it Lilty!”

What do you do to cope with stress?

Listen to music, go for a long walk or drive and talk it all over with my family.

What do you do when things aren't going your way?

I try and remember how fortunate I am. My father would always say to me there are lots of people much worse off. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back!

What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn in life?

Never be afraid to ask others for help and advice.

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

The willingness to take a chance. I truly believe that the difference between successful people and others is not a lack of ability, not a lack of knowledge nor talent but a lack of courage. Some people don’t realise how close they were to success when they give up. I once read ”success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.”

Do you have any daily rituals that help you keep focused and in the right mental state to succeed?

· I look after my voice and general health on a daily basis. I always warm up before rehearsing.

· I have a few sayings that sometimes help me stay positive such as “If it’s for me it will not pass me” and “I don’t always sing because I’m happy, I’m happy because I sing”.

· I always say a prayer in the morning and at night so that I make the right decisions and will be the best that I can be.

Do you have any school/study qualifications?

· First Class Honours Degree in Music Education from Queens University, Belfast

· Masters in Singing and performance from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Have you ever been scared to .........? What did you do about it?

I was pretty apprehensive about my first big professional concert. I trusted in my own abilities, passion for what I do and said a few prayers.

What comes first...success or confidence?

I would say confidence although they are very closely connected. Confidence brings success and success brings confidence. It’s important never to let success go to your head but at the same time never let failure go to your heart.

The Parting Shot:

“Your talent is a gift to you, what you do with it is your gift to others”

Don Ha – Leadership Goals

Blog Author — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:38:34 GMT

What does this real estate magnate do in the current market? He adapts fast, rolls up his sleeves and works harder & smarter on his goals.

You can learn a lot from Don Ha just in one meeting. The different idea’s that he espouses jostle for attention as he outlines all of his plans. He pulls out a Samurai sword from a large drawer to illustrate the point that symbols are important in business. For him and his team, it’s a reminder that you need to stay sharp in everything you do. No amount of “blunt” unimaginative thinking will pull you through in this environment. He tells me how he looks forward to completing his next book. He shows his sales figures (lying on the table) demonstrating impressive growth on last year.

He almost always seems to have too much on. However – it’s managed chaos. He has a plan and works daily, if not hourly towards his focussed outcomes, even if it means ignoring some tasks completely- that is his level of focus. He achieves everything he sets out to complete- even if he has to create another (alternative) path to get there.

It can’t be all roses right now. Don Ha’s broad smile belies a tough and uncompromising business mind in an unusual market. While most people know him as a Rich-Lister with a rags-to-riches story, few are aware of his aspirations around making an impact beyond the world of business. He feels a sense of responsibility in helping to eradicate poverty in some way. One of his goals one day is to hold public office where he can influence policy making. In the meantime he is happy to teach people his way of thinking- about his obsession – property.

When he is not selling property, he is showing people how to do it (yes in this market) from the stage or in his every day conversations. He dreamed up an idea for a “Construction Stimulus Package” recently and is busy working through in his own mind how the Government supporting this industry will assist society as a whole.

Like many inspired people – he has his detractors and his loyal following. Where you sit on this spectrum will depend on whether his laser focus has touched your area of life or business. He is a 60 minutes program just waiting to happen. He is pushing through the market conditions with his trademark enthusiasm and blinkers. Nothing and no-one will stand in his way. Don has a habit of enthusiastically moving mountains (of houses) one brick at a time. Just don’t be in his way. For Don, hands-on leadership is a habit.

Don tells us what drives him forward this winter, as we head out of this recession...

Hometown

Auckland

Hobbies & Interests

Horse racing, golf, fishing, fine dining and music.

My Companies & other Roles

· Don Ha Real Estate Ltd MREINZ (Ray White Manukau Office)

· Author of “Make a Million selling Real Estate (now writing my biography)

· Speaker

· Consultant to PropertyTutors.com

· Investor

· Race Horse Owner

My Favourite Time of the day is...(and why)

After 8.30pm to 11pm is the best time for myself no interruptions from business or kids.

I really enjoy...

· Being around successful people through my coaching in sales & investments

· Quite time - I engineer time that is “noise” free.

· Action movies.

What 3 actions does it take to go from “so called” rags to riches?

Work endless hours, have a vision and be fearless.

How are you personally coping with a post property-boom, recessionary New Zealand?

So far, our sales is actually up on last year this time. It’s sorted out the wheat from the chaff. People now know that they are dealing with true professionals – the ones that are surviving and thriving.

What have been your main challenges in the last 6 months?

Getting people to think and work the same way I do

How have you overcome them?

Lead by example - do it myself

List a few of your recent accomplishments that you are proud of:

· Sales results have increased from 2008

· Turning 40,

· A new baby boy, third child feel complete as a family now.

Did you celebrate them? How?

A private party with close friends.

My latest Idea

I have an idea for a “construction stimulus package”.The Government should provide low interest rates for construction sector to create employment for all sub-contractors.

What keeps me up at night?

The challenges in front of me, both new ones and old ones.

What drove you to become involved in your industry?

Unlimited income potential and to do my own thing.

My big hairy audacious goal this year is to:

Charter a Boeing 380 for staff holiday.

I knew I was onto something when:

I was always excited to go to work and knowing I could see and “taste” everything that I would bring into reality in the next few years.

My secret for getting things done is to:

Do them immediately and not worry about 100% details.

My darkest hour was when:

My company went from selling 65 properties per month to selling 12 per month- that lit a fire under me.

I came through it by:

Physically handling everything myself, hands on and put in the extra hours, I use to work 70 hours per week.

What do you do to cope with stress?

Gardening.

How many hours do you work each week?

Now 40 hours

What do you do when things aren't going your way?

Invent other ways so it can go my way.

What is the most important piece of advice you'd give to people who are struggling to create a positive change in their lives?

Think of the fire victims, earthquake victims and war victims. We are in a far better position than them - would you trade your position for theirs?

What is the hardest lesson you've had to learn in life?

Can’t trust everyone.

What separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

Fear of failure instead of learning through the failure.

Do you have any daily rituals that help you keep focused and in the right mental state to succeed?

I am extremely goal focussed with a fanatical objective of being productive every hour of the working day.

Do you have any school/study qualifications?

Just a school certificate -that’s all.

What are the three most important personal qualities you've had to develop to become a leader?

Respect for your team, be prepared to do what your staff do, provide vision, information on market trends directly and weekly. Get in there and make it happen – lead by example.

What are the three most important skills that you would advise up and coming youngsters to develop?

Work first party later, prepare to work 12 hours a day believe you can be number # 1 in your field

Who inspires you the most and why?

Barrack Obama, he achieved the impossible dream.

Do you have a formal goal setting process? –

I use my intuition- my only goal is to be number # 1 in my field

Have you ever been scared to .........? What did you do about it?

Parachuting, nothing.

What comes first...success or confidence? –

Confidence

Editor Says : What are you doing to adapt in your industry? How have your goals changed in the last six months?