Author Archives: Craig Bailey

Sep 18 2014
1 Comment
Personal Success

What If I Evaporated in the Bermuda Triangle?

By now, some may be asking:

  • Where does he come up with this stuff? Some, I’m sure, are likely saying garbage 🙂
  • Why does he write about this stuff?

I’ll address the questions in that order…

Where do I get this stuff?

With a family of 6, including 3 college students (2 living at home) and a senior in high school as well as having gone through lots of trials, errors, injuries, insults and heartbreaks myself, I have enough fodder to keep me going for years.

We haven’t even scratched the surface 🙂 Enough said about that?

Why do I write about this stuff?

This, I think, is the more important question.

First, if you haven’t done so, please refer to a couple of my introductory posts:

Once you’ve gone through the above, I “hope” it is clearer. If not…A major purpose for this blog is to record life lessons that I’ve learned so they can be passed on to my 4 boys (maybe their kids one day), nieces, nephews and anyone else who might benefit.

Quite simply, it is my sincerest hope that others have an opportunity to “Live Their Dream.”

I wouldn’t want all my life lessons to vanish if I were to “evaporate” somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle, on my way home from Bermuda (where my wife and I are, at the moment). Below is a picture of Tobacco Bay: “one of” the spots we snorkeled during the week.

photo (11)

Sep 17 2014
4 Comments
Business Success, Inspirational

Launching a Consulting Business – Networking for Opportunities?

We’ve all heard the term networking and have some vision in our mind of what it means.

It takes many shapes, the most common would “seem” to be organizational events (Chambers of Commerce, Industry Associations, After-Hours “Mixers”, etc.). Often, people have the objective of going there (quite uncomfortably) with a pocketful of business cards and the goal of handing out and collecting as many as possible before the night is out.

To me, this is NOT networking. This is trading baseball cards.

Here is (what I would consider) a perfect example of networking.

I was the coach of one of my son’s baseball teams. Naturally, I met a lot of new people (the kids / players) and their parents. Some readers may now be thinking: “Oh, I’ll bet that as soon as you got one of those parents cornered you pitched them your business.” NOPE!

Instead, I would ask: “So, what do you do?” From there, I let them talk. And, I ask questions, as I am truly interested in what people do, and I often learn something about a profession or industry that I didn’t know before. And, as they are talking, I take mental notes about how I might be able to help them (a book or article that I just read or wrote, an upcoming event they or their business may benefit from, etc.).

And, if we don’t run out of time, they will often (but not always) ask me what I do. At this point, I share just a “little” blurb about my business (my 30-second “elevator speech”), and just leave it at that. If they want to know more, they’ll ask. If not (or we run out of time) that’s it (for now).

Because they are on my baseball team, I already have their contact information…

Later, when I get back home (or when I come across information several days later that pertains to this person), I’ll send a follow-up note sharing the information that I think might help them. And, if you recall, my email signature provides my company name and website.

If you do this dozens (or hundreds) of times, you are bound to cross paths / connect with someone in need of your services.

In fact, I’m having dinner this evening (at time of writing) with the gentlemen I met in the above / baseball example who turned into a customer several years ago. He has since engaged me a few times. Just recently he asked to meet because he has “a couple of issues (a.k.a., business challenges) to discuss.”

I LOVE this!

Click here to review the next article in the series.

p.s. – This is not meant to say that you shouldn’t attend networking-type “events.” If/when you do, go there to build 1-2 relationships vs. trading baseball cards.

Sep 16 2014
2 Comments
Personal Success

A Place For Everything: Everything In Its Place

One way to make life more enjoyable is to avoid activities (even STRESS) that are complete wastes of time. There are very simple practices that we can put in place to make this (more) possible.

Example: Where are my keys? We’ve all been there.

Seeing someone frantically searching THE ENTIRE HOUSE for their keys is hysterical. While they are going around in circles the best we can do is shake our head and ask “why, oh why, do they do that – TO THEMSELVES?!?” And, if they should observe our amusement they start throwing choice words at us, as if it is our fault…

What if there were only 3 places that we’d (normally) store our keys:

  • In our pocket or purse (when away from home AND the car)
  • In our car (can’t say ignition, as many cars no longer have a keyhole for that purpose)
  • Hanging on the wall / fridge next to the front door

This is a simple (maybe dumb?) example, but you get the picture. This concept can be applied pretty much across the board. The result: freeing up time for more fun / productive activities and significantly reducing stress as we go about our day-to-day routines.

I know, I know, some may say: “Come on, why would I do these silly little things. I have more important uses of my time.” Do you?

Just remember this post next time you waste several minutes in a stress-induced frenzy as you try to locate your keys on the way out the door to an important appointment 🙂

Life can be so much simpler…That’s all I have to say about that…

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