Advice for Upstarts: Never Give Up!

At times I sound like a broken record especially when I'm talking to those starting new business ventures.  The primary advice I share with them is simply- "Never give up!- EVER!"  If you truly believe in the work that you are doing never let anything hold you back from your success!  Do not let setbacks, pitfalls, or failure hinder your will to survive.  You can do it!   Also, if you are in a position of leadership it is important that your staff recognize that you are a fighter and not one who easily gives in to difficulty.  If you present yourself as helpless and hopeless your staff will shutdown on you and ensure your defeat.  On the other hand if you present yourself as fearless and faithful those under your leadership will follow your example.  Even when you are nervous- never give up!  Even when you are afraid- never give up!  Even when you fail, fall flat on your face, and sink into an abyss of doom and gloom- cry, punch a pillow, or stomp your foot but NEVER EVER GIVE UP!  I believe in you!  You can do it even it if means shifting directions or revisiting your goals.  Keep working!  Keep believing! - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Dealing with Negative People

Be Positive no matter what!!!

A common issue that many organizations suffer from is the prevalence of negative employees, volunteers, clients, and the like.  Negative people do negative things, think negative thoughts, visit negative places with other negative people and thrive in negativity.  As a matter of fact some people are so negative that they cannot even try to enjoy any moment that may be even slightly positive.  With that being said most off us who are positive usually struggle to work for, with or around negative individuals.  When this occurs an organization's productivity is usually muffled because negativity quickly proliferates and negates any signs of  positivity by either turning positive people negative or causing positive people to want to stay away from the negative ones.  The remedy for this phenomenon is simple yet profound.  It is as easy as basic addition.  Your positivity must be bigger than their negativity!  One basic rule of addition is the fact that when adding a negative number with a positive number whichever number is larger decides whether or not the answer or result is a positive or negative number.  For example -10 + 12 = A positive 2.  The same principle applies to organizational morale and productivity!  If you allow the negative people around you to be greater than your positive influence the results will always be negative.  In other words, you must work to be even more positive when those around you are working so hard at being negative.  Do not allow others to create a negative result in your organization. Be positive! - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Entrepreneurship is more than the bottom line!

Historically, entrepreneurs start businesses for two reasons- to help solve a problem and to earn money solving that problem.  Business owners are often driven by profits to increase their ability to solve more problems; however, social entrepreneurs focus beyond the bottom line and seek to improve some type of broader social condition.  In other words social entrepreneurs work to solve a problem, earn money solving that problem, but also seek to help the community/society benefit from the problem solving work that they are doing.  Perhaps you have been noticing a dillemia in your neighborhood, community, city or state and you have a few ideas that you think could solve those issues.  Moreover, do you think that other individuals and organizations would be interested in investing time, money, and other resources into helping you solve the problems that you are working to solve?  If so, you may want to consider becoming a social entrepreneur!  Your next chapter in life may be working for yourself as your work to improve the condition of some aspect of your community.  Maybe you have an idea to help prepare inner city youth for college, or help families save money by starting their own home gardens, or even help struggling schools provide after school services for students.  Whatever your idea is you should really consider following through with it.  Did you know that there are even grants available to help social entrepreneurs do just that?  Furthermore, I would love to work with you to help you reach your social entrepreneurship goals!  You can do it; we can help!  Derek A. Terry, principal consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Whats the Big Deal?????

If you own or are thinking about starting your own company then this post is for you.  One of the biggest problems that I see with companies and individuals just starting out is that often times they grossly undervalue their time, goods, or services. At times individuals who are trying hard to get off the ground make lofty promises and charge meager prices in an effort to get someone to sign on the dotted line.  This is a huge mistake.  If you don't see the value in what you are offering how can you expect others to see it or compensate you accordingly.  Imagine a brand new foreign car with custom wheels, state of the art navigation system, heated and cooled leather seats, tinted windows, surround sound, and the like.  Now imagine that someone offered to sale it to you for only $1,000.  The first thing that you might think is "Whats wrong with it?" or "it must be stolen."  In other words you won't invest your $1,000 in something that appears to be too good to be true because you know that the value is off.  If something should be valued at $75,000 why would anyone want to sell it for only a fraction of that.  Understand that reputable companies follow the same mindset.  If everyone else charges $500 for a service that you promise to do for only $50 your potential client will think it is too good to be true.  Moreover, they will not respect you as a professional or value your work.  It is your job to know who your competition is, what they charge, why they charge it and who they charge it to.  You must then take that knowledge and seek to articulate why people should pay you to do it instead of do it themselves or hire your competition to do it for them.  Respect yourself and value your work enough to charge a reasonable wage for your services.  Offering ridiculous or crazy deals will frustrate you because you won't attract the cliental your looking for and those whom you would like to work with won't work with you because you appear desperate.  Don't sell yourself short; you are worth your work!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant, www.ConsultingDAT.Com

Defeats are Essential for Victories!

Maya Angelou once said “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”  I do not know anyone who enjoys loosing.  I admit that I am very competitive and have always hated loosing.  It is okay to want to win because that desire and determination fuels your drive for success; however, what you should not do is allow failures or defeats to deter you from continuing to pursue your goals.  Actually, I argue that defeat is your most useful tool in business and life because there is nothing to learn from a victory.  Victories are awesome because they allow you an opportunity to celebrate your abilities and skills while feeling good about what you have done.  The problems with victories is that they are short lived.  Often victories are finite.  Failures on the other hand are the greatest instructors in life.  Failures push you to ask tough questions like "what went wrong?... why did it go wrong?... what should I do next time to prevent the wrong from happening again?" and the like.  Failures also test how serious you are about achieving the goals you are chasing.  If you quit easily then perhaps you are not as passionate about your work as you thought.  So let us take Dr. Angelou's advice and acknowledge defeat yet never accept it.  Instead let us rise from setbacks and come out of each defeat a stronger and smarter person.  You can do it!  -Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsultingDAT.com

Keys to Success: Hard work & Patience!

Just after I began ministerial training I had the opportunity to shadow a senior pastor as he officiated the funeral of one of his church members.  After the service I accompanied the pastor and the owner of the funeral home in the funeral procession from the church to the member's internment.  The owner of the funeral home drove us in his car which was a beautiful late new Mercedes S class.  I was in my early 20's at the time and instantly fell in love with the car.  The first thing I said to the owner as we made our way to the cemetery was "this is a beautiful car!"  The owner was an older African American gentleman who appeared to be in his 70's or 80's and was a well known successful businessman and philanthroper in my hometown.  After I complemented his car he smiled and asked "How old are you young man?"  I told him my age and he said, "work hard and save hard.  Drive cars don't let the desire for cars drive you."  He then went on to tell a story of a nineteen year old intern who worked at his funeral home.  He said that the first time the young man saw his beautiful new car he proclaimed that he was going to work and save and get one just like it by the time he was twenty one.  The older gentleman laughed and told the young man "Funny thing is I had to work 65 years before I started buying cars like that." 

I still remember that that day in the car with that inspiring man.  He died a few years ago and I only had the opportunity to meet him once but I am grateful for that meeting.  I learned many valuable lessons in the car that day, yet the most important was the idea of working hard and being patient.  Unfortunately we live in a microwave society that says everything should be fast.  The idea of working hard and saving your money to achieve success and the American dream is often considered by some an outdated method.  Fast food encourages quick meals, yet we sacrifice taste and nutrition.  Shows like American Idol encourage overnight success, yet the participants sacrifice experience.  Lottery tickets encourage instant riches, yet those who win often do not have the fiscal acumen to handle new found wealth. In other words whenever we take shortcuts to success we usually sacrifice the benefits that we would have received enduring the entire process.  As a consultant my job is to work with clients to help them understand the next steps they should take to move closer to their desired goals.  The first thing that I make sure my clients understand is that there is no shortcut to success.  Success is a marathon not a sprint- it is achieved but it takes hard work, tenacity, and endurance.  Whenever I am asked "how can we guarantee success?" I simply reply "hard work and patience."  Unfortunately there is no substitute for hard work and patience.  Hard work is a driving force patience is the force that keeps you driving until you reach your destination.  To that end I encourage you to keep working hard and keep trusting the process!  It will pay off in the end.  - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant www.ConsutltingDAT.com 

67 Minutes of Service!

Today is South African Peace Leader Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday!  In 2009 the United Nations declared July 18th International Mandela day and Mr. Mandela is calling for people all over the world to take 67 minutes out of their lives and do something positive for someone else today.  Sometimes as business leaders we are so focused on the bottom line that we forgot that whatever industry we are in we are providing a service.  Today let us take just 67 minutes of our day to serve our community.  Mr. Mandela spent 67 years of his life serving others; can't we sacrifice 67 minutes?  Serve well!  - Derek A. Terry, Principal Consultant. www.ConsultingDAT.com