Laura Wolfe Coaching LLC

Supporting the Evolution of Careers, Leaders,

& Climate Consciousness

Know Your Peeps

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IMG_0663Business coaches stress knowing your target customer (aka ideal client). True true true. You really need the full picture. Who are they mentally and physically? What motivates them? What irritates them? What do they value? etc…

Several times recently I have been reminded how important this knowledge is:

1. A part broke on our six month old Samsung washing machine. To get help, I had to find the serial number located on the back. I’m not tall enough to lean over, the machine has a glass top preventing a climb on top, and it is wedged in the laundry closet so I couldn’t pull it out. It’s probably too heavy for me to move anyway. Why not put the serial # in a place easily accessed by people of all strengths and sizes?

2. A local beer bar sold about 250 tickets to a special craft beer event. Beer fanatics generally show up when the doors open. Only two bartenders were working the bar serving the most desired beers resulting in a line that was initially a hundred plus but always at least fifty people long. Don’t annoy the hard core lovers of your product.

3. Being in my 50s, I am experiencing both declining vision and increasing eye wrinkles. Just got some eye wrinkle cream in a light blue box with white lettering. The instructions are in a teensy sized font. No possible way I can read that info.

Really know your peeps and make sure their experience with you fits who they are.

If you are grappling with this or other small business questions, I can help you with that. A couple of people have expressed interest in my small biz coaching group and I’d like a few more to join. Contact me if interested.

Ever felt like a company didn’t know you? Comment here.

Hope and Dreamers

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Tomorrowland_posterMy husband wanted to see Tomorrowland today so we did. I had only vaguely heard of the movie and thought it had something to do with Westworld which it does not. I liked it a lot for several reasons.

First, Tim McGraw is in it. He’s a Louisiana guy and I’m a fan. His movie career continues to surprise me. Also, it was not exactly a kid’s movie but the story included some likeable kids and I think kids would enjoy it. Wish I had known that as I would have invited our niece.

Recruiting was part of the movie. Because I do talent development with organizations and taught HRM and Employee Selection for years, I always appreciate a good pop culture reference. In Tomorrowland, recruiting was the creator of the future and the strategy to achieve the highest good. (Trying not to give much away so pardon the broad generalities.) This is how today’s organizations need to recruit as well.

Finally, hope and dreamers were identified as being of the utmost importance in desperate times. This message is particularly relevant to anyone facing a professional or career challenge. You must keep hope and continue to dream of that best outcome. A couple of times, the story reminded me of what I know about conscious creators.

We left the theater feeling good which is the way to start a new week. Hope you feel good as well.

Have you seen Tomorrowland? What did you think? You can comment below.

Just 1 in 10

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1 in 10Gallup reports fascinating research in their State of the American Manager Report though I wasn’t surprised by the finding that only 10% of workers have the innate talent to be really great managers. My experience certainly aligns with that. I would love to share other highlights but there is a very specific copyright and trademark statement so I won’t, but do urge you to download and read the report.

Other worthy management research I’ve come across recently examines hypocritical leaders and finds more evidence that failing to walk the talk is related to undesirable employee outcomes.

Understanding the current state of management is critical because managers influence everyone’s quality of life. If you have a manager, you know this. If you don’t, your spouse or child or best friend has one. And when their work quality is rotten, their life is affected and so is yours.

Not to mention, managers run our defining institutions – schools, hospitals, government services – and literally everything else.

Good and decent management is fundamental to the well-being of our world.

If better management is important to you, stay informed. Awareness and knowledge are first steps in the management development process. Keep up with the research and best practices that are available to grow those in this key role. I love to talk about developing managers and leaders so give me a call if you’d like to know more.

What is your experience with managers? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Jazzed About Entrepreneurship

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word cloud entrepreneurshipLast night was the BRAC Shareholders Meeting and the keynote speaker was John Elstrott, chairman of the board of Whole Foods Market, active entrepreneur, head of Tulane’s entrepreneurship institute, and former CFO of Celestial Seasonings. He shared with us some of what he has learned from 40 years of entrepreneurship.

Here is just a bit of that wisdom:

  • A team of between two and four founders enhances the likelihood of success because each person brings different experiences, skill sets, and a larger network from which to raise capital.
  • Regarding sources of capital – make sure they share your values and purpose, risk tolerance, and time frame.
  • Use both facts and intuition to make decisions. Gather timely and accurate financial info and also customer, market, and competitive intelligence. Then step back and consider it intuitively.
  • Never pass up an opportunity to help others or do someone a favor. Karma happens.
  • Always stay flexible, decisive, and swift. Resist bureaucracy as you grow.
  • Choosing partners and new hires are the most important decisions. Make sure the people you choose share your values, purpose, mission, and vision.
  • Every business will hit a wall and be forced to dig deep. Frugality is essential to success. Know your numbers, pick up pennies but at the same time maintain an attitude of abundance. Also, be generous with your stakeholders.
  • Vision is what you hope to evolve into over time and should “embrace the heroic”.
  • Honor those who help you.
  • Celebrate along the way.

It was a fantastic evening! So exciting to be part of a thriving and engaged business community.

What have you learned as an entrepreneur? Share your thoughts in the comments.