Franchises 101 on The Strategy Sessions Radio Show on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. ET

Click on the image to listen live/download the podcast

Entrepreneur Magazine has listed the top 500 franchises in the United States for 2012, including Subway, 7-Eleven, and Servpro.

Listen live/download podcast

The number of franchises continues to grow; however, there is a lot to know before investing money, time, and effort to own a business and ensure profitability.

The Strategy Sessions radio show welcomes founding partners of Arnold Sai Law Firm LLP Justin Arnold, Esq. and Sai Pidatala, Esq. to share insight on the pitfalls to avoid when purchasing a franchise; operational issues that impact businesses; and, what businesses should do to close out 2012. The Strategy Sessions radio show is hosted by Washington, DC entrepreneur Kesi Stribling.

Have a question or comment for our guests?

Call (347) 539-5143

Email talkback@ksgsc.com

Tweet us @KesiStribling

For more information about our guests, including their bios, visit www.ksgsc.com/thestrategysessions.

DISCLAIMER: ASK THE STRATEGIST is a blog that highlights information on business, entrepreneurship, careers and the workplace, health, community, and women’s issues. Any content or advice dispensed through Ask The Strategist is solely for informational and entertainment purposes. All content is the property of Ask The Strategist and affiliated companies unless otherwise noted, and may not be reproduced without express written permission from the author(s).

Never miss ASK THE STRATEGIST blog posts! Have them delivered to your inbox by subscribing.

Stay connected with us

 

What successful people do with the first hour of their workday

How do you begin your day?

ASK THE STRATEGIST: When people conjure up images of successful business moguls, we often envision them waking up in the morning, reaching across a sleeping spouse to check their iPhones, and thus, the power plays begin. Kevin Purdy, blogger for Lifecompany, says that truly successful people take a moment to be reflective, and that surely does not include compulsively checking email first thing in the morning.

What successful people do with the first hour of their workday

by Kevin Purdy – Lifecompany – August 22, 2012

How much does the first hour of every day matter? As it turns out, a lot. It can be the hour you see everything clearly, get one real thing done, and focus on the human side of work rather than your task list. Read the entire post>> >

Talk back to us: How do you start your day? Tell us in the comments section below.

© Copyright 2012 Ask The Strategist™

DISCLAIMER: ASK THE STRATEGIST is a blog that addresses business, career, workplace and etiquette issues. Any advice dispensed by Ask The Strategist is purely for informational and entertainment purposes. Take the advice and opinions at your own risk – and betterment! Follow @KesiStribling or @CareerConnectDC on Twitter. Post your questions/email your conundrum/send your question via video to ask@ksgsc.com. All submissions become the property of Ask The Strategist. Names and other identifying information may be changed to protect the person asking for advice.

Never miss ASK THE STRATEGIST blog posts! Have them delivered to your inbox by subscribing.

Stay connected with us

In an era of seemingly uncivil people (cue slap fest on The Real Housewives of New Jersey), I recently stumbled upon Rules of Civility: The 110 Precepts That Guided Our First President in War and Peace, edited by Richard Brookhiser.

Originally published in 1997, with a healthy update from Brookhiser in 2003, Rules of Civility pre-empted the onslaught of reality television, and stories of soccer moms behaving badly on the field. This book takes a refreshing look at sage advice President George Washington followed, which he first found as a child in the 1700s.

While a few rules appear outdated (rule #9 – spit not into the fire, nor stoop low before it), the majority of the ‘rules’ are practical ways of living…and conducting business affairs. More than a primer in etiquette, Rules of Civility focuses more on the motivation beyond the action. For example, rule #23 admonishes that “when you see a crime punished, you may be inwardly pleased, but always show pity to the suffering offender.” The motivation is to treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Here are the top five career-related rules:

1. Rule #12: Shake not your head, feet, or legs, roll not the eyes, lift not one eyebrow higher than the other, wry not the mouth, and bedew no man’s face with your spittle by approaching too near him when you speak

These are a few non-verbal communication no-no’s that job seekers and entrepreneurs meeting with potential investors should avoid.

2. Rule #15: Keep your nails clean and short, also your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any great concern for them.

Be neat, tidy, and professionally garbed when you interview for a job, or go to work everyday; however, take care not to overly emphasize your appearance, for it can make you appear conceited and superficial.

3. Rule #35: Let your discourse with men of business be short and comprehensive.

Brevity, when speaking with business leaders – men and women – is always a plus.

4. Rule #40: Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty.

The boss – or customer – is always right. Also, do not be heavy handed with your judgment, so as not to embarrass your co-workers or become the office know-it-all.

5. Rule #82: Undertake not what you cannot perform but be careful to keep your promise.

Enough said.

Which of these rules hit home the most for you?

© Copyright 2012 Ask The Strategist™

Never miss ASK THE STRATEGIST blog posts. Subscribe now

Stay connected with us

It’s National Career Development Month

It's National Career Development Month

Today, November 30, 2011, is the last day of National Career Development Awareness Month.

In an effort to encourage young people and adults to take charge of their professional careers, the month was chock full of activities, including a poetry and poster contest, My Career Dreams, sponsored by the National Career Development Association.

Why celebrate career development awareness only in November? I exhort you – job seekers and those who are content with their careers – to use this month as a kick off for becoming, and staying, empowered about your choices for your career. Following are 10 things you can do to boost your career:

 Talk to your mentor about your career pursuits and advice
 Review job announcements for positions in which you are interested
 Visit your college Career Services office (students and alumni, alike)
 Begin developing your career plan
 Apply for an internship or volunteer
 Shadow an employee at work
 Take a continuing education class
 Get a certificate in an area of interest
 Update your resume
 Overhaul your social media sites to make sure they are professional

For more resources and tips to strengthen your career, visit our Career Connect website. Did these tips help you? Do you have a tip for us? Let ASK THE STRATEGIST KNOW by commenting below.

Never miss an ASK THE STRATEGIST blog post! Subscribe now.

Dealing with your ‘in the meantime’ malaise

Make good use of your time while climbing that mountain!

It’s pretty hard to focus on the world around us when we are going through a challenging time, including lacking luck in finding a job. Whether it’s a job search, stagnant sales, or any of life’s challenges, we can be heavily burdened by our fear, stress, and uncertainty.

Therefore, I challenge you to alter your way of thinking, embrace the challenge, and be proactive in the meantime. You know, your in the meantime – time spent in your holding pattern until you achieve your goal. So, here are some tips for springing into action, whether you feel like it or not, to endure and thrive during your in the meantime.

1.         Volunteer

If you are looking for a job and having no luck, continue to improve your skill set by identifying volunteer opportunities. You may be involved in your home owner’s association, place of worship, or children’s school lunch volunteer program.

Participate in your high school’s career day, and speak to youth about your career successes and challenges. If the school does not have a career day, start one! You never know if it will lead to a new career opportunity hand delivered to you by a high school alumnus who has an opening at his job that matches your qualifications and interests. Even if it does not, at least you have developed organizational and interpersonal skills planning the career day that you can reflect on your resume.

2.         Improve your community

One of the best ways to shake off the sullenness is to focus on others. Use your energy to help improve your community. Whether hosting a neighborhood watch program with the local police, or encouraging neighbors to participate in a community clean up, your efforts will benefit those around you.

 3.         Educate yourself

Education does not have to be in the form of a four-year degree. You can sign up for a certificate program in your career field, or general interests. Your in the meantime allows for you to participate in a class you never made time to take while you were working, including website design or learning a foreign language. Your leisurely classes can also be an added benefit to your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

4.         Improve yourself

Your in the meantime can lead you to explore ways to improve who you are. There is now time to explore your purpose and connectedness with others. It is a great opportunity to reinstate family dinnertime, reading a book, and building relationships with loved ones.

Developing your In The Meantime Plan

No matter how you choose to make the best of your in the meantime, there are three steps to help you make the best of your decisions: conceptualize, strategize, and implement.

Conceptualize what it is you want to do or pursue, like organize a book drive for the local library or joining a board of directors. What is it you want to do? Is it a benefit to your in the meantime? Next, strategize your approach. Who should you talk to in order to get started? How much time do you want to spend on the in the meantime activity? Finally, implement your plan. It is great to identify positive ways to occupy yourself in the meantime; however, all will be for naught if you do not follow through with your endeavors.

How have you dealt with your in the meantime? Let us know in the comments section.

Never miss ASK THE STRATEGIST blog posts. Enter your email address and click subscribe. It’s that simple. 

Glen MacDonell from AAA joins The Strategy Sessions for a discussion on travel tips

THE STRATEGY SESSIONS RADIO SHOW: Summer Travel Tips From AAA

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 – 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. EST

Glen MacDonell, Director of Travel Programs and Alliances at AAA,is the featured guest on the next episode of The Strategy Sessions radio show. He will discuss summer travel strategies, budgeting travel for your family, and ways to maximize your entire trip. Whether you are taking a vacation or remaining in your town for a staycation, you won’t want to miss any AAA suggestions for having fun, while employing cost-saving travel planning.

The Strategy Sessions radio show - Tuesday, July 19, 2011 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. EST

Connect with us!

LISTEN LIVE: www.blogtalkradio.com/thestrategysessions

CALL IN with questions: (805) 285-9841

For more information, visit www.ksgsc.com/thestrategysessions.

THE STRATEGY SESSIONS: Does Your Business Have a Disaster Plan (part 2)?

Millicent W. West Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency in the District of Columbia

Join us on May 24, 2011 for Does Your Business Have a Disaster Plan (part 2)?

TOPICS:

1. What the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency is doing to aid disaster planning efforts

2. The new terrorism alert program

3. The best approach to creating and implementing a disaster plan for  business

4. Resources to help businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community groups with disaster planning

5. Disaster planning for families 

Connect with us!

LISTEN to the show live: http://tobtr.com/s/1886249

CALL-IN with questions: (805) 285-9841

TWEET your questions during the show: www.twitter.com/KesiStribling

Read Diector West’s full bio: www.ksgsc.com/thestrategysessions

The Strategy Sessions: www.blogtalkradio.com/thestrategysessions

Sign up for our blog by entering your email address below and click subscribe.

Tune in for The Strategy Sessions on Monday, May 9, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Does your business have a disaster plan (part 1)?

What is a disaster plan?

Who should have a disaster plan?

Key areas to consider when developing a disaster plan, including employees who telecommute

Strategies to get you started on your company’s disaster plan

LISTEN to the show: http://tobtr.com/s/1814489

CALL-IN with questions: (805) 285-9841

Tweet your questions: www.twitter.com/KesiStribling

Disaster planning resources will be posted on www.ksgsc.com after the show concludes.

The Strategy Sessions: www.blogtalkradio.com/thestrategysessions 

Missed the show? Listen to the podcast below.

Ric Edelman takes the bestseller, The Truth About Money, to televison. His new show, of the same title, premieres on PBS in April.

Financial Expert, Ric Edelman, Screens New PBS Show, The Truth About Money, in Washington, DC 

Financial expert and New York Times Bestselling Author, Ric Edelman, screened his new show, The Truth About Money, in Washington, DC at the National Press Club today. The show premieres nationally on April 22, 2011.

Check out our exclusive interview on YouTube now>>> ASK THE STRATEGIST interviews Ric Edelman-The Truth About Money

Read my review of The Truth About Money with Ric Edelman on Examiner.com. To get The Truth About Money show schedule, visit www.truthaboutmoneytv.com.

Let us know if Ric Edelman’s strategies work for you!

ASK THE STRATEGIST: Copycat Coworker
March 28, 2011

Dear ATS: I have a coworker who copies everything I do – how I talk and the clothes I wear. We were cool at first, but now I try not to associate with her unless I have to. She even changed her hair to how I used to wear mine. How can I get her to stop and let me be me? – Anonymous, Maryland

An old adage says imitation is the best form of flattery. We humans tend to like it when people embrace us and want to emulate our ways of thinking, values, and even our physical characteristics. However, when imitation goes beyond our comfort zone and becomes “weird,” what was once flattering can start to feel freaky.

Since your quest for advice primarily focuses on your coworker’s penchant for imitating your appearance, I assume that your coworker still acknowledges the boundaries insofar as work performance, i.e. not taking credit for your work, or throwing a temper tantrum if she is not partnered with you on a project.

Your coworker may be a young person who respects and admires how you present yourself in the workplace and merely wants to emulate it. If the employee seems harmless, then say nothing and let her infatuation drift off in time.

If her fawning severely impedes your productivity on the job, then you may want to talk, gently, with her over lunch. If you are good at humor, presenting your concerns in a light-hearted manner may be most effective. Whatever you do, avoid appearing as if you are chastising her, which inevitably will make your coworker defensive. If she makes you feel uncomfortable to the point that your gut instinct is telling you there is a potentially more dangerous issue, including stalking, you may want to talk to your human resources representative or an immediate supervisor for intervention or workplace training.

Good luck, and keep us posted.
THE STRATEGIST

Ask The Strategist - every Monday at 7:00 p.m. EST on Twitter @atstrategist

DISCLAIMER: ASK THE STRATEGIST is an advice column that seeks to address business, career, workplace, and etiquette issues. Any advice dispensed by The Strategist is purely for informational and entertainment purposes. Take the advice and opinions at your own risk – and betterment! Follow us on Twitter @atstrategist. Post your question/email your conundrum/send your video to ask@ksgsc.com. All submissions become the property of ASK THE STRATEGIST. Join ASK THE STRATEGIST on Twitter every Monday at 7:00 p.m. EST. Tweet me @atstrategist.