NASBA & Consultant's Coach Join Forces

Free Advice & Discounted Educational Material Added for Members to See Explosive Gains in 2010

Some cool news to let you in on. NASBA Executive Director Frank Raimondi and I have entered into a new agreement to supply NASBA members much needed business assistance and education to keep up with the changing economy and needs of their information technology channel clients.




As we slowly come out of a recession, 2010 will show great promise to those in the IT channel that understand what their clients and potential clients want. What they want is a technology savvy business advisor that has positioned and structured their company to be around for the long haul.

That's what these new NASBA member offerings are all about and I'm happy to supply them.

The new services for NASBA members include:

• A free 30 minute coaching/strategy session with me (George Sierchio)

• A special discount on the second edition of my B.Y.O.B- Build Your Own Business, Don’t Be Your Own Boss book


As the economy takes its twists and turns to recovery, this is an excellent time to be a business owner in the IT channel. The strong will not only survive but be poised to thrive and take on the clients of all that have failed to structure their business for success.

Both NASBA and Action Business Partners, Inc. have been committed to providing the support, services and education needed to make this happen since they each have opened their doors. This joining of efforts should prove to be a great asset to current and future members.

I'm looking very forward to providing these new member services to NASBA members and very happy to be working with Frank Raimondi on this.

If you're not a member yet, check them out as it's free to join the largest professional trade association for channel resellers in North America. You have nothing to lose to see what they have to offer IT channel providers.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

I'll Be at Spring Training March 2010...

Baseball. Gotta love the sport.

I played in little league, through HS, into college and even semi-pro. Although I still coach HS baseball now and have enough in me to play on and run a team in the summer, my chances of going pro are most certainly gone. But...

I'm still going to Spring Training next March

Actually it's the Spring Training for Business event out in Mesa, Arizona from March 10-12, 2010 that I will be speaking at with my friends/colleagues Stuart Selbst, David Schafren, Harry Brelsford and more.

A great mix of business and fun with a golf outing before the event starts and everyone invited to stick around to go to a spring training game on the day after the event (game included in the package).

This event will be like no other that you have been to before or will attend in 2010. Spring Training for Business will help you develop the skills you need to set your company apart in today’s ever changing marketplace.

The following is some of the subject matter that will be covered by me and the other expert speakers and presenters:

• Sales of Services
• Marketing of Services
• Marketing to Specific Verticals
• Social Networking
• Service Deliverables
• Human Resources
• Client Management
• Customer Service
• CEO Level Leadership
• Time Management
• Business Planning
• Networking Skills

Early bird registration is already in effect so get yourself to the information page (click here for Spring Training for Business) to check out the agenda and details then sign up while the discount is still available.

Make sure you fill out that George Sierchio sent ya.

Looking forward to seeing you there.



To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

SMB Conference Call with Karl Palachuk Set

Just a quick post to anyone interested in participating in the SMB Conference Call hosted by Karl Palachuk on 9/16. I always enjoy doing calls and such with Karl. Always a fun and informative conversation. This one should be no different.

We'll be exploring the new pieces to the 2nd edition of my Build Your Own Business, Don't Be Your Own Boss book. Basically what they are and why I put them in there as well as going over some important issues that many SMB IT business owners are seeking insights and answers to.

You can sign up to participate easily by following the link below:

http://www.greatlittlebook.com/Seminars/conference_call.htm

Again it should be a great call as usual and I'm looking very forward to doing it as well as having you there with us.

For a bit of extra information, Karl and I will also be teaming up at SMB Nation (smbnation.com) in Vegas (Oct 2-4). If you'll be there, visit Karl's booth for his mega prize wheel where I have some great stuff I donated to be given away and redeemed right there at the show.

In addition Karl's wheel of fortune, I will be doing a podcast with him on the 4th from the SMB Nation show floor. After tha I will be sneaking away as a guru in the "speed dating" event (a neat timed rotating round table event). Other than that I'll be floating around Friday night as well as all day Saturday most likely shouting distance from Karl Palachuk's booth (the smbbooks.com booth).

So come join us on the call on 9/16 as well as at SMB Nation if you are planning to be there.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Business Credit & Capital for Your Technology Business

Always a hot topic but even more so in the past year is that of getting desperately needed credit and capital infusions for you business.

Some pieces of the market are loosening up but not enough right now for the smaller businesses out there that are actually the lifeblood of this country. But if you look in the right places armed with the right knowledge, you can did up some gold.



If your technology business has a piece to it that requires some kind of credit line or pool of working capital to make purchases or float payroll for large, long term projects, you need to find those funds. And many of them are not at your traditional resources.

For some there is government funding to go after depending on the sector you serve or would like to get into. For others there are ways to get creative with vendors.

For that reason I want to point you to 2 different excellent resources for this information depending on your plans for the next 2 months.

If you are in the IT service provider world and interested in travelling to Vegas in early October, then jump on the opportunity to join me at SMB Nation. There are many experts that will be educating attendees along with me including the show founder and my good friend Harry Brelsford. He will be talking specifically about how to tap some US Government Stimulus Funding avaialble to the tech world. This should be an excellent overall show and Harry will bring terrific on-topic information as always to his personal sessions.

Even if you can't make it out there or if you are in a tech business other than in the IT sector, I encourage you to attend an onlie workshop with another friend of mine in September. Lathea Morris is an expert in business and personal credit issues as well as sourcing business funding. She is putting on a special teleseminar on September 22nd along with a few guest presenters going over:

- Alternative capital and credit resources
- Steps to take before applying for capital
- The power of your credit score and specific loan products
- Business credit scores


As always this should be well worth your time and $25 as you will also get the presentation and program information to take after the session. You really can't lose, especially if you have been getting nixed left and right by traditional banks.

Get the business capital and credit you need to stay strong and come out on top when we soon hit the upswing in this tight economy.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Are you an IT Service Provider Near Chicago? Great resource for you

Just a quick post for IT Service Providers that deal with Microsoft SBS server migration.

My friend and SBS guru Karl Palachuk will be doing a terrific seminar in Chicago for September on migration strategies.

He's an expert on the subject and his seminar is called An Introduction to Zero Downtime Migration Strategies.

This is a 2.5 hour seminar packed with critical points in performing quick and accurate SBS server migrations. It's slated for September 23rd to cover:

- Project Management in a Managed Service Business
We all work projects. But do we all work them profitably and efficiently? Whether you're 100% managed service or just getting started, come and learn the most important elements of keeping project labor on the "billable" side of the ledger.

- Zero Downtime Migration Strategies
Join one of the authors of The Network Migration Workbook for an introduction to SBS Migration that will make your business more profitable and your clients a lot happier. Is ZDTM really possible and practical in your business? Attend and find out.


It's a $49 seminar (well worth it) sponsored by the Chicago SBS User Group, but I'm going to give you a limited discount code that you should jump on as his last seminar in Portland sold out quickly.

The discount code is ZDTM09 and the signup page with all of the logistics is here:
http://www.smbbooks.com/products/seminarkp20090923.htm

So if you're in the area of Chicago or will be there on September 23rd, take a serious look at this event. Also only the first 50 people who sign up will get the discount so hurry up if you want the discount.

To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Looking to Retire in the Next 3 to 30 Years???

In this day and age, operating your business like a well oiled machine is a must for any technology business owner. It’s not all about the tech anymore. It’s about understanding your client’s business and proving that you have the ability to help them and the stability to be around for the long haul.

But the real reason for anyone to be in business for themselves is to make the money they deserve and have something to show for it when they are done running the business. That means maximizing profitability and building business value. And the good news is that they both happen when you operate your business the right way… no matter how big or small it is now, or how you want it to look in the future.




I give out excellent information and do my best to teach via writing, webinars, in-person talks, etc., but I know from asking around that the teachings often do not get implemented unless there is accountability and follow up as when coaching is involved. Much of that is due to not completely understanding concepts, not knowing how to apply them to the business or not having someone to push you into doing it so it ends up on the back burner. All curses of the entrepreneur.

For that reason I’ve developed a boot camp specifically for VARs, MSPs, System Integrators & Computer Services Specialists entitled Run It Like You’re Gonna Sell It! Build Business Value and Maximize Profitability and have brought on board my friend and partner Stuart Selbst to give it even more punch.

It's all about education, available tools and implementation. We've also incorporated coaching and expert panels within the boot camp. This includes ways to actually put into place the business building and profitability maximizing processes so attendees don't feel they need to absorb the info then get kicked out of the nest to do it themsleves.

The value packed inside of this intense event happening Oct 16-18 in Fairfax, VA just outside Washington DC is well beyond the investment. Attendees will be able to walk away knowing they can double their current business value in a matter of 12 months following the blueprint you walk away with for your business.

So if you started a business for what it was intended for... making as much money as possible in a structure/size that you are comfortable in while giving you a well deserved retirement vehicle... then this is an event to not miss.

For more information on the event, visit http://consultantscoach.com/bootcampsignup.php

We are currently running an early bird special until September 12th that you will see on this web page. For an even bigger discount that will last until the September 21st, grab a copy of my book and email me the receipt (gsierchio at consultantscoach.com) to get access to a special sign up page. You can buy the book here http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Book Available in Pre-Release: Chapter 6 Excerpt

One of the most taboo small business subjects, especially when involving technology based businesses, is that of hiring. Many say they don't ever want to hire people because they like being a 1-person show. But most are really thinking about the possible headaches, pressure to pay/keep them happy, and other of the other joys of employees.

But what many don't realize is that they already use other people to help their business out and to truly maximize profitability, they will need to use more. That's why although Chapter 6 is about not only employees, because you can certainly live without them , but about vendors and subcontractors as well. Read on to get a taste:

Chapter 6
Employee & Subcontractor Management: Recruiting, Hiring, Retention & Firing

Some of you reading this book might be asking yourself why I’m talking to you about hiring employees when you either just opened your doors not long ago or you are a one person show and plan on continuing as one.

It’s simple. No matter the structure of your business, you just will not be able to do everything yourself. That is unless you are terrific at all aspects of business plus the technical side of your business and truly do want to work 70+ hours a weeks forever.

If that’s the case, you’re right, you can skip this chapter. If it’s not the case then you will be using vendors for things such as website design and accounting, sub contractors to take part of the work load or parts of a job not in the realm of your business, virtual assistants to take over admin and other time consuming issues you don’t need to do yourself and yes, maybe some actual employees.

Although the hiring/retention/firing process may be slightly, and I emphasize slightly, different for each one of these cases, they are still there and you will be able to pick up pointers as I concentrate on actual employees.


If You Already Thought Hiring Was Scary…

Hiring and dealing with employees is one of the most difficult things a small business deals with, especially for the business owners who will almost always have a hand in any recruiting, hiring, firing or retention process. Why is it so difficult?

•Huge decision regarding each and every employee (need, timing, money, training, etc)
•More involvement in the hiring, retention, firing than when an employee elsewhere
•Very rare to have all skills involved in every phase of the hiring through retention process without some outside help
•Involves more personal contact in every phase than as an employee
•Realization that one employee could cause enough problems to ruin your business

Let’s go over some very important facts about using others to help you grow your business. A bad hire can potentially cost a business 15 times that person’s salary after 1 year of employment.
Of course this takes into account:

•wasted time in the hiring process,
•wasted cost of training time and resources
•lost dollars due to the employee’s mistakes (such as losing your best client or causing good employees to quit),
•unrealized money due to the employee’s mistakes (such as botching a big deal to land a new long term client),
•actual salary and benefits costs,
•severance cost,
•possible lawsuit costs and
•a few other possible money headaches.

Can you see where this will start to add up?

*****

The chapter goes on to talk about subjects for hiring anyone to help you out such as:

Recruiting- It’s Not What You Think
Hiring is a Process, Not a Search for a New Friend
Employee Retention- Protect Your Investment
Firing- How to Make It the Least Painful for You and Them

*****

There are many aspects to your technology business that are better suited for others to do the work for you regardless of whether or not you every want to give up doing the work on the technical side of the business. Grab the book and see the whol big picture.

http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php


To Your Business Success-

George J Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Book Available in Pre-Release: Chapter 5 Excerpt

One of my most favorite subjects and chapters in the second edition B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't Be Your Own Boss book is on Client Management. Clients are truly the biggest asset of a service and consulting oriented business as they typically represent over 90% of tangible value to this type of business.

It's sad but understandable how this important piece and system to a business is often overlooked, under-appreciated and outright unknown by many technology consulting and service business owners. That’s why I spend considerable time in the book breaking down the different sections of this system.

Today a quick excerpt of one of the longest chapters in the second edition B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't Be Your Own Boss book:

Chapter 5
Client Management: Protect & Utilize Your Biggest Business Asset
What exactly is client management? What we are talking about is how to handle customers or clients that you are currently working with as well as those you have previously worked with.

It seems as though we may be jumping the gun here because we haven’t discussed marketing and getting clients but there is a reason for it. Part of it is preparation for your new clients and the other reason is to show you that if you already have 1 or 100 clients, this subject is going to make the need to get new clients not as important.

That may be a lot to handle now so let’s just keep moving along and you will see where I’m going soon.

The Start of the Relationship

Whether it’s part of your responsibility or someone else’s in your business, making the first contact with a potential client count is huge. This often sets the tone for the rest of the relationship… if it ever even gets to that point.

When you first start courting a potential client that has shown interest in having you work with them, it’s important to get to know their business as much as possible. This is necessary even before you or your salespeople or whoever first contacts them for a person to person conversation makes that move.

At this point, all your business and their business have in common is you knowing their background so it shows your interest in them as something other than the next buck in the bank.

Again, whether this is your business responsibility or someone else’s it’s extremely important to start off a new project, even with an old client, by making the whole job as clear as possible.

*****

This first part of the chapter continues on with how to establish a relationship with a potential client and moves on to other sections such as:

Keeping Clients & You Happy While You Are Working With Them
What to Do When Things Go Wrong
Keeping In Touch & Making the Most of It
80/20 Rule

*****

Although all chapters in this book are essential and not about any fluff or BS, this chapter is especially important. Important enough that it comes before Marketing as it is a system that, when done right, cuts your marketing costs significantly. Read the book and find out why.

Our next venture into the book will be about Chapter 6 on Employees & Subcontractors that are in place to help you maximize your business's earning potential.

More information on grabbing a copy of the book is found here http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php



To Your Business Success-

George J Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Book Available in Pre-Release: Chapter 4 Excerpt

In a radio interview I did with Stuart Crawford recently, he expressed that the Leadership chapter in the second edition B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't Be Your Own Boss book was one of his favorites. You can hear us discuss the book and this chapter from a recording of the show here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smb/2009/05/22/BYOB-Build-Your-Own-Business

I might as well throw in there his testimonial you can actually find in the book as well:

"George really nails what it takes to be an entrepreneur. My greatest day is when I fired myself as an employee and focused on building a business. “Build Your Own Business” is uplifting and also a smack in the side of the head with a 2x4. I have seen many business owners simply spin out of control and I wish I had this book to share with them, however now I do. George, this book simply rocks, it is a great easy reminder of what it takes to truly succeed in today’s changing business world. Embrace change it is constant in the universe."

Stuart R. Crawford
Bulletproof InfoTech


So let's not delay and get you a quick excerpt of this chapter as I think the title of the chapter says a lot about my dispelling some misconceptions and why this chapter is towards the front of the book:

Chapter 4
Leadership: It’s Not Just About Employees


Let’s get to work on the subject of leadership. This consists of setting up teams, managing teams and individuals, and ultimately getting things done in a timely manner by the way you lead your people. Don’t forget that your clients are looking for you and your business to be the great leader they need to get the work done they hired you for.

Every business depends on teams and individuals to get things done. That’s what you hired your employees and subcontractors to do. Unfortunately, very few people understand what it takes to make this happen in the best way possible.

They take delays and large hiccups as a given. Instead of doing things right from the beginning, they pad schedules, then extend deadlines, then work crazy hours and pay gobs of extra money to get a project or important task done.

What we are going to discuss will dispel some myths of how things work and give you the blueprint of how to truly make as much money as possible by having a productive way of getting things done when it involves people other than yourself.


The People

First things first. The main cog in the wheel of a successful project is in the caliber of your people on the job. This is why the hiring process that I teach is so critically important.

Keeping things organized and your leadership effective starts with the type of people you have to work with. You, by all means, need talented “A” players or you’re already in the hole.

Not only will they get the job done but they will be less likely to pass the buck or give you the “that’s not my job” attitude that kills any major project to be tackled.

“A” players are also going to make you look like an even more effective leader because it will take very little management effort on your part for things to get done by these “producers”.

It’s quite the opposite with “worker bees” that challenge every fiber of your being with their limited abilities, need for management and lack of desire to get the job done without blaming someone else for any problems.


*****

This first part of the chapter continues on with how people are part of the leadership equation and moves on to other sections such as:

The Time
The Organization
Putting It All Together


*****

Again, there is a method to my madness regarding the subject orders in this book. Read it and find out why.

Our next venture into the book will be about Chapter 5 on Client Management; dealing with your biggest business asset from top to bottom.

More information on grabbing a copy of the book is found http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php



To Your Business Success-

George J Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Book Available in Pre-release- Chapter 3 Excerpt

Time for another excerpt of the 2nd edition of my B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't be Your Own Boss book as it is in the pre-production process as we speak.

One of the biggest enemies of any entrepreneur is time management. Although my work is all about encourage technology people to work their way into less tech work and more business operations work (the key to making more money and building business value), no matter how you currently run your business my time management chapter is a must read.

This is Chapter 3 in the B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't be Your Own Boss book and it's towards the front for a reason. Below is a taste of that particular chapter.

Chapter 3
Time Management: Once It’s Gone, It’s Gone

Time is a rare something that you can never get back once it’s gone. It’s the key to:

• stress relief
• feeling accomplished
• being productive and effective
• being a great leader for both employees and vendors
• being respected by clients

For these reasons it makes it very important to go over this issue first and foremost.

In the introduction to this book I mentioned that people like us have a problem. We’re too smart for our own good sometimes. Time management is the key to not letting our brains get the best of us.

SKIPPING A FEW PAGES WE HAVE...
You are Your Environment

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of working in a highly unproductive environment. This is something that can, and really needs to, be controlled. A true entrepreneur can produce good or better results under adverse conditions, but you don’t want to put yourself in a position where that’s always the case.

In order to completely support an environment of productivity, you have to be able to exert control over your environment. In other words, you need to be in a position to stop or avoid interruptions. More light will be shed on this subject as we go on, but let me give you a better mental picture of this before I go forward with a quick example.

I’m sure you’ve heard of an open door policy. This is a great concept to keep employees and subcontractors from being “yes” people to you and literally fearing you. That’s a horrible way to have people that work with you think of you, by the way.

Well, the open door policy is really good stuff except for when you take it literally. Actually keeping your door “open” causes you to pay attention to things outside your office and it also promotes employees to just stop by and say hello and grab you for “just 1 second”.

Keep that picture in your head and I’m sure you can come up with a variety of other scenarios to avoid that will make your work environment unproductive and promote interruptions. And it doesn’t matter if you work in an office or out of a home office.



Multi-Tasking is a 4 Letter Word

Let’s get something straight right now. Multi-tasking is a bad word. As a matter of fact, it’s really not humanly possible. Here’s what happens when you do two work tasks at the same time:

Task 1 takes one hour to do. Task 2 takes one hour to do. Done separately this holds true. Do them at the same time and now I promise you it will take you over the two combined hours to finish these tasks together. Try it and track yourself. I promise you I’m not wrong.

Multi-tasking is not a skill to be proud of or to use so don’t fit it into your business world. By the way, there are only two places I know of where multi-tasking can be productive and they are not work related. One place is in the kitchen and the other place involves you, a call from mother nature, some reading material, and a small room. That’s it.

******

The chapter continues on to talk about common interruptions and how to overcome them, scheduling versus task lists, and getting others to help you manage your time.

On the next excerpt we'll cover the Leadership chapter as it ties in directly to time management. There is a method to my madness on chapter layout as you will see.

With that said, get on the list for reserving a copy now for only $20 (retail price is $24.95). http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Book Available in Pre-release- Chapter 1 & 2 Excerpt

In case you haven't heard, the 2nd edition of my B.Y.O.B.- Build Your Own Business, Don't be Your Own Boss book is due out in the next week or so.

This book is aimed at owners of technology consulting and service businesses looking to build a solid business that has value and maximizes profitability. A guide to being a true entrepreneur in the technology solution provider world.

I've added to just about every chapter as well as developed a new chapter in what has been called "an excellent book for any entrepreneur who wants to sit down and start working ON the business." - Karl Palachuk as well as "required recession reading!" - Harry Brelsford.

The first edition was well received and this edition is even better. So I wanted to do a few posts, starting with this one, to give you some excerpts.

We'll start right from the beginning with an excerpt from Chapter 1 and 2:

Chapter 1
Introduction- First Things First

Reasons to Read & Learn

People like you and me, highly educated and running a high skill or high intellect type of business, often get outshined by those not quite as smart and not nearly as educated. Why? Because people like us allow ourselves to take on too much and get overloaded. That’s when our productivity and effectiveness goes down and we under perform.

This information, advice, and coaching comes straight from my experience in being a successful business owner in your industry coupled with the massive amounts of research, learning, and trials I constantly do to help those looking for my assistance.

******

Chapter 2
Entrepreneurship: “But My Business is Different”

Entrepreneurs are a very special breed. Some people are just not cutout to be one. And sometimes those that do have what it takes need a little insight from a fellow entrepreneur so they don’t mistake the importance of what they are getting themselves into. That’s what I’m going to do for you here.
In this important chapter I’m going to go over a number of significant points to always keep in mind as a business owner. They are truly the crux of entrepreneurship and come into play regardless of the current size of your business or how big you envision getting. That means it also applies to the one person show that has no intentions of adding any employees to the mix.


Your Business is Not Different

Every business is different in that they are run by different people with different employees, different cultures and different industries. With that said, the technical side of your business may be different from others, but the core of the business is the same. Always thinking that “my business is different” will quickly allow barriers to be built in your own mind and within the business in regards to growing and doing what needs to be done in order to be successful.

These thought patterns stop you from asking questions in regards to making your business and life better. It stops you from using the power of modeling other successful businesses inside and outside of your industry. On top of that, it makes it very difficult for you to drop bad habits that were most likely formed by listening to others with those same bad habits. This is known as the blind leading the blind. Things like “paying your dues” and “doing things the hard way” are an old school way of thinking and not the way to run your business.

You’re probably asking yourself; “Why isn’t my business different?” That’s pretty simple to answer. Things that work in one business, regardless of the industry, have a good chance at working in another. That’s where modeling comes in. You take what works elsewhere and make whatever tweaks necessary to work for you.

******

This section of the chapter continues on and then moves to sections on You Can’t Do Everything Yourself, Systems & Automation, Self Awareness is the Missing Link and Tail Wagging the Dog.

You can reserve your pre-sale copy for $20 including S&H (a 20% retail discount) at the following link: http://consultantscoach.com/byobbook.php


There will be a few more of these posts coming, but I strongly encourage you to grab a copy of the book. It's equivalent to a couple thousand dollars worth or coaching and education for a pre-sale price of $20. Can you really beat that?


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

A New Way to Learn and Earn Specifically for IT Service Business Owners

Over the past few months I've been working on a new way for me to help IT consulting and service business owners maximize profitability while building business value. And now it's finally ready.

Below is a press release about the new program that has been set up between myself and the makers of the IT industry financial dashboard and benchmarking software Corelytics.

Next Generation IT Mastermind Programs Utilizing Latest Business Intelligence & Benchmarking Software

Leading Technology Business Coach and Premiere IT Business Systems Developer Ink Joint Venture to Build Business Value & Profits for IT Solution Providers

George Sierchio of Action Business Partners, Inc. and the makers of Corelytics™ announce their joint venture Technology Business Planning (TBP). This partnership has been designed to go beyond ordinary peer groups and move IT solution providers into utilizing mastermind groups with real-time business intelligence dashboard and benchmarking software.

The difference is clear in this business value building and profit growing program:

•Accountability and goal driven monthly mastermind groups led by a certified business coach that has succeeded as an IT solution provider business owner
•24x7 private peer forums monitored by industry leaders
•Regularly distributed educational material provided by industry insiders
•Includes the use of top notch business intelligence software with support
•Real-time IT industry benchmarks based on user business niche
•Networking opportunities with non-competing group members

“We’re taking peer groups up two notches at one time.” notes technology business coach and advisor George Sierchio. “First, by making group meetings and forums facilitated by a seasoned entrepreneur and business coach, we go beyond the limitations of peer led groups. And second, by adding in business intelligence tools as part of the program we allow companies considered small and micro businesses to have the same or better tools and knowledge as the bigger companies in the industry”.

The full TBP program groups 10 to 15 success-hungry technology business owners together based on business size, revenue base, and most importantly on experience. Along with a confidentiality clause and no competition within a group, all of these factors make for a highly effective business growth experience that minimizes wasted time, money and energy.

No matter what size the business is, if owner has the drive to succeed and the desire to be surrounded by peers and highly experienced business advisors, they most certainly deserve to have affordable access to this kind of program.

Technology Business Planning (TBP) is a joint venture between George Sierchio and owners/developers of business intelligence dashboard software Corelytics™. TBP provides business coaching programs for IT Solutions Providers utilizing a combination of mastermind groups, peer forums, industry insider developed educational material and the Corelytics™ business intelligence software. For more information please visit techbusinessplanning.com.



This is an exciting new set of programs with this top notch, industry specific software integrated right into the fabric of it. It's targeted to small businesses that want to truly operate like the industry leaders do with the same quality tools, education and assistance they use, but affordable to a small business. I strongly encourage you to go up the site and read more about it.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Catching Bytes- Blog Talk Radio Show for Technology Business Owners

While I'm swamped with getting things ready for SMB Nation East coming up on May 1st at Montclair State University in NJ, I wanted to update you on a radio show I'll be a guest on for Tues 4/21.

Doña and Charles Keating have invited me to be the main guest on their 4/21 show on blog talk radio. The show is called Catching Bytes and details with a link can be found below if you're interested.

Upcoming Show: 4/21/2009 3:00 PM EST
Host Name: Catching Bytes
Show Name: Grow Your Technology Consulting or Service Business

Length: 1 hr
Description: Leading national expert and author George Sierchio joins us from New York in a discussion about setting up your business for maximum profit while building its value for future sale. Time management, leadership, dealing with employees/contractors, client management, marketing, financial metrics, new revenue streams and exit planning are some of the enriching and hard-hitting topics we'll explore.


Come on over and listen to the 1 hour show. I'm sure you'll get something good out of it. And if you're so inclined, chime in as a caller.

If you're coming to SMB Nation East, I'll see you there. If not and you will be in the area, be sure to get your pass from the link above or contact me through the my main website at consultantscoach.com and I'll help you out.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Upcoming SMB Technology & Business Event: Becoming a Trusted Business Advisor in the Small and Medium Business World

Whether You’re a Small Business Server, VOIP or Other Technology Solution Provider in the SMB IT Space, Becoming a Trusted Business Advisor is the Goal.

In no uncertain terms, technology education for the survival and advancement in your SMB IT business is a must. But as a technology business owner, this also means continuing education in how you personally run your business. Forever looking for ways to improve the operation of you business will allow you to turn around and utilize that knowledge to become a trusted business advisor to your small and medium business clients.

Just like any other part of your business, having a continuing education strategy is a must. What books will you read? What webinar and teleseminars will you join in on? What business and technology events will you attend? Who will you tap to coach and advise you to the next level?

This continuing education process for your business is not a luxury. It truly is a necessity, especially in the competitive small and medium business environment. In this venue everyone is looking to partner up with a true business that brings integrity and value to the table.

They want a trusted business advisor that understands what it means to operate a small and medium business, not just someone to handle small business server issues and show up when their technology infrastructure has a problem. There’s a huge difference and the SMB IT companies that are keeping clients and adding new ones in this economy get it. How about you?

So since we are talking about my favorite subject of continuing education as a technology business owner, let me give you the low down on a hot upcoming business and technology event for the SMB IT business owner.

Coming up on May 1-3, 2009, SMB Nation will be holding its annual SMB Nation Spring 2009 event. This is the East Coast version of their business and technology continuing education, which is being held at Montclair State University in my neck of the woods otherwise known as Northern NJ. It’s a terrific continuing education setting on a really great university campus. You can’t help but feel the learning going on around this entire event.

And the best part? Not only does this show give you some great options to learn more about the latest in technology for the small and medium business world such as small business server issues, VOIP, cloud computing, virtualization and more, it also has an amazing line-up for everything you can think of and never thought about for sharpening you business operations.

That means lots of continuing education on the tech side (geek speak) and the business side (business speak) by thought leaders in the SMB world you know and will want to know better by the time you leave. And I can guarantee you will walk out of this 3 day event with a whole new outlook to your business, the small and medium business space, and our economy.

There is no better bang for your buck business and technology event focusing on making you a trusted business advisor to your small and medium business clients in the NYC and NJ areas this year. Attend SMB Nation Spring in early May 2009 by registering at SMB Nationand see for yourself.

Did I mention that I will also be speaking there (see this link for more events as well)? As a matter of fact I personally know that the business education is one great line up since I’m the Business Speak Chair with the main session for day 1 and I have another session on day 2 about building value in your business.

Another great speaker that I know will come out guns blazing with great information is the event company's president, Harry Brelsford, who will be combining tech speak with business speak by doing a talk on "geekonomics". Should be a terrific and insightful session.

I promise that SMB Nation, as always, will provide an excellent venue for your continuing education strategy that will pay you back 10 fold just by walking in the door to network and listen to top notch minds in the SMB space.

See you there!


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

SMB IT Community_ Partnerships are a difficult ship to steer

Calling all IT business owners!!

The following is a joint message from me and Stuart Crawford of Bulletproof InfoTech/host of the Small Business IT Radio Show.

I will be a guest on Stuart's show this Friday March 13th, noon EST. See below for details.

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Join Stuart Crawford from Calgary’s Small Business Specialist, Bulletproof InfoTech and George J Sierchio from Action Business Partners as we discuss one of the most difficult areas of business today, Partnerships.

Partnerships can help your business succeed in new areas with business partners and also allow you a bit of a safety net with others to share your risk. Dangers lurk beneath the surface when you go into uncharted waters?

George and Stuart will discuss and share some of their experiences with business partnerships. What works? What doesn’t? What to do when you are doing all the work?

We will also share tips and tricks to bring your partnership back up to the surface or when you decide to abandon ship.


Listen live to Small Business Radio on Friday, March 13 at Noon Eastern/9 AM Pacific Time. Listen live at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smb.


Missed an episode? Catch up on back editions online today.

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Although the radio program is generally aimed at IT entrepreneurs, feel free to listen on as the topic most definitely applies to all technology based companies.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

McPalin or Obiden: Does it really matter?

One last politically based post for me and I'm done. Again, no opinions here. Honestly, we're kind of screwed (official political term) either way for a while no matter who wins.

Let's be real here; 50% of what each candidate has promised will never happen. Some if it they will just forget they mentioned and the rest was all hot air that they really have no control over anyway. We just forgot to remember this isn't a dictatorship country and the President has limited power.

Oh well. As a business owner, especially a technology based business owner, you really can't care one way or another. We have the power in this country's business world in present and future time. Technology isn't going away. As a matter of fact it becomes more important to consumers and businesses every year.

We make our own path.

Yes maybe the government could help us out a bit with taxes and health benefits so we can afford to hire people and make sure our own families get health coverage. Other than that, they play a very small role in our tech businesses.

When tomorrow comes, the country will still be standing and nothing will have changed. My advice to you is not to listen to the media as they spew their opinions on you about what the election outcomes means. If their opinions mattered, they would be running for President and not interviewing people.

We make our own destiny.

For most of the entrepreneurs out there right now, the government has never done a thing to help them have retirement money. The government has never even patted us on the back for the fact that we create the majority of the jobs in this country. We get rewarded with paying into both ends of social security, which many of us may never get to collect on. We also get to live with the fact that it's almost an impossibility to get out any money we put into unemployment. How's that for a kick in the pants?

We write our own ticket.

Businesses and consumers need us no matter who the President is. This is the greatest capitalist country in existence. Let's take full advantage of it starting today regardless of who's in the White House starting in 2009.

I still hope you went out there and voted. I just want to make sure you understand that the winner has much less impact on your business than you do.

To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

The Presidential Race & Your Technology Business

You know, I don't like talking politics... until someone corners me and brings it up. Then I'm like a trapped pit bull. But I don't want to lay my political views on you today. I would never do that and I despise when people preach to me thinking they are right.

Actually, the beauty of politics is that usually it's not about right or wrong. It's about who is promising what, is it even possible to deliver it (versus pie in the sky wishes) and if they can, will they actually do it.

Some may think that's not fun or funny but I think scoping out politicians and putting on my BS meter is exciting and it tells me a lot about that person.

The long and short of it is that nobody in particular sitting in the Oval Office will ever completely ruin this country since we have too many fail-safes. But with that said, putting on your BS meter and using it see who will attempt to help or hinder your technology business is a must for any entrepreneur.

Again, listening to what they say they want to do and if it can really happen as well as the impact of it actually happening is important. As a citizen of this country it's your right to decide who you want representing you. As someone with the right to vote, especially as a business owner, I really think it's your duty as a both a citizen and entrepreneur to cast your vote. This election is no different.

You have a few weeks left to read up on each candidate, then put on the BS meter and decide who to vote for. No opinions from me here. I'm still doing my homework as well.

But keep this in mind as well; whether the person you vote for wins or not, they only have as big of an impact on your business as you let them. The one thing that makes this country great is capitalism and the freedom to (legally) make as much money as you want, deliver your value as you wish and operate your business as it best suits you personally.

You make your own destiny, not the President.


To Your Business Building Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

Warren Buffet (you know, Bill Gates' main mentor) on the Economy

Warren Buffet recently came out with a interesting take on the economy and what to do about it on a personal level.

I thought you would like to read about it if you already haven't:


The New York Times
October 17, 2008
Op-Ed Contributor
Buy American. I Am.
By WARREN E. BUFFETT
Omaha

The financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.

So ... I've been buying American stocks. This is my personal account I'm talking about, in which I previously owned nothing but United States government bonds. (This description leaves aside my Berkshire Hathaway holdings, which are all committed to philanthropy.) If prices keep looking attractive, my non-Berkshire net worth will soon be 100 percent in United States equities.

Why?

A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions.

But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now.
Let me be clear on one point: I can't predict the short-term movements of the stock market. I haven't the faintest idea as to whether stocks will be higher or lower a month - or a year - from now. What is likely, however, is that the market will move higher, perhaps substantially so, well before either sentiment or the economy turns up. So if you wait for the robins, spring will be over.

A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor's best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America's future at a marked-down price.

Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.

You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy.

Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn't.
They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. Indeed, the policies that government will follow in its efforts to alleviate the current crisis will probably prove inflationary and therefore accelerate declines in the real value of cash accounts.

Equities will almost certainly outperform cash over the next decade, probably by a substantial degree. Those investors who cling now to cash are betting they can efficiently time their move away from it later. In waiting for the comfort of good news, they are ignoring Wayne Gretzky's advice: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been."

I don't like to opine on the stock market, and again I emphasize that I have no idea what the market will do in the short term. Nevertheless, I'll follow the lead of a restaurant that opened in an empty bank building and then advertised: "Put your mouth where your money was."

Today my money and my mouth both say equities.

- Warren E. Buffett is the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.

SMB Nation Seattle Rocked

For all of you IT guys & girls that made it to SMB Nation in Seattle hosted by Harry Brelsford this past weekend, I hope you had as good of a time as I did and learned a lot as well.

I am proud to say that I had the chance to speak and be surrounded with lots of great speakers to choose from in both the business and technical presentations. They included Robin Robbins, Dona and Charles Keating, Matt Makowicz, Stuart Selbst, Frank Coker, Tom Poole, Stephen Schramke, Ramon Ray, and Jeff Middleton to name just a few.

The vendors rocked as well including my buddy Karl Palachuk from SMBbooks.com (seen with me in the picture below after the first 3 days of the event, so yes I know I look bad).




Other cool vendors included the guys at LabTech, the CMIT crew, Naseem from Results, the Secure My Company guys, Calyptix, the ASCII group, and of course my friends from the ICCA.

I had the pleasure of doing a presentation on the business track entitled "Own Your Business, Don't Let It Own You" which I had a blast doing and I think it was pretty well received. If you were there and missed it or you want to catch a piece of the finer points from some of my slides (good for all tech business entrepreneurs), I'd be happy to put something together for you. For those that were at SMB Nation, I'm pretty sure they will be making it available as well in the near future.

The show was great and the parties after each daily grind were even better. That's where the real action and networking took place. I had a great time with vendors, speakers and attendees alike. But I want to give a special shout out to a few attendees that helped to keep me in good spirits all weekend including Mike Alligood, Jay Leinart, and "The Aussie Delegate" Matt Drane.

Although I got back to the East Coast yesterday afternoon, I am still pretty beat up so I think I'll call it a night and put up some juicy business info in a few days. Stay tuned.

To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach

On My Way to SMB Nation

It's that time of year again. Time for the SMB nation big event in Seattle. if you're an IT business owner providing your clients with Microsoft solutions, this is the place to be.

There's something for everyone in this industry from tech stuff to how to's to business help.

I'll be there doing one of my signature speeches on growing your business the right way entitled "Own Your Business, Don't Let it Own You". It's a really helpful seminar made for the 1 man show to the 50 person company looking for business stability, infrastructure, growth, and/or preparing to sell for top dollar in the near or distant future.

If you're going, I'll see you there. I'll be there from Friday afternoon through Monday with my gig going on at 11:30am on Sunday.

This SMB Nation show is looking to be a great event. If you didn't sign up, let me know and we can talk about my presentation. I'll be putting up some other useful things taken from the various presenters that I think will help my audience of technology, engineers and IT industry people.

For more real time info on the event, check out the blog by Harry Brelsford (SMB Nation creator) located on the right side of this page. He will be blogging at blog.smbdude.com

See you at the show!