011 Glenn Kell – Secrets to Easy Planning Permits

Australians have a love affair with development.

If we are not doing up our own house, we will sell off or develop the back yard or maybe even do a development on an empty block we own.

One of the biggest problems is getting the right permits, at the right time!

Glenn Kell is a planning expert and here he shares his secrets on how to easily get the permits you need.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes at www.EntrepreneursInAction.com.au

Who Is It About?

Too often people in business get this question wrong, particularly in the Exhibiting industry.

The answer is, it is NOT about you – it is ALL about them.

Let’s be incredibly honest, no one really cares about what you do. What they care about is what you can do for THEM. That great saying of “What’s In It For Me” is running through their subconscious as they talk with you.

So with what you do, who is it about?

Your signs and posters, are they about you or are they about them?
Your new processes, are they about making it easier for you or making it easier for them?
Are the images you use about you or is it about them?
Your exhibiting booth, is it all about you or about them?
When you network, do you talk about you or do your talk about them?
When you get home from work, do you go on about your day or do you ask about theirs?

Life is not about you. It is about them.

The funny thing is, if you make it about them, they will happily make it about you – so everyone gets what they need.

PS Someone who did a lot for others and who has always been a personal idol is Robin Williams. His passing affected me deeply so I wrote about it. You can read it here.

The King Is Dead, Long Live the King

By now you know Robin Williams is dead. It is hard not to know as it has dominated all forms of media for the last couple of days.

I don’t “do” celebrities. I have been fortunate enough to meet many of them and some I have the pleasure of calling my friends. But I don’t stalk them, idolise them, want to be them, care what they endorse or even get concerned about what happens to them. They are people. They have their lives and I have mine. To be honest, I have enough trouble trying to get my life right let alone worry about other peoples, let alone famous people I will never meet.

This was different for me.

His death kicked me in the guts, brought me to tears and broke something inside. It has taken me a few days to collect myself and I felt I needed to write something.

I don’t know Robin, I never met him and most importantly, I have no idea about who he truly is. I am not sure anyone did. Any of his media interviews descended into farce and laughter. Even the serious ones end up off the track and distracted from the internal entity that was Robin.

He was very public with his issues – from addiction to health and even finance, yet still we never knew him.

Zelda, his daughter, mentions that while there are many photos of Robin she has the memories of time spent with him. She and her family were probably some of the very few who actually knew him.

To me, he was the King of the Stage and I wanted to be like the persona I saw.

Over the years he has given me many gifts that I can never repay and for which I am eternally grateful.

He showed me it was OK to be me. In a time and location where I felt my humour and habits were “not normal” he showed me it was OK to be “out there”. It was OK to show off, laugh and be genuinely crazy. It was OK to not conform, to be different and to be loud and proud of that difference.

He showed me it was OK to be hairy. His bath scene during Moscow on the Hudson was one of the first times I had seen a truly hirsute man on screen. In his stand up he would often refer to his body hair. Under this clean cut suit of mine is a man who looks more like Koko the gorilla than Robin does. While society seems to think “Hair is Bad”, I am now certain, “Hair is Me.”

He showed me what I think is the ultimate in comedy. To riff off what is in front of you, to say what is on your mind without thinking, to make it up as you go, to take it to the end and then take it further – that it a talent that I prize highly. I like to think that in some of my moments I can almost reach it and it is magical when I do.

He showed me there is a time to be serious. Some of his work is downright chilling. One Hour Photo and Insomnia prove that he is not just a comedian but he is a true actor.

He showed me that things will not go your way, but you can still have fun. Whether in the guise of Patch Adams, Adrian Cronauer or simple as Robin Williams, fighting his own demons anything is laughable. Some of his stand up seemed like drowning his own tragedies in laughter.

He showed me perspective. By shifting your view to the stance of another, you can open your mind to something new. His rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s Fire as Elmer Fudd is 90 seconds of pure magic.

He showed me the power of laughter. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t laugh at Robin. Kids, adults and all in between, there was something magical about his approach to life and laughter.

Most importantly, he showed me that even though I have to grow older, I don’t have to grow up. So I am not going to!

Thank you Robin for the laughs but more importantly, thank you for truly guiding me into the person that I am today.

My marketing blurb says it and I truly feel it, I am part Robin Williams.

The King is dead. Long live the King. Your table is ready.

Image: I stole it of Facebook

So What Is It?

Success

Without knowing it, the question “What is Success?” drives you. It is the reason that you do or don’t do things.

Unfortunately most people have not decided for themselves what success is.

One of my long-time favourite definitions is from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded.”

But it is still not MY definition.

I have a new exciting project coming up called Get More Success. The first step is to define what success is. Is it:

To earn a certain level of income
To have regular travel
To have a family
To remain single
To spend more time with certain people
To have certain assets
To live in a certain location
To contribute to others
To do all of these

Can I ask you to do me a favour? Can you please spend 15 minutes over your favourite beverage and define for yourself “What Is Success.”

Once you know it will be a guiding beacon for all of your actions.

010 Get More Fun at Work

In a break from the usual Entrepreneurs In Action format, here is the recording from an interview I had on RPP FM’s Taking Care of Business show. It was an interesting discussion with the host Jacki Mitchell on how to have fun in the workplace and the benefits of having fun.

To find out more about Jacki’s program visit www.RPPFM.com.au

To subscribe to Entrepreneurs In Action podcast in iTunes visit www.EntrepreneursInAction.com.au or visit on the web at warwickmerry.podomatic.com/

It’s Time!

I don’t do this very often so please indulge me.

Gough Whitlam is one of Australia’s elder statesmen. Some say that in politics he is a defining point. There is Before Gough and After Gough and these two political periods are very different.

In the Melbourne Fringe festival this year there is a one person play called Gough. It is about the man, the dismissal and what happened behind the scenes.

I am fortunate enough to have been cast as Gough. It is exciting and terrifying all at once!!

The plan is to run the Fringe Festival show and when it is successful have a repeat performance after the Fringe and then possibly take it on to Adelaide and Sydney festivals as the Writer/Director has done with his previous show.

To raise funds for the props, the theatre, the set and, most importantly, the wig, the Writer/Director has launched a Pozible campaign. It is close to reaching the target, only $404 to go.

If you can help, we would love your support. Click here to see a short video, view the donation rewards and contribute to a great show.

Thank you for indulging me!

009 Keys to Successful SEO

There is a lot of gobbldegook, black box magic and simply mind boggling stuff around SEO. Just when you think you have it right, it changes.

In this edition of Entrepreneurs In Action we talk with Paul Sideridis from CriticOne.

In plain English, he gives as some of the keys for successful SEO

Don’t forget to sign up to Entrepreneurs In Action podcast on iTunes by visiting www.EntrepreneursInAction.com.au

Where’s Your Tribe?

I spent two hours this morning chatting with a friend from my tribe. My tribe is National Speakers; the association of Experts who Speak. It was only supposed to be an hour but once I got started, I found it hard to stop!

They understand my business like no one else does. They understand the ups, the downs, the problems, the opportunities and the excitement of running this kind of business.

They GET me.

While others will sort of get me (even Wifey doesn’t fully understand the business), no-one fully understands like other members of your tribe.

What about you? Where is your tribe? Who fully understands what you are going through?

Sometimes it is a professional association; it can also be a mastermind group or even a networking group of similar people. Whoever they are, find them, be part of them and give to them. By giving to them will you receive something no one else can give.

A sense of understanding and a sense of belonging.

So where’s your tribe?

Will You Survive?

Charles Darwin is often misquoted as saying it is the “Survival of the fittest”

What he actually said was:

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change”

From what I have seen, we are not that good at change.

Look at what happens if Apple does an update or Facebook changes its interface or if the email system you use changes. People go out of their mind and spend so much energy fighting something they cannot change.

You don’t have to be smart and you don’t have to be strong, you have to be adaptable. It is the same in relationships and with your work.

Stop resisting change and start adapting to it. It will magnify your success and your survival.

So will you survive?

008 Secrets to Financial Success

It seems the internet is loaded with the Secrets to Financial Success.

From get rich quick schemes and guaranteed gambling systems to outright scams!

But what do you do if you want to cautiously and securely build your wealth?

In this edition of Entrepreneurs In Action I talk with long term, successful, independently wealthy, Certified Financial Planner and Wealth Expert Chris Harris about what it takes to achieve Financial Success.

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to sign up to Entrepreneurs In Action podcast on iTunes by visiting www.EntrepreneursInAction.com.au or click here to hear it online

Don’t Do Subtle

Will and Jada at SAG Awards

I am not a fan of subtle – anyone who has met me could probably tell you that.

When I first got together with Wifey we created the ground rule the when communicating we wouldn’t hint, suggest, imply, insinuate, infer or be subtle in any way and NEVER go down the path of “If you really loved me you would ……”

The understanding is that if you want something ask for it. If you want to do something, tell the other one, put it in the diary or organise it and tell the other one to come along. This works really well for us.

The same rules apply in dealing with your customer – internal and external.

Let them know what you need from them. Let them know what they can expect from you. Be crystal clear about it. The best relationships are when you are completely open with them and NEVER assume you know what they are thinking.

Subtle does not work. Go for clarity every time.

Image Credit: Gabriel Bouys

Do You Have the Courage to Lead?

I am a firm believer that you should Hire Slow and Fire Fast. Too often people hire the wrong person and then do nothing about it.

Here is what you could do:

Meet Hetty Kate.

Hetty was just leaving the choir I sing with as I joined it in 2007. She had worked for many years on her musical skills and was incredibly good. She had spent a couple of years with the choir to gain the experience of performing within a group and expanding her musical experience.

She would always talk about her dream of being a Jazz singer, singing with well known and regarded jazz musicians and going on tours singing.

Last week when Wifey and I were in Hobart, it was fabulous to see this article in the paper. Its references to how she has performed on four continents, released six albums and sung with James Morrison and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra shows that her dream is now her reality.

I’ve seen the same kind of thing with my clients.

But it MUST start with a dream. Something that inspires you and keeps you going when things get rough (as they will).

So what’s your dream? What are you aiming for?

PS Disney did a great song about this on their Tangled film. You can see some of here

Where Do You Get Them?

Let me be blatantly obvious. I am promoting a 30 minute webinar I am running this Friday on Successful Sponsorship Management. You probably got that from the last edition.

I will be covering Where to get sponsors, How to get sponsors and How to retain sponsors. If you want to find out more, be on the call or get access to the recording, register here.

In response to the last edition and some of my marketing of the webinar, I keep getting the questions, “Where do I get sponsors from?”

It is similar to the question, Where Do I Get My New Customers From?

Too often people will say “EVERYONE needs what I am selling.” It may be true but it is really hard work selling to people who don’t want to buy or don’t realise they need your product or service.

My sales coach, Paul McCarthy, has always said, “Go where the love is.” Years of being a muso taught him that it is easier to perform in front of people who love your style of music than those who don’t know it.

What sort of reaction would you get from a punk crowd if you started playing folk music? How would country and western fans respond when you start playing rap music?

It is the same when you are looking for sponsors. Go where the love is. Who loves your stuff, wants your stuff, needs your stuff and will pay money to access your stuff? They are your IDEAL sponsor.

To find out more, register for Friday’s webinar. Simply click here to find out more and enter your details.

Want Someone Else to Pay For It?

Running events is expensive. Whether it is a small event for 30 people or a huge conference for 600, costs seem to escalate with every little thing you do.

Why not get someone else to pay for it?

There are ALWAYS organisations that want access to your events attendees and they are willing to pay for it.

“So what” I hear you say. “Everyone has sponsors”

True, many events have sponsors but most events treat them poorly. It is no longer enough to give them a logo on the flyer, logo on the screen, five minutes on stage and an exhibitor booth. What the sponsor wants is real engagement, real conversations with attendees and, let’s be honest, real business opportunities.

If you provide these for your sponsors, they will happily sign up with you year after year.

So do you have sponsors? If so, what are you doing for them?

NOTE: If you want to find out the Secrets to Successful Sponsor Management, I will be running a complimentary half hour webinar on Friday 20th June at 1pm Melbourne time. Find out more and register here

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