By Caryn Kopp, an EO New Jersey member and Chief Door Opener of Kopp Consulting. A version of this article originally appeared on the website of Kopp Consulting. Finding time for new business development can be difficult for many entrepreneurs. There always seems to be another priority or a pressing task. Not making the time to pursue new business, however, is a sure-fire way to an empty pipeline and slow sales. Don’t stall your growth. Here are 10 tips for fitting new business development into your busy schedule. 1. Schedule a time for new business on your calendar. Next, go one step further and consider that time as firm as a meeting with a new prospect. You would never cancel one of those! First thing in the morning is best, before you check your e-mail or listen to voicemail. It can be difficult to break away later on. 2. End your workday an hour early two times a week to allow for business development tasks during that time. 3. As you focus on business development tasks and research, set your phone to “do not disturb.” Post a “do not disturb” sign on your door to ward off interruptions. Turn off your e-mail and your cell phone. Treat this precious time as you would a meeting. 4. Before canceling your biz-dev time for an “emergency,” ask yourself if this new priority truly needs to be handled by you right now. Can it wait for 60 minutes? Can it be addressed by one of your team members? If the answer is no and you must handle the emergency, reschedule a time for biz dev promptly. 5. Aim for 60 minutes, two times a week. If that seems impossible, begin with 30 minutes. Or even 15 minutes. If even 10 minutes seems impossible, refer to number seven below. 6. Limit your prospect list. Pick 10 of your most promising contacts and focus on them. Replace each one as you get through to them. 7. If you try to incorporate these tips and find it impossible, you might want to rethink your desire to earn money and run a company. Business development is the lifeline of an organization and worth your regular attention. Caryn Kopp is the Managing Director and Chief Door Opener of Kopp Consulting, LLC. Her company’s Door Opener Service helps clients secure initial meetings with high-level, hard-to-reach decision-makers. Caryn’s team also helps clients prepare for important prospect meetings and close sales sooner. Kopp is the author of The Path To The Cash. You can reach her by emailing [email protected]. The post 7 Tips for Incorporating New Business Development into Your Busy Schedule appeared first on Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization. via Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization https://ift.tt/2UBtVAk
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Kristen Harris is the co-founder and COO of Portfolio Creative, a workforce innovation firm based in Columbus, Ohio, USA. As a member of the EO Columbus chapter, Kristen is an active participant in the EO Mentorship program. I’ve been matched with seven amazing local mentors so far! I have also served as the chapter Mentorship Chair and on the Global Mentorship Subcommittee. The benefits of mentorshipFor me, the biggest benefits of having a mentor have been the ability to talk with people who have tremendous business experience—people I may never cross paths with otherwise—and learn from their outside perspective. The outside perspective supported with years of experience is so valuable! There should be an inherent trust factor in this mentoring relationship, so I feel that I can talk to them about any issues or struggles I’m having. I always feel that my mentors have my best interest in mind, but are also not personally invested in the outcome so can they provide different and more balanced feedback.
When I mentor people, I have gained as much from the relationship as they might have. It gives me the opportunity to spend time talking about different industries, demographics and problems. I learn a lot from every conversation, no matter which side of the table I’m on. How to find the right mentorI generally judge my mentors on whether I like them: Do I want to spend time with them? Do I trust them? As long those things are in place, I know I’ll get something out of the relationship (and hopefully they do, too). Other factors—like their industry, their location, their gender—don’t matter as much. None of my mentors have been in the same industry, or even related. Most business issues and experiences are universal; I find that the principles are the same and their insight applies no matter the industry. I often see female business owners seeking a female mentor, and that’s great—there’s nothing wrong with it! It can be nice to talk to another woman who may have been in similar situations to you. But, based on my experience, I encourage people to be open to any mentor that’s a good fit, regardless of gender or industry. With the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, mentors and mentees can connect easily through the virtual Mentorship Platform. Interested participants provide background information and are pre-screened to be sure they understand the requirements and expectations of the relationship. By the time mentors and mentees meet, they already know they are meeting a trustworthy person, so they can start digging in!
If I was vetting a mentor further on my own, I’d want to know what their expectations and commitment are, and what they hope to gain from the relationship. The secret to successful mentorshipTrust. There has to be complete and total trust so that I feel comfortable sharing my issues—the deeper the issue, the more I probably need help with it. And the mentor has to have trust in me, knowing that I won’t reveal confidential information they share with me as well. Once there is trust established, then you can have really open and honest conversations and get the help or input you’re seeking. If you aren’t connecting with your mentor or mentee or you don’t feel that trust, then it’s probably not the right partnership. Kristen Harris is the COO and co-creator of Portfolio Creative, an award-winning recruiting and staffing firm, and a leader in the industry. The post The Secret to Successful Mentorship appeared first on Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization. via Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization https://ift.tt/2UrNSK5 Written for EO by Annie Button. Humans are often cited by businesses as a weak link in the cybersecurity chain. And while some people tend to focus on the threat posed by malicious hackers or bitter insiders, it is actually unintentional mistakes and compromises that are a much bigger issue. Check out these seven ways that your employees could unwittingly compromise your organization’s cybersecurity, as well as some of the measures you can put in place to mitigate the risk. 1. Using personal devices A recent report from Verizon revealed that 79 percent of companies consider their own employees a “significant threat,” and that some of the riskiest behaviors for employees using BYODs included downloading mobile apps and visiting questionable websites. 2. Connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots 3. Surfing the web In so-called watering hole attacks, hackers will purposely seek to compromise websites that an organization’s employees are known to visit regularly. NotPetya, ransomware believed to have originated in the Ukraine and spread via a compromised government website, is one major example of this. 4. Downloading unsafe content 5. Practicing poor password security 6. Falling foul of phishing scams 7. Collating Dark Data Dark data can be extremely valuable to cybercriminals. Some employee practices, such as CCing too many people on emails, are actually contributing to the problem of businesses being able to secure and manage it. How to mitigate employee security risks It’s also important to take practical steps to protectively monitor networks and endpoints. Mistakes will happen so having people and technology to swiftly detect and respond before they can develop can be extremely important. If your organization lacks security resources, then a 24/7 outsourced managed detection and response service is a great option to quickly bolster the protection of your business. Annie Button is a writer who specializes in business growth and development. Annie shares her experiences and knowledge through blog posts in a variety of publications. The post Seven Ways Your Employees Could Unintentionally Compromise Your Business’s Cyber Security appeared first on Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization. via Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization https://ift.tt/2ZL5GAG |
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November 2020
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