running a business Archives - Page 12 of 23

Are You Really Focusing on Your “A” Clients?

I was talking to my friend and colleague Lewin Williams yesterday. Lewin is a financial services consultant who helps other financial services consultants improve their business. Lewin’s philosophy—the one that has made a big difference for his clients—is simply this:

Focus on your “A” clients.

Now that sounds simple and obvious, doesn’t it? Focus on the 20% of your clients who bring in 80% of the results. Obvious, right?

Except that it isn’t.

If it were really that obvious, everyone would be doing it, ...

Continue Reading →

23
JUL
2014

0

Share

Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Why Good Magicians–and Good Leaders–Have a Plan B

Posted by: Bill Stainton

[Tweet “Why Good Magicians–and Good #Leaders–Have a Plan B”]

In card magic, there are a number of secret moves, or “sleights,” that all self-respecting magicians must master. I still remember spending hours, days, and weeks practicing maneuvers like the side pass, the Elmsley count, the glide, and many others. I got fairly good, although my professional magician friends can run circles around me. I was a pretty good amateur, but I was never a master.

Continue Reading →

18
JUN
2014

1

Share

Leadership, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, customer service, innovative thinking, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, magic, magician, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, seattle motivational speaker

Stop Treating Your Stars Like Crap!

Posted by: Bill Stainton

I’ll always remember the first time I met Jay Leno. It was around 1986, and I was the executive producer of Seattle’s legendary comedy TV show Almost Live! Jay was coming into town for some corporate event, and he had agreed to do a guest spot on our show. We’d arranged to pick Jay up at the airport, so at the appointed time I, along with our show host Ross Shafer (who already knew Jay), and a pre-“Science Guy” Bill ...

Continue Reading →

4
JUN
2014

0

Share

Customer Service, Producing Results, Teams

almost live, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business integrity, customer service, Jay Leno, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, success, teambuilding

You Are NOT Your Customer’s Responsibility

Posted by: Bill Stainton

You do a great job for a customer, and you’re set! That customer will never forget you! Right? Wrong! As it turns out, it is NOT your customer’s job to remember you!

Continue Reading →

1
JUN
2014

0

Share

Customer Service, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, competition, customer service, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

You Can’t Please Everyone…Nor Should You!

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Are you feeling unloved and underappreciated? That’s okay! You can’t please everyone…nor SHOULD you!

Continue Reading →

26
MAY
2014

0

Share

Leadership, Producing Results

Bill Stainton, branding, business integrity, business speaker, customer service, exceeding expectations, keynote speaker, leadership, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business, small business success

Are You Setting Your Team Up For Success…or Failure?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

A friend of mine recently asked me if I could sit in on keyboards with his band for an upcoming gig. I have the night available, so I said sure. A few nights ago I went to a rehearsal so I could meet the other guys in the band and get a feel for the music.

It could have gone better.

Oh, it wasn’t bad, mind you. But it could have gone better. They didn’t show me a set list or any ...

Continue Reading →

21
MAY
2014

0

Share

Leadership, Producing Results, Teams

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, seattle motivational speaker, success, team building, teambuilding, teamwork

Are You an Amateur or a Professional?

Posted by: Bill Stainton

What can a concert pianist teach us about business? Nothing much…just the difference between being an amateur and being a professional.

Continue Reading →

11
MAY
2014

0

Share

Leadership, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, business success, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, small business success, work ethic

Why You’re Not Getting the Results You Want with Your Team

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Do you ever wonder why you’re not getting the results you want with your team? This could be one possible answer.

Continue Reading →

20
APR
2014

0

Share

Leadership, Producing Results, Teams

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business speaker, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, team building, teambuilding, teamwork

4 Traits of Great Leaders

Posted by: Bill Stainton

The cover story in the current issue of Fortune magazine is “The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.” Once again, I didn’t make the cut. I suppose it’s possible that I’m number 51, but my guess is that I’m further down the list.

But the story got me thinking: what makes a great leader? What are the skills that the truly effective leaders ...

Continue Reading →

16
APR
2014

1

Share

Leadership, Producing Results

award winning performance, Bill Stainton, business integrity, business speaker, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, making decisions, professional speaker, running a business, running your business

A Tale of Two Restaurants…and You

Posted by: Bill Stainton

Today we’re going to talk about two fast-food restaurant chains. They both serve similar products, but one makes way more money than the other. Let’s see if you can guess which one is the big winner:

Restaurant Chain #1:

[unordered_list style=”tick”]

Virtually synonymous with its product
Thousands and thousands of locations throughout the entire country
Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year

[/unordered_list]

Restaurant Chain #2:[unordered_list style=”red-x”]

Virtually unknown in half the country
Fewer than half the number of restaurants as Restaurant Chain #1
Every location closed nearly ...

Continue Reading →

2
APR
2014

0

Share

Producing Results, Sales, Work Ethic

attitude, award winning performance, Bill Stainton, competition, keynote speaker, leadership, leadership speaker, leadership training, motivational speaker, professional speaker, running a business, running your business, seattle motivational speaker, small business, small business success