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I almost sunk our family business. I assumed I knew enough about business to run a dinky little plumbing company. After all, I had spent about $100,000 of my parents’ money on my college degree in Business Administration. In fact, I graduated at the top of my class. Still, I didn’t know how to balance a checkbook! I got involved in my husband’s company after his partner died unexpectedly. Boy, was I humbled! It seemed like lots of money was moving through the company, but at the end of the month there was never any money left. Thankfully, I found a mentor, a savvy plumbing contractor. Frank Blau wrote a column in Plumbing & Mechanical magazine. I wrote to him and asked for help. He took me under his wing and taught me how to keep score in business. He taught me how to read and use financial reports. He taught me how to make money. We turned our company around. We paid off our business loan. We doubled sales and tripled the amount of money we took out of the company. Very cool. My husband and I went middle-age crazy. We sold the company to our employees – a friendly coup d’état! – and bought a gentleman’s farm in the country. (Picture Green Acres.) At this point, I realized that I wanted to share what I’d learned. After all, if a smart, highly educated person like me didn’t know how to read a Balance Sheet, I figured business illiteracy must be rampant. I was right. My experiences since then have included teaching and consulting with hundreds of small businesses, primarily home service companies. I rarely find a student or a client who creates and reads financial statements on a regular basis, much less uses financial information to make management decisions. In fact, few know their assets from their liabilities! I teach the basics, the simple disciplines that can move great ideas into successful businesses. I’ve written four books on business basics: Where Did the Money Go?, How Much Should I Charge?, The Bare Bones Biz Plan and The Bare Bones Weekend Biz Plan. Check them out at ellenrohr.com. My consulting work led to a position as president of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, a home-service plumbing franchise company. I learned a lot about what works to grow fast and profitably…and what doesn’t. Guess what! The basics never go out of style, no matter how big a company gets. Currently, I am an owner and founder of ZOOM DRAIN—a drain and sewer cleaning and repair franchise with locations across the US. I am a financial coach at HowardPartridge.com. I also work with ServiceTitan, the premier software for the trades, as a consultant and podcaster. I am here to help. Together, we can build extraordinary businesses and expand world peace. Follow me on Instagram @ellenrohr or visit my website at ellenrohr.com.
Episodes
Tuesday Apr 05, 2011
Tuesday Apr 05, 2011
Marlene and I are hometown pals! Her sense of humor dissolves drama…and she has easy ways for you to strip it from your life – and business – too. She is the founder of The Stop Your Drama Methodology, an 8-part empowerment process to increase clarity and improve productivity and personal effectiveness. Marlene has a master’s degree in HR Development and is the creator of Leaders Developing Leaders Institute, an online membership for all levels of leadership.
Visit Marlene Here to learn how to stop your workplace drama.
We'll Discuss...
- What drama is…and why it happens.
- The “Stop Your Drama” Methodology and how drama keeps you from success.
- The three components present in any type of drama.
- What the Integrity Gap is.
- Releasing resistance and how do you know if you are in a state of resistance?
- Why is there always a certain amount of drama with any change?
- Creating a drama-free life and business!
Tuesday Mar 15, 2011
Tuesday Mar 15, 2011
Carol and I are soul sisters! Carol helps businesses grow and make more money. She has helped her clients raise more than $1 billion in capital, complete hundreds of millions of dollars in M&A transactions, secure high-profile licensing and partnership deals…and more. Wow!
Carol is a rockin’ media guest, appearing on Fox News, MSNBC, Fox Business, WGN TV Chicago and more. She is also signed to LA-based t.v. production company Snackaholic who is currently developing a television show around Carol’s life as a business expert and personality. Carol’s Unsolicited Business Advice blog at CarolRoth.com was recently named as one of the Top 10 small business blogs online. The Entrepreneur Equation, Carol’s book on evaluating the realities, risks and rewards of business ownership, releases March 22nd!
We'll Discuss...
- Not all businesses are created equal! We’ll discover what’s the difference between a jobbie, a job-business and a bona-fide business.
- How to work on your business instead of just in it, even if you are a solo-entrepreneur.
- The Importance of Setting Goals…Setting BIG Goals.
- Valuing Your Time and Experience. (I love talking about how much to CHARGE!)
- What it takes to be a Professional and attract what you put out.
- Being "ABLE"- Viable, Remarkable, Scalable and Suitable.
- Simple business tweaks to create recurring revenue opportunities.
Tuesday Feb 15, 2011
Tuesday Feb 15, 2011
JoAnn Gwynn is Principal of JMG Event Strategies, a boutique event planning firm in New York City. JoAnn is passionate about creating, producing and orchestrating extraordinary events for her clients. I met JoAnn through the Make Mine a Million organization. She is a rockstar and creates events that get attention, get attended and grow businesses!
Her introduction to event production was as a producing associate on the off-Broadway play, "I Love You Because." Since that time, her experience includes, full and multi-day business competition and education events. Her clients: Senator Hilary Clinton, Gene Wilder, Juliette Binoche, Regis Philbin, Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams...and businesses of all shapes and sizes.
We'll Discuss...
- What would an event do for you? How does it help you grow your business?
- What kind of an event would work for you?
- The 3 Main questions to answer when promoting an event.
- How to plan and deliver a rockin’ successful event.
- How to promote the event and get the right crowd – and publicity!
- How to leverage the event to more sales and more profits!
- The positive impact of a solid promotion plan to your bottom line.
- How to take advantage of free advertising.
Tuesday Jan 11, 2011
Tuesday Jan 11, 2011
Casey owns several businesses and has employed hundreds of people over the past 20 years. That’s a lot of experience hiring and retaining employees. Casey has grown his service company to the largest in the city of Pittsburgh, PA boasting 4000 customers and 4 locations. The best part is that his companies work so well, they are now on “auto-pilot” and his great teams make sure everything gets done. His latest venture is focused on helping others do that, too!
Let’s chat it up about Hiring and Retaining Hundreds of Outstanding Employees. Isn’t it time you stop the revolving door and learn the secrets to developing Superstars so that you can achieve your dream of independence and financial freedom? It’s rare to get rich without employees. (I am excited to learn from Casey!).
We'll Discuss...
- How to attract Superstar Employees. Where are there? How do you magnetize "right stuff" people?
- What's the # 1 power-packed interview question? Casey claims it cuts through the crap to the truth...everytime.
- How to avoid two devastating (and common) hiring mistakes...the ones that can cost you thousands of dollars.
- Now that you’ve hired 'em, how to manage 'em? Casey’s tips for empowering your team.
- Can you get the really great ones to stay? Forever?
Tuesday Dec 14, 2010
Tuesday Dec 14, 2010
Natalie Sisson is the founder of WomanzWorld- a blog for women entrepreneurs wanting freedom in business and adventure in life.
Natalie travels the world living out of her suitcase and running her business. She appeals to the Suitcase Entrepreneur - a person who wants to run their business from anywhere using online tools, social media and outsourcing.
We'll Discuss...
- Streamlining your business so it can run without you.
- Attracting more clients, leads and joint venture partners using social media. Let's reduce the noise and discover more of what works!
- Outsourcing work that takes you a lot of time currently for much less than your hourly rate. Don't waste dollar time on penny tasks!
- Leaving the office and staying in touch – and in charge!
Wednesday Nov 17, 2010
Wednesday Nov 17, 2010
Once upon a time, Dan - www.heatinghelp.com - encouraged me to start writing for a trade magazine. That was the beginning of an amazing career as a consultant, business builder and industry expert! Writing can be a way to gain fame and fortune. Even better, you can be of service to others, sharing what you know and expanding what you’ve learned. Dan loves language and soaks up knowledge like a thirsty kid gulps Kool-aid.
So, Dan and I have planned a terrific BlogTalk Radio show for you!
Join in as we discuss...
- How we met!I remember the place the article and that I laughed OUT LOUD!
- Our all-time favorite, life-altering books...business, self-help and flat-out fiction!
- We'll discuss ours and you are welcome to chime in with YOURS!
- Is new technology helping or hurting when it comes to learning?
- Ready to write? Perhaps there is a book (an article? a blog?) in you?
- Dan's Reading List. Buy a book and help a kid!
Tuesday Nov 09, 2010
Tuesday Nov 09, 2010
Erica started a web hosting company in 2001 and sold her online business in 2007 at age 26 for $1,100,000.00. Although her business didn’t require her to understand the intricacies of search engines, she learned them anyway. Back then,it was mostly about just getting listed in a search engine.
After Erica sold her business, she started another one…natch! www.whooshtraffic.com This one is all about a relatively effortless approach to getting more traffic to your site. And, Erica has a rockin’ good blog, devoted to helping you become more successful. Love it!
We'll Discuss...
- Erica’s amazing story of success at such a young age.
- Three Basic Factors That Make People Successful.
- 5 ways to increase traffic to your website.
- What are Google Keywords? And what the heck is an Algorithm. More importantly…what do you DO with them?
- Debunking the big internet myths. Erica is not the hardest working girl in the Marketing business. That should tell you something.
- The #1 thing you should be doing to increase traffic to your website.
Tuesday Oct 26, 2010
Tuesday Oct 26, 2010
- How we met! Tab has the BEST story of moving from lackluster tract home work to a rockin’ full service business!
- What adding a new division can do for your business.
- Becoming a teacher. Tab says, “It’s all Ellen’s fault!”
- Raising standards and what you will and won’t tolerate.
- Selling a company – what Tab wants you to know before you do!
- We’ll chat about Franchising! We have a lot of experience between us.
- Retirement at 41? Back in the game and getting back to basics.
- Buying a company – what to do first, second and third!
Thursday Sep 02, 2010
Thursday Sep 02, 2010
- “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” Sometimes it makes sense to compare yourself to others in your industry.
- Don’t Throw Good Money After Bad. You can’t cut your way to financial health, but here are a few things to STOP doing.
- Biz Reinvention! Don’t dig your heels in the ground. Try a NEW approach!
- Giving yourself permission and time. THINK about what you want to be and do.
- Learn how to start with the obvious. And, no Sacred Cows.
- How to Price Differently. Aim for Apples to Oranges!
- When to be Unorthodox: Collaborate with a competitor. Target a new industry. Go virtual.
Monday Aug 23, 2010
Monday Aug 23, 2010
Rick Arquilla took off the suit and put on the work shirt (complete with a first name patch) to learn what really happens on the front line of his company. He spent time clearing drains and managing customer service calls. I know Rick as a savvy business executive and the president and chief operating officer of Roto-Rooter Services Company. He is also a sensitive guy who cares about his team. He has a lot to share!
Roto-Rooter is North America’s largest provider of plumbing repair and drain service. Rick oversees the operations side of Roto-Rooter’s business and spends much of his time at branch locations working with general and regional managers to ensure that Roto-Rooter is providing top quality plumbing and drain service. Let’s discover what he learned on the front line...undercover!
We'll discuss...
- You went undercover on Undercover Boss, the hit TV show! Lessons learned…? Biggest surprise?
- Roto-Rooter launched a green plumbing program this year called ROTOGreen. How will it help homeowners and businesses?
- The evolution of the company...what are the pivot points that have kept Roto-Rooter at the top?
- What advice would you give entrepreneurs with a good business idea? You have a lot of experience with business owners…what do you look for as a “success characteristic?”
- What do you go to the WALL about? What do you always do or never do at Roto-Rooter.
- What are you concerned about as you look to the future? What gets you excited about the next few years?
- The recession has taken its toll on lots of iconic brands. How has Roto-Rooter fared?
- Congratulations on your 75th anniversary! What’s next?