Service in America

Recently I went to purchase a new audio receiver. My old unit had quit working after 15 years. Having the need for good music in my house I set off on a quest to find the perfect audio receiver which would accommodate my needs. My first stop was a national chain. There was the brand I wanted. There were several models to choose from. I wanted one that would hook up to all my components including a turntable. Yes, a turntable. I have the MP3 player, but my records still sound warmer to me. I read the information on the signs posted on the shelf, yet nothing stated that a turntable could be hooked up. I looked around for a sales person and they were all busy with other customers. I waited and waited. After about 30 minutes I was at my threshold and I left. I never was approached by any salesperson at all. In fact no employee ever acknowledged my presence.

I went next door to a regional chain that I had purchased from before. I found the audio area yet not the brand I was looking for. A young man came up and asked if he could be of any assistance. I told him what I was looking for. He did something not too many salespeople know to do. He asked me questions. What a breath of fresh air. How will you use your system? Will you need to hook it up as a home theater unit? What components do you have? All probing questions that allowed me to tell the salesperson what I wanted to buy, not what he might have wanted to sell.

The salesman then suggested a receiver based on my needs and price range. After about 20 minutes of discussion I was ready to buy. He convinced me that this was the one receiver that would fit my needs. It would fit in the furniture I have. It would fit in my budget. It would accommodate my turntable. The salesman had me wanting the receiver so bad I could taste it. Give it to me now, so I can go and listen to it, I thought. The salesman checked… and checked and told me, “I sorry sir we are out of stock on that Model. I can have it for you in a day or two from one of our other stores.” I was deflated like the kid who just received an ice cream cone and licked off the scoop. “No, I want it now. Why should I wait”?, I thought. "There are other stores. I can’t wait I’m an American consumer." So I took the poor salesman’s business card and said I would be back if I could not find the model he had convinced me I needed to have. I felt bad for the poor fellow, yet I thought, why didn’t he check his stock before we had the discussion and I was so fully engaged?

Finally, I went to the specialist in the area. Usually the specialist is perceived as the most expensive. The guy you go to if you have more money than time and the guy who knows it all. I walked in expecting to pay more and get less because of the high end repetition of this specialist. I knew I would get quality but at a price. I was promptly greeted by a salesperson who again asked questions. Before we got too involved I asked, “Do you have in stock everything you may show me?” Curious he said, “Why yes we do, why else would I sell you something I don’t have”. Right answer, at least for me this time. I said to proceed and he sold me the same model the previous fellow sold me. Five minutes later I was out the door and shortly after that I was enjoying clear, crisp sound from my new receiver.

Moral of the story:
Not even acknowledging me in your store, I am not coming back.
Selling me something you don’t have in stock is wasting both of our time.
Asking questions and being able to back them up, will make the prospect a happy camper and a customer for life. The American consumer, of which I am one is inpatient, demanding and has little time to waste. Those that can play the instant gratification game will come out the winner.

"That's not bad"

On a recent visit to Kentucky my three and a half year old granddaughter Maggie came up to up to me and said, “That’s not bad”. I said, “What’s not bad honey.” She brought over a page from one of her Mother’s catalogs with Halloween costumes on it. Maggie showed me the page and said it again, “That’s not bad”, shaking her head. I said to my wife Kathy what is she talking about. My wife figured out that Maggie was “parroting” her Mother who must have looked at the catalog when Maggie was around, read the price of the costumes and said, “That’s not a bad price.” Maggie heard, “That’s not bad”.

Maggie’s phrase got me thinking. What we hear and how we perceive it is often our belief. When I view the news of the day and see and hear only it’s troubles then that’s how I may “parrot” back these events to others. If I seek the good and actively listen for it, that’s what I will hear and “parrot” back. I realize all is not rosy in the world and bad things do occur. I am however suggesting if we hear or see that something is negative, we examine it with, how can we make it better. Or, can I help turn the situation around?

As I reflect on my own life, my family is healthy and happy and, “That’s not bad”. My work and career are going well, and “That’s not bad”. I volunteer in many organizations and clubs and, “That’s not bad”. With all the division in the world and this country, we can stew in the negative and listen to the naysayers or we can look around for the good and for opportunities to be the best. In my mind I rather “parrot,” “That’s not bad” all day long. A positive person attracts other positive people and vise versa. It’s a choice. Maggie may have latched onto something that I hope she never loses and “That’s not bad”.

Learning - A Lifelong Passion

“Bradley, I am sending you to the WF&FSA Management Institute” were the words my father said to me, twenty four years ago. I had just started working for our family business, the Larry Beck Company, as a field rep on the west coast selling Floral Supplies. Fresh out of college and a baby on the way, I resisted having to spend another few days on the road away from my family. I made every excuse why I didn’t need to go. In the end, my father prevailed and I attended my first Management Institute at Indiana University. I am glad my father insisted that I go. The Management Institute and their sub-goup Young Executives (now Emerging Leaders) are two of the best reasons why I become involved in Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association, a floral industry trade association . Management Institute is one of the best experiences I have ever had while learning and networking with my peers. Attending that first Management Institute gave me a unique perspective to better understanding my customers’ business and problems. I gained new insights, new friends and a few golden nuggets that helped me to become better at my job. A few years ago, I received the opportunity to join Design Master, an international color marketing company with a focus on aerosol sprays, as an in-house manager. I jumped at the challenge. One of the nicest advantages of being associated with Young Executives was I already knew who the customers were and the people who ran those companies. I knew the owners and the managers, as well as the fresh and supply people in the leading wholesale houses around the country. I had the honor of serving as a Young Executives Council Member, Vice President and President of the Young Executives. From this experiance I got to know who the players were and, more importantly, I became known to the customers who helped me in my new position. I recently attended my twentieth Management Institute. It is amazing to witness how this event and the Emerging Leaders have evolved into a dynamic component of the WF&FSA organization. The new name applied to the group, Emerging Leaders is a“re-branding” that adds sizzle and buzz to attract some people to join the group. Personally, the group can be called whatever the association would like. At 48 years old I still am a member of the organization and will continue as long as they will have me. Why? I like being a part of something that makes me feel and think young. I like to associate with people who have new ways of thinking and new ideas that help me see opportunities with fresh eyes. I like the friendship and camaraderie I have built with people in the fresh, supply and transportation segments of our industry. Continuing education is not just for those in college or a professional trade. Lifelong learning, networking and looking for new ways to think and act are all a part of continuing education. I hope I am fortunate enough to attend 20 more years of Management Institutes and hopefully the Emerging Leaders will let me keep my membership active until I decide to retire.

"I'm going to the World Series...almost"

I logged on to the Colorado Rockies web site on Tuesday, October 23, hoping I would get another chance at vying for tickets online. Yesterday’s attack of major league baseball’s web site provider gave me hope, along with 8.5 million other Rocky fans that I might have a second chance to purchase World Series tickets.
This time I logged on early, 11:45am. Nothing there yet. I check back at 12:00pm on the nose. The web site clicks over and wa’ la…movement. A screen opens up with the following; “Please wait for the server to become available. The site is experiencing heavy loads at this time.” I’m thinking the only load, is the one I’m being handed. The countdown proceeds starting at 120 seconds, 119, 118. I wait. My heart racing with excitement. 3, 2, 1…reset. 120, 119, 118.
This goes on for twenty minutes. Finally, at 12:20pm the countdown gets to the number one and... it sticks. Oh my gosh, I’m in. I receive one bar, then two, then three, then four, then five and then…nothing…The screen is in a holding pattern for five minutes. The Microsoft circle spins, so I know the machine is working. The suspense is like the song, “bases are loaded and Casey’s at-bat.” …and then the site kicks me out and restarts. 12:25pm. 3,2,1 I’m in again. One bar, two bars, three bars, four bars, five bars… nothing. 12:29. I strike out of the site again and the process starts anew. I know the first page states, "Do not refresh this page or you will be dropped to the end of the line. Thank you for your patience." Patience!!! I have been waiting for twelve years to attend a local World Series game and you want me to have patience.!!!
120, 119, 118…3,2,1 at 12:41, I’m in again for the third time. Please, baseball gods, let me get a World Series ticket. A minute goes by. The Microsoft circle spins. My heart still races. I have now invested more than forty-five minutes of my time trying to get a World Series ticket. I don’t care. I want to get a ticket to see my Rockies play in the World Series. Now, I am sounding a little weird even to myself. Please, oh please let me connect. Let me at least hit a bunt. I rub my computer screen for good luck. Hey, my Mom used to rub the slot machines in Las Vegas and she used to win so why not try. Anything for a chance at good luck. I have a friend who believes that if you say it, it will happen. I even try this. Think good thoughts. Still nothing.
Dam, the site kicks me off. 120, 119, 118…
Now it’s starting to feel like a first date, all you want is to go to first base and you can’t even hit the ball. Oh my, I’m even writing this in purple ink. It’s a sign. Rocky’s purple. It’s meant to be. 3, 2, 1…on hold… nothing. The site kicks me out once again. 120, 119, 118 the countdown proceeds. I’m no quitter. I keep going. Maybe I shouldn’t have shaved today. You know ballplayers are so superstitious. Darn, I shouldn’t have shaved. Where is that rabbit’s foot I used to have in my desk? 3,2,1…one bar, two bars, three bars, four bars, five bars…hold again. Now I feel like the Phillies and D-Backs. So close and yet so far away. 12:59pm. I’ll give it one minute more and then forget it. 3,2,1…nothing. I log off. Dejected, I feel lousy. Oh well. Like thousands of loyal fans, I guess I can pay a scalper an unreasonable amount of money for a ticket. No, I think not. I’ll just go to the Chophouse right next to Coors Field to feel some of the excitement, order a steak and a beer and watch the game on TV. So close and yet so far away. GO ROCKIES!!!

The Optimist Way - Part 6

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

Having a smile on your face says volumes about yourself. A Chinese saying, states, “A man that does not smile should not open a shop”. When I wake up in the morning I open my eyes and smile. One, I am thankful for being alive and second, what a way to start my day. A smile reflects back the world. It affirms my place in it. When I see someone and smile they are likely to smile back. What a gift.


To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

I am constantly trying to improve my education and understanding of the world. I listen to books on tape when I drive. I download pod cast to listen to when I workout. I attend business seminars and management institutes. I read constantly. I love reading books, and sharing ideas and concepts. This takes a great amount of time and leaves little room for negative sparring. I also volunteer in many worthwhile causes. The Optimist Club, The Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program (HOBY), C.A.P.P.-Community and Police Partnership, Neighborhood Watch,and my Home Owners Association. I try to be so busy with positive events that I stay away from the trap of pointing my finger. I like the saying, “When you point your finger you have three coming back”.


To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

This is perhaps the hardest challenge of all. These emotions are all part of the human psyche. I fight these emotions all the time. Yet, by reciting this phase and for that matter the Optimist Creed daily I remind myself that life is not about what happens to us, rather how we react to what happens. Worry, Anger, Fear and Trouble can not control you if you do not allow them to inch their way into your mind. The process for me is top seek the positive on a daily basis. I look at the glass “half full.” I see the clouds as making the sky “partly sunny”. You have to put you mind and your efforts in accord to the positive then words and emotions above have less of a chance of gaining ground.

The Optimist Club has been a passion of mine since 2000. I hope you find your
passion by either joining this wonderful organization or one that “Brings Out The Best In You” www.optimistinternational.org

The Optimist Way - Part 5

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

I worked for my Father as a manufacture’s representative for fifteen years in the floral and craft business. My father was always looking to position ourselves differently from the competition. One day he saw an ad in a magazine which he cut out and shared with me. For many years that ad hung over my Father’s desk. It was a picture of the then GM Chairman and CEO Lee Iacocca. The ad was simple, yet brilliant. It stated, “We have only one desire, to be the best. What else is there?” It say's it all.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

I have many successful friends and relatives. Weather they have successful businesses or are successful in life. I like being around successful people. It inspires me to work harder and smarter. I like to celebrate successes when I get the opportunity. When I hear of a friend getting a promotion I’ll send them a note of congratulations. When a friend has a baby or gets married, I’ll send flowers. Being enthusiastic when other’s have success says to the world that you are a cheerleader for them and you want to be a part of the success. There is a saying that goes, "A high tide raises all ships” .

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

I have always had a bit of a challenge with this wording, “To forget the mistakes of the past”. I believe if we fully forget we are doomed to repeat. However, I believe what this sentence really means is not to dwell on the past and get stuck by its weight. One has to know about the past in order to “press on to the greater achievements of the future.” I look towards the future as an opportunity to make right, the wrongs of the past. The future is where we all will live so we have to make it the best we can by doing now, the things that will make it a place we wish to live. I have made many mistakes in my life, however I have looked upon them as lessons on what not to do or how to do things a better way, the next time. I can not get mired by my miss steps, rather I have to figure how to go beyond them and make them work for me.

The Optimist Way - Part 4

Talk health, happiness and prosperity to everyone you meet. “Hey Brad how are you doing?” A friend says. My new answer is; "Unbelievable." I say this all the time now. I was given this nugget after listening to sales guru, Tom Hopkins at a speaker’s forum called, “Get Motivated.” Mr. Hopkins said whenever someone asks you how your doing make it sound as if it’s either Unbelievable, meaning great or Unbelievable, meaning terrible. Let them decide. When someone asks, how was your stay with your in-laws, you can do the same thing, “Unbelievable”. It’s a great word to use and it gets a conversation going. When I board a plane and a stewardess asks, “How are you today?", I say, “Unbelievable” and watch their reaction. In a world of “Fine” , you guessed it…"I'm Unbelievable". I also work my body as well as my mind. I work out almost daily at a local gym. Even when I am on the road I do cardio and weight training to keep the mind fresh and focused. This helps keep my body free of stress and I beleive helps keep disease at bay. I try to eat good, nourishing foods. When one talks about good health, happiness and prosperity they can feel their luck and their mind change. Dwelling on the positive, enables one to be more positive. I believe there are two types of people in the world optimistic or pessimistic. Pessimist can’t stand to be around me. One of my co-workers worked for a pay check. She could not wait for Friday and the coming weekend. One Friday morning I said to her, “I can’t wait.” She said, “I know its Friday.” I replied, “You misunderstand, yes it’s Friday, but there are only two more days until Monday.” She quit shortly after that. Being positive attracts other positive people. Negative folks don’t hang around me much. Make your friends feel that there is something inside them. Fun, helpful, supportive, a cheerleader, a challenger, a buddy, are words that describe what a friend is to me. The right friends are agents of my success. I surround myself with positive, like minded people. John Wooden the great former UCLA Basketball Coach said, “…effort to do the best of which you are capable. The quality of your effort to realize your potential counts first and foremost.” For John Wooden that is success. I want all my friends to be successful. I strive for this type of success as well, each and every day. When I was young my Father would say to me, “Bradley, I don’t care what profession you choose, I just want you to be the best at it that you can be.” This stuck with me ever since my Father said it. Positive reinforcement by a friend can have a similar impact on one's success. Friend’s help realize their friends potential and support them in ways that they can. Encourage your friends to be the best, and work off each others energy. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

Life is about choices and I choose to be positive as much and as often as I can. Sometimes it’s work, other times it’s second nature. How you react to events that happen to you is often telling on how you view the world. Recently I visited my wonderful granddaughters in Kentucky and Tennessee. They are so amazing to be with. My little Maggie is a toddler. We were jumping on the trampoline and she bounced up and came down hard. She looked at me to see my reaction to her fall. With her lips trembling, I smiled and then laughed at her. Although shaken she laughed back and went on playing. I am sure if I rushed over to her and picked her up and held her, the tears would have flowed and it would be some time before we could make it all O.K. From my perspective the glass is half full, so drink up life. Make every minute count. I get frustrated when kids tell me they are bored. The only thing we all have in common is that we have time. Make the most of it. Look around at the beauty and grandeur of the world. Think positive, act positive be optimistic.

The Optimist Way - Part 3

Promise yourself,

A promise as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is an assurance given that a specified action will or will not be taken. A reasonable ground for hope or expectation of future excellence, satisfaction. A pledge.

Each journey begins with a pledge to yourself. If you believe you can, you will. Earl Nightingale, said “A man is what he thinks about”. By making a pledge to promise yourself you are working at giving your every effort to make your promise come true. Think positively. Think of something else if negative thoughts begin to enter your head. Replace them with the commitment to be strong.

Promising yourself is a process. You will have bad days. The real test is how you react to a bad or difficult situation. Always move towards your pledge. I like reciting the Optimist Creed over and over in my mind. I have committed it to memory. A Buddhist Monk might repeat a mantra. A devout Catholic might use their rosary beads. A religious Jew may recite a daily prayer. For me it is the, commitment in the Optimist Creed to Promise Yourself, as a way of staying focused and being in a right frame of mind.

To be so strong that nothing disturbs your piece of mind.

An athlete works hard to get in strong physical and mental shape. It is essential for an athlete to attain peak performance. A few years ago I attended a sales meeting with a group of co-workers and my father whom I worked for at the time. Our facilitator asked us, “What was the most important aspect of our job, our profession, our lives.” Several of my co-workers yelled out things like family, money, making a difference. All noble answers. My father stated in his blunt way. “What matters most is my health. If I can’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of anything or anybody else.” He was right. Making sure you are in peak shape makes everything else flow.

My father knew that if he was not physically fit, nothing else mattered. At age 65 my father was determined to run the Los Angeles Marathon. He was in great shape. He always had worked out with weights and trained and trained to run this race. He ran the marathon in a rare, pounding, L.A. rain and completed it in a time of four hours and forty five minutes. An accomplishment at any age. I asked my father what kept him going. He said, “I kept telling myself I could finish the race. The more I ran, the stronger I felt.” Wow, more pearls of wisdom from my Dad. Talk to yourself. Promise yourself, you can do it.

I was inspired to run after that. Now, it wasn’t a marathon but I did enter the Boulder, Boulder, one of the largest races in the country. Never having run a race before, I trained and trained like my Dad. I had just finished reading a book by Brian Tracy called Focal Point. One quote in his book that helped me to finish this 6.2 mile run was, “Yard by Yard it’s Hard. Inch by inch it’s a Synch.” I repeated this line over and over. I finished the race and felt a huge sense of euphoria as I crossed the finish line in at Folsom Field at Colorado University at Boulder. Like my Father, I believe having a strong body is the beginning of keeping your mind fit.

I keep my mind fit in many ways. I am a news and weather junkie. I like to know what’s happening in the world. Often the news is negative and it can disturb your piece of mind. I will tell you now that I often fall back into a rant after listening to negative news. Or hear some critic or pundent spew their poison. Of course one solution is turn the stupid TV off. I often do. The other opportunity is to use it as a tool to strengthen your convictions and let it help you stay focused on your positive thoughts. Don’t let the bad news get under your skin. It can only get to you if you let it. Don’t.

Some things I do to keep my mind shape;

Read - My goal is a book a month.
Write – I attempt to write at least a page a day.
Listen - Buy or borrow books on Tape or CD’s. Listen in the car.
Speak – Join Toastmasters and learn to sharpen your speaking skills. www.toastmasters.org
Join – Volunteer your service to a group or club. Optimist Club www.optimist.org
Create – I started a masterMIND group with some friends from Toastmasters and we meet and discuss our business issues twice a month. Be a student of your business. Know it inside and out and be the best at it.

The Optimist Way - Part 2

Before we start on how the Optimist Creed can make you a better sales person, I

In 1973 I was the Student Body President at Oliver Wendell Homes Junior High School in Northridge, California. One day I was invited to attend a meeting by the administrators of my school. I was greeted by Mrs. Joan Elam, our Student Government Advisor. She was a wonderful teacher and a well-liked administrator. Mr. Thompson, the Principal entered with some guests. The next thing I knew I was being introduced to our local Councilman, Robert Wilkinson. Then, other teachers entered the room as well as some people I was unfamiliar with. They were members of the local service club, the Optimist Club of Northridge, California. I didn’t know what the Optimist Club was at that time. I was introduced to them and they asked me many questions and seemed to have a genuine interest in my classes and hobbies.

The meeting started and the President of the Optimist Club spoke and gave a brief explanation of this “Friend of Youth” organization and what their club did in the community. As I looked around the room and saw the Optimist Club member’s professional appearance, big smiles and confident stature. I felt like I was in some big-time business meeting. Now, came the reason they were all gathered and why I was invited. It turned out this was an opportunity for their Optimist Club to recognize students in a leadership role in our school. They asked me to come to the front of the room to receive, A Youth Appreciation Citation Award. I was a surprised.

I was not expecting an award or to be recognized by people I did not even know.  It was long lasting experience for me. All our student government members had worked on many community events such as food drives and playing wheel chair basketball with kids my age that had lost their legs in accidents. These were activities which were not unique to me since I was raised that one should look out for their fellow citizen. They were just part of what I was taught to do to have the virtue of gratitude. To be of service in my community. To help others in need. To be aware that there are different people, some less fortunate then myself. And to take a leadership roll in doing community activities. As my Mom always said, "If you’re not involved, then you have no right to complain.”

Receiving this award always stuck with me and I knew that one day when I put down roots, I would become involved in the organization that made such an impression on me. In 1999, when I moved to Colorado I decided to make the commitment to join the local Optimist Club. In 2005 I was elected President of the Optimist Club of Erie, Colorado and have held every officer role in the club.  Today, I am a lifetime member of Optimist International and share the message of optimism whenever I can.

Now, on my next installment I'll begin my trek into the Optimist Creed.

The Optimist Way - Part 1

I recently attended a membership-drive dinner for my Optimist Club of Erie, Colorado. Now, if you are not familiar with the Optimist International organization, you should be. We are a service club and we “help bring out the best in kids.” Our motto is “Friend of Youth.” As President of our Club I was introducing our invited guests and prospective members as to the meaning of the Optimist Creed.

In our club, the Optimist Creed is recited at the start of each meeting. As I explained to our guests, the Optimist Creed helps me align my thoughts and my energies with my fellow Optimist. I likened the Optimist Creed to an old wagon wheel. At the center or hub is the Optimist Creed. The spokes radiating out from the hub are our Members. On the outside connecting us together is the rim of the wheel or the community we serve. If one of the spokes is out of alignment, then as the wheel rotates it makes a thumping sound and eventually it will fall off.

We start our meetings at 6:30p.m. on Thursdays. After a long day at work sometimes we are still thinking about something that went badly during the day. Some of our members are business people, we may have had a tough time with customer issues or complaints. Some of us are teachers, we may have had children acting up or misbehaving in class. Some of us are home makers, we may have had an appliance break or our car fail. All reasons to be in a bad frame of mind.

The reciting of the Optimist Creed, out loud, with your fellow Optimist is an opportunity for each member to get their minds in alignment with each other. To focus on the reason we are all members of this wonderful club and to rotate as one, smooth rolling wheel.

In the next few blogs I want to explore how Optimism and the Optimist Creed have helped me in so many ways to be a better sales person, a better father and husband and a better human being. You see, even if all I did was remain a member of this club and serve the youth of my community I would be in debt because the Optimist Club has given me so much more than I have given it. The Optimist Creed is a point of reference that brings me back to center. First, here is the Optimist Creed;

Promise Yourself-
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Gingrich, Gitomer and Giuliani

I play in the minor leagues. The minor league of speaking that is. I have been a member of a local Toastmaster’s group for two years now and I have empirically improved my public speaking and writing skills. You might even say public speaking has become one of my passions. The only way I have found to get better at speaking or any skill is to Practice! Practice! Practice! Like the minor leagues the only way to get to the majors is to also Practice, Study, Execute and Review. One way I have found to enhance my skills is to watch and learn from the Pro’s.

A friend from Toastmaster’s, Gary and I have taken this idea to heart. We have journeyed early in the morning and at all times of the day to listen and learn from some of the best public speakers in the world. I guess you could call us “speech junkies.” Watching the Pros speak is for me where ideas and inspiration ignite. To date I have listen to Financial Wizard Suze Orman, Former Secretary of State, General Colin Powel, Investor Phil Town, Denver Broncos Football Coach Mike Shanahan, Sales Legend Tom Hopkins, President and CEO of Forbes Magazine Steve Forbes.

I have listened to numerous lesser know, yet equally inspiring speakers such as 1-800 Flowers Founder and CEO Jim McCann, E-Myth Author Michael Gerber, Restaurateur Bob Farrell, Phone Doctor Anita Sullivan and Business Authors Gregg Grey, Hal Becker, Carl Larson, Michael Angelo Caruso, Jeff Tobe, and Dan Coleman.

In the Floral Industry where I have worked for over 23 years there are some of the best Professional Floral Commentators around, including Bobby Ecker, Phil Rulloda, Frankie Shelton, Bill Taylor, Ralph Null, Holly Money-Collins, Rocky Pollitz, John Hanes, Rene Van Rems, Kim Morrill, Richard Milteer, Sharon McGukin, Susan Overton, Robbin Yelverton, Ardith Beveridge, Bob Bigham, Frank Brice, Carol Caggiano, Deborah, De La Flor, James Del Prince, Ken Fetgatter, Marlin Hargrove, Catherine Hillen-Rulloda, Marie Ackerman, Talmage McLaurin, Tom Bowling, Johnny Childres, Phil Easter, Toomie Farris, Hitomi Gilliam, Lynn Lary McLean, Herb Mitchell, Kirk Pamper, Alan Parkhurst, Jerome Raska, J Schwanke, Richard Seekins, Joe Smith, Margo Sutter, Matt Wood, Kevin Ylvisker.

Speakers can also remind you of habits to watch out for. I once heard Do-It-Yourself Diva, Martha Stewart as the keynote speaker at a craft industry trade show. Her information was great, however her delivery was lackluster and she had over 300 um’s and ah’s in a 50 minute speech. A Toastmaster Club could really help Martha with that.

Three speakers in particular stand out for me. Former U.S. Speaker, Newt Gingrich, Author and Business Guru Jeffrey Gitomer and Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Each of these gentleman are first and foremost great storytellers. They use their voice to add variety to their message. They are entertaining and informative. Their message is clear, concise and easy to follow. They paint pictures with words. They speak with authority and conviction. Most importantly they speak from knowledge. They know their stuff. They are masters of the subjects they speak about. And they have some fun while they are speaking. I could tell they all enjoyed what they were doing. Messrs Gingrich, Gitomer and Giuliani all are in the big league of public speaking. If I practice some more, maybe one day I’ll be called up to the majors.

Random Acts of Kindness

The other day I was driving into Denver to see some customers. Once on the freeway I was being passed left and right by cars speeding towards their destination. People were ignoring the speed limit and passing other cars jutting in and out of lanes. It’s amazing that people are in such a hurry. If they would just allow more time to get where they are going, perhaps they would not be in a rush. Yet, I understand the need to be someplace for a appointment and at times, I too have gone over the speed limit and drove less then safe.

Recently, I found a way for me to be a more kind and courteous driver. As President of my Optimist Club I wanted to help promote our Club and also give a sense of identity to our members. I purchased license plate holders that are printed with, “Optimist International” on the top and our motto, “Friend of Youth” on the bottom for all our members. What I didn’t realize was because I have this license plate holder on my car I am a more courteous driver. How could I not be? I wouldn’t want to set a bad example for a young driver by driving reckless. I wouldn’t want to be recognized in my community for ignoring the speed limit while having this identifying holder on my vehicle. It is amazing how much more aware of my driving I have become since I added the license plate holder on my car. If you are a member of a service club or other organization see if they have a license plate holder available. It will not only promote your organization, it may just make you a more careful driver.

I have found if I can do one random act of kindness a day such as driving courteously I feel better and so do those I come in contact with. We all can practice being a bit more kind. For other great ideas on random act of kindness check out www.actsofkindness.org

How Seven Young People Influenced My Life.

Alli, Alex, Anna, Erin, Erica, Riley, and Will.
Seven high school sophomores between the ages of 15 and 16 years old that taught me, their 48 eight year old Facilitator, about Leadership. I got involved in the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, (HOBY), by being an Optimist Club member. I wanted to see if I was up to the challenge of mentoring young people. I have been in business for 23 years as a Manufacture’s Representative, National Accounts Manager and National Sales Manager. I have been to dozens of Management Institutes and Leadership Conferences. I have read dozens of books, watched DVD’s and listened to motivational and leadership tapes. Nothing really impacted me like the four days I spent with these young leaders.

These Ambassadors were selected by their high schools to participate in HOBY. This leadership program is designed to motivate tomorrow’s leaders today. The premise of the program is to teach these young people how to think, not what to think. The HOBY program provides lifelong leadership development opportunities that challenge these Ambassadors to achieve their highest potential thorough self-identification and self development.

The four day event was held at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado in the spring of 2007. Over two hundred and thirty young people participated from all over the state. The Ambassadors interface with leaders in business, industry, government, and education through seminars and workshops using a question and answer format on topics like the Genocide in Darfur, Business Ethics, Immigration, Volunteerism, Worldwide Hunger, Media and Education. My seven Ambassadors would then gather and discuss in depth these topics and look at all sides of the issue. The crown jewel of this program is the enthusiasm these young leaders will bring back to their communities and the changes they can make, in their country and throughout the world.

I received way more from these young people than I gave. I received hope for the future. I regained my optimism. I can see how these Ambassadors will be the important leaders of the future. One of the most rewarding portions of the whole experience was that I had a small hand in helping to select one of my Ambassadors to attend the World Leadership Congress in Washington DC. This is the highest honor an Ambassador can win. Over 500 participants will gather including Ambassadors from 30 countries and the heads of state and business to do this same type of event on an international scale.

I found the true meaning of leadership by working with these Ambassadors. Listening, learning, planning, taking action, going with the flow, the reevaluation of assumptions and beliefs and having fun. The biggest take away I received is everything starts and ends with us as individuals. It is our personal responsibility to be informed. I lived up to my own challenge to make a difference in a young person’s life, so can you. For more information on Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, contact them at http://www.hoby.org/

The Collection

My parents took my daughter to Disneyland in California many years ago. My daughter Melissa was about nine at the time. After a full day of fun and rides my parents and daughter walked down Main Street into a gift store. My daughter said to my Father, “Grandpa, look here I really need these for my collection.” Sitting on a shelf was a set of a dozen ceramic Disney characters, all shinny and smiling.

My Father said, “OK, pick one out and I’ll buy it for you.” How could a grandpa refuse? My daughter responds, “But Grandpa, I need them all to finish my collection.” My Father said, “Well, I’ll buy you a few now, and then, buy you some more later if you’re a good girl the next time we come here.” “But Grandpa I really need all these now.”

So what does my Father do? Of course he gathers all the characters up and buys them for his granddaughter. An hour later they are back at our house. They walk in the door and my daughter says, “Daddy, look what Grandpa bought me,” as she unfolds the paper around the figurines. One by one she unravels the paper and shows us her new friends. My Father says to my Daughter, “OK Melissa, where’s your other figurines so we can add them to your collection?”

I said to my Father, “What collection”? He said Melissa wanted these figurines because they would finish her collection of Disney characters? I started to laugh out loud. “Dad, I hate to tell you this, but you just bought her, the collection. She doesn’t have a collection of these figurines. We all laughed because my Daughter had just done the best selling job on her grandfather, who in my opinion is the best salesman in the world.

My daughter had persisted in her desire to get what she wanted. You could look at this story in a few ways, yet I choose to look at it from the perspective of a good salesperson. My Daughter told her Grandfather what she wanted. She had a burning desire to pursue her Grandfather to buy theses items for her. She persisted when he said, “OK, pick one out and I’ll buy it for you.” My daughter came back with, “But Grandpa I really need these now.”

Too often as salespeople we don’t know what we want or how to ask for it. We don’t do the four “P’s” - Prepare, Practice, Pursue, or Persist. This is a clear example of persistence on my Daughter’s part. It’s amazing how you can learn salesmanship for children. I can hear my own Granddaughter’s say, “Hey Grand Brad, I need…

A Signature Story

Since moving to Colorado several years ago I have become a Colorado Rockies Fan. During the baseball season I attend as many Rockies games as I can. I often purchase some sort of memorabilia when I go to a game. Once I purchased an Official Major League Baseball with the Rockies Logo on it. What do you think I paid for this ball? $5.00 - $10.00 - $15.00? Actually I paid $2.50 at the Rockies souvenir store.

In my basement or “the mancave”, as my wife likes to call it, I have lots of baseball memorabilia. Baseball cards from my youth. Bobble Heads from stadiums I have visited. Pennants from different ballparks. And of course I have baseballs signed by some of the greats of the game. One of my favorite baseballs is from a pitcher. I looked up to him as a hero, when I was a kid.
This Hall of Famer had four no-hitters in four consecutive years.
A perfect game in 1965.
He won the Cy Young award for pitching three times.
He won the earned-run title five years in a row.
He won twenty-five or more games three times.
He had eleven shut outs in1963.
I am talking about Sandy Koufax.

Here’s a question? What's the difference between the Official Major League Baseball with the Rockies Logo on it and the ball signed by Sandy Koufax?
I would suggest that the difference is VALUE. The VALUE one assigns to something that is unique or different. Something that is outstanding or rare. That's what I would say you need to do in your business. You need to put your signature on what ever you do. You may buy in bulk and break assortments down to smaller resalable units. You may act as a banker by giving terms to your customers. You may be a consultant to your customers by providing them with the latest products and industry information. You need to add VALUE to whatever part of the channel of distribution you are in. VALUE is what the signature of Sandy Koufax adds to the baseball I have. Every time I hold that ball there is that little kid in me saying, Wow!!!. Now, do you provide that sort of VALUE to your customers? Do you provide them with, WOW!!!. If you are not, your competition is.

Batter up!!!

A Starfish Story

At the recent Optimist International Regional Conference in Denver, President Ronnie Dunn told a story about a little boy walking on the sea shore with his Father. As they walked along they noticed that there were thousands and thousands of starfish washed upon the beach. The little boy stopped and picked up a starfish and threw it back into the ocean. Then, he picked up another starfish and threw it back into the sea. His Father stopped the little boy and said you can't possibly make a difference to all the starfish on the beach." The little boy looked up to his Father and said, "I made a differnce to the one's I threw back." Honesty from the mouths of babes. Have you found that one starfish in your life you can make a difference with today-everyday? Look around. It may be just a random act of kindness or it could be something you already do, yet, you don't preceive it as special. Find a Starfish everyday.

Going with the Flow

Have you ever forgotten an important date or event?
I did. April 5 was my anniversary. My wife and I have been married for eight wonderful years. I had scheduled a meeting for that evening not even thinking about the importance of the date. I spoke to my wife several days prior and let her know that I had scheduled a meeting. She said, “O.K.”, and just assumed we would celebrate our anniversary over the weekend at a more leisurely time.

Then, a reminder opened up on my Outlook and it said, “It’s your anniversary.” Panic flushed through my being. “Oh crud! I’m in the dog house now.” Then, I received an e-card from my oldest daughter wishing my wife and I, “Happy Anniversary”. Again the feeling of, “I’m in trouble now”, came over me.

I immediately called the person I was to have the meeting with and asked if we could reschedule. Once I explained my situation we both had a laugh and they were gracious enough to reschedule. I then called my wife at work.
“Hi, Honey”, I said.
She started to laugh and said, “Did we forget our anniversary?”
“You forgot too?” I said.
“Yes, I just read Kristi’s e-card and laughed.”
She said, “We have both been so busy that we just forgot about it.”
“Can we make a date and go out to dinner?” I said.
“Sure”, was her reply. “How about going to the Renaissance Hotel for some Sushi and Jazz? Hazel Miller is playing tonight.”
“Awesome”, I said and we meet at after work.

I arrived at 6:00 o’clock and my bride was waiting. As soon as I walked in the door we both laughed and hugged and said, “Happy Anniversary.” We had a nice dinner and listened to some great music by Hazel Miller. If you ever get the chance to see Hazel you will be in for a treat. (http://www.hazelmiller.com/ ). She sings everything from the old standards, jazz, funk and rock and has a voice like velvet. She makes each song her own. She sang several songs to my wife and I and wished us, “Happy Anniversary.”

We ate, listened to some great music and had the best anniversary we have had to date. Not planned. Relaxing and fun. There are several morals to this story.
One, I have a saint for a wife and I am the luckiest guy around. Two, that not everything has to be planed and it can turn out to be wonderful. In fact, as I look back on some other events in my life, those that were the most serendipitous seem to have been the most memorable. Often going with the flow and making the best out of a situation will serve one better. Did I mention my wife is a saint?

Thusrday Mornings

It’s O’ dark thirty. My alarm clock explodes with noise. I set it loud so I do not hit the snooze button and role back to sleep. Then as the haze of the evenings slumber wears off I remember its Thursday morning. A smile roles onto my face and I get moving. My mind races and I can’t wait. Today, like every Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. I meet my fellow Toastmaster’s at the Sil-Tehar Car Dealership in Broomfield, Colorado. Our group is known as the Ad-Liborators. I helped to Charter this group along with several other professional business people. This club is sponsored by the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce however it includes folks like me who are not members but, wanted to get better at what we do for a living. Listening and Talking.

It’s been said that people fear public speaking more than they fear death. I was never afraid of speaking in front of people, however I wanted to get better at it. I wanted to refine my skills and work on the nuances of speaking better and understand how to deliver my message clearly. The other reason for joining was to get enhance my listening skills. Not just hearing but, active listening. Too often we sales people spew information to a prospect when all they wanted to know is what time it was. Asking good, thought provoking questions, comes about by good listening.

Our morning meetings are pure magic. Our President, Nick is always dynamic, starting our meeting on time. He will make a few announcements pertaining to the Chamber of Commerce or let us know about an upcoming speech contest and we start. He introduces our Toastmaster for the day.

The Toastmaster runs the meeting and is responsible for picking a theme, introducing all the roles and speakers for the meeting. The Toastmaster introduces the Timer.

The Timer keeps track of the speech times usually 5 to 7 minutes long and holds up color cards to let the speaker know how close they are coming to the end of their allotted speech time.

Next, the Grammarian makes notes and reports back on who miss-uses the English language with such speech fillers as Um’s and Ah’s. The Grammarian also chooses a word of the day. This word is usually associated with the theme of the day and helps to expand every ones vocabulary.

Finally, the Joke Master starts off the meeting with a bit of humor. The Joke Master’s role relieves any tension in the room and leaves everyone with a smile on their face.




The Toastmaster then calls for the first speaker. We have a wide array of topics and speeches to listen to. We have new members just starting their first few speech’s to more experienced speakers who are amazing to hear. You never know what you will experience; however all the speeches are thought provoking, and interesting to listen to. As a beginning speaker your first speech is about yourself. A topic anyone can do. From here the basic speech book informs and gives pointers on speech structure and ideas, which are followed until you reach your tenth speech. At this point you have achieved your first milestone in Toastmaster’s. The Competent Toastmaster. Between each speech the Toastmaster will ask for comments to be written down and passed along to the speakers. These comments are another way to understand what worked and what did not.

Each of the three to four speakers are assigned an Evaluator who listens to the speech more critically. The Evaluator writes notes and comments for the Speaker relaying the good and poor aspects of the speaker’s presentation. Then after all the speakers are finished the General Evaluator will introduce the Evaluators who then give thoughtful comment to each speaker. Generally, the Evaluator will use a “sandwich technique” when giving comments. Simply this is some praise for some aspects of the speech. Some suggestions to improve areas that were not as fluid or that needs work and then finishing up with more positive comments. The Evaluators comments are timed and critiqued by the General Evaluator who gives their overall comments about the meeting.

The next portion of the meeting is the Table Topics. Table Topics is an opportunity for those that have no roles that day or that are not speaking a chance to extemporaneously speak for one to two minutes on any topic the Table Topic Master chooses. This exercise is a chance to think on your feet and work on your speaking skills. Depending on how the time is going there will be three or four Table Topic speakers.

At last we come to the calling of the vote for the Best Speaker, Best Evaluator and Best Table Topic participant. The names of the winners are called and ribbons are awarded.

This high energy one hour is often the catalyst for a productive day at work. It’s like a shot of Red Bull, Coffee and Adrenaline all in one. I urge anyone who wishes to enhance their speaking and listening skills to join their local Toastmasters Club. The cost is minimal and your presentation skills are guaranteed to be enhanced. Check for a club nearest you at http://www.toastmasters.org/

Raising the Bar on Color

Recently my company exhibited at the Retail Packaging Association Tradeshow and Conference. One of the presenters was Leatrice Eiseman. Lee is known as America’s Color Expert. Her perspective is always candid and entertaining. Lee looks at color from many perspectives and she has helped companies from home textiles to high fashion with product development, logos, brand imaging, web sites, packaging point of purchase and any other application where color choice is critical to the success of the product or environment.

Lee is head of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. She has authored six books on color and is widely quoted in consumer publications and media outlets. I have listened to Lee’s presentation for the past three years and she always has some great information on color forecasting in the near and far term.

A thread that run’s through Lee’s work is her use of words which creates wonderful images in the mind. Her words evoke a sense of how the color will be perceived and how it interacts with the object in is on or the objects around it. Lee challenges the viewer to “raise the bar on color”. Lee states, “Look at color from the way others would and not necessarily what your likes or tastes are.”

Our perception of color is personal and subjective. Whether it’s selling a flower or a can of spray, we use words to evoke how we feel about a color. Below are some of the words that Lee used to communicate a hue. See if you can picture the color in your mind and if the words associated with it strengthen the image or the company it’s associated with.
Color - Words - Company
• Red - Expensive, Rich - Target
• Blue - Consistent, Integrity - IBM
• Green - Natural, Organic - Starbucks
• Yellow - Happy, Sunshine - McDonalds
• Orange - Vibrant, Stimulating - Home Depot
• Purple - Regal, Mysterious - Hallmark
• Brown - Earth, Comfort - UPS
• Black - Classic, Solid - Missook
• White - Clean, Brilliant - Apple

Thinking beyond the standard is what I like about Lee’s work. She challenges me to juxtapose colors and words to create new combinations and opportunities. This fresh translation inspires and helps to innovate. How can colors influence your products acceptance? What are you doing to get your products noticed or purchased, using color? Weather it’s breast cancer awareness, (pink) or AIDS awareness, (red), color evokes imagery that can make associations and statements about what our products are, how they can be priced and where they can be marketed. Have you “raised your color bar” lately?

What color is Melon?

Color is a fascinating aspect of our life. It is a part of everything you do, touch, eat, wear and see. I have been selling color for 28 years now. I don’t claim to be an expert, however I have learned a few things about color over the years. First, everyone’s perception of color is different. Depending on where you are from, your background and your culture.

I remember at an annual trade show that I attended a women came up to the president of our company and had a dialog about a new color we had introduced called Melon. She said the color Melon was not the right name for the hue we had introduced and was insistent that we should rename this product. Our company president said, Miss, “What color is Honeydew on the inside?” She said, “Light green.” The president said, “What color is Cantaloupe?” She said, “Orange.” He said, “What color is Watermelon?” She said, “Red.” He said, “They are all melon’s, however we have decided to name this product based on our research, our association with color marketing groups and how we believe the name we choose will make people feel.”

With color you can not win. Everyone’s eyes attribute the visual sensation differently. According to the book, The Color Compendium written by Hope and Walch, color has three dimensions, Hue, Saturation and Value. Hue is the dominant wavelength, (red, blue, etc.); Saturation is the relative colorfulness (colors can be pale or bright); and Value describes the amount of gray in a color.

One can define a business as we define a color. As with a Hue there is always a dominant reason we are in business. What is your Hue? Why do you exist as a business? Saturation. Are you a major player in a minor pond? Are you a minor player in a major pond? Are you even in the water? What is your market and have you hit your saturation point yet?
And finally, Value. What Value do you bring to your customers? How do you and your business add value? What do you do so much better than the competition that people seek you out?

All colorful questions. As we develop new colors we are constantly looking around us and saying, does this new hue fit into what we do? Is this part of a trend or a fad? Can we tell a story and help sell other products by developing this color? Are there other colors that are close enough in the existing line that it makes a difference? Who are we targeting? As we develop our business we have to be constantly asking ourselves questions. Asking our customers questions? Asking our end users questions?

Perception is belief. Color is how you see it. Melon. Well I’ll leave that for you to decide.

Speaking from the Heart

FEAR is how most people would describe the emotion they most feel if asked to give a speech in front of a group or to give a presentation of any kind. My career as a Sales Professional requires me to present ideas and information in a clear and concise way. Whether it’s explaining a new product or educating customers. Speaking to groups large and small is always a bit nerve racking. I wanted to find a way to control the “butterflies” I always felt in my stomach when I spoke in public. I had the privilege of hearing Professional Speaker, Greg Grey, http://www.greggray.com/ give a talk entitled, Butterflies in Formation: Delivering Presentations with Less Anxiety and Greater Impact. Gregg’s style and professional and humorous presentation inspired me to seek the help I was looking for.

In 2005, I joined a new Toastmaster’s Club that was forming called the Chamber Ad-Liborators. http://chamberadlib.freetoasthost.info/ This Toastmasters Club is associated with the Chamber serving Broomfield, Colorado. I jumped at the chance to improve my speaking and listening skills. In the first year of being a member I earned my Certified Toastmaster’s Award,(CTM). This required me to complete 10 speeches in a basic Communication Program Manual. These ten assignments are designed to instill a basic foundation in public speaking. My communication skills were improved and my ability to express myself was greatly enhanced. Best of all I discovered several techniques to contain my butterflies. I was on my way to fulfilling one of my professional and personal goals.

Then an event that all of us have to go through at some point in our lives took the wind out of my sail. My Mother unexpectedly passed away on December 16, 2005. My family was devastated. Mom was the glue that held our family together. I had to fly from Denver to Los Angeles and console family and friends. When making funeral arrangements we came to the point where we were asked, “who would like to speak in memory of your Mother?” There was silence. Deafening, long, silence.

I mustered the courage to say I would speak on behalf of our family and try to memorialize my Mother in the loving a respectful way she raised her children.
It was the hardest speech I have ever given. Thankfully, I had learned the basic skills of public speaking which the Toastmaster’s experience had provided. It was not perfect, but it was heartfelt. I did cry at times as I spoke, yet I was able to “buck up” and deliver my words in a calm and loving manner. Now, almost any speech I give, I look forward to. I have command of those “butterflies” and I have control of the fear of public speaking.

For a Toastmasters near you visit; http://www.toastmasters.org/
The Broomfield Ad-Liborators meet Thursdays at 7:30am at Sill-Terhar Ford
150 Alter Street Broomfield, CO 2nd floor meeting room

Bees – Sharing Where the Honey Is.

I was watching the PBS program NOVA on TV one night. The featured was a program called, "Tales from the Hive". This program chronicles a year in the life of a bee colony with stunning images that take viewers inside the innermost secrets of the hive.

According to Peter Tyson the Online Producer of NOVA, a honeybee hive is far more than just a buzz of activity. In fact, the social organization inside a nest rivals that in the best-run corporations, with each bee and each cell possessing a rigidly specific function. If you're unfamiliar with bees, some of those functions, such as the "waggle dance," might leave you scratching your head in amazement at their sheer sophistication.

This “waggle dance” is a form of communication that gives one bee the opportunity to tell other bees where the best pollen is located. The dance informs other bees in the hive how far away the flowers are and what direction will get these bees to the nectar the quickest. The source bee will even let the other bees sample the nectar of the flowers they pollinated so the other bees will get a taste of it and excite other bees to seek these flowers out. I was fascinated by the level of communication these bees had developed over time.

Like bees the communication between a sales person and a buyer happen with it’s own sort of dance. Like the bees sales people want to spew features and benefits to a potential buyer. They dance around letting the buyer know so much about the “honey” they are selling. The only problem is the buyer is looking for something totally different than what they are selling. It is the sales person’s job to find out what the needs are of the potential buyer. But how?

By asking thoughtful questions. Not any old questions. But questions which will give a deeper understanding of what the potential buyer’s needs, wants and desires really are. I have never been able to figure out how to find out information by talking. Yet, so many sales people do just that. They ramble on about useless information as the buyer walks off. I have only received information by listening and asking additional questions to get information, and to get to the heart of what the buyer is looking for.

Once this dialog happens, like the bees, the exchange of important information can be shared. Like the bees you can share your nectar of information with others. Once the dialog begins you can use your expertise to guide and direct the buyer to your options. This gives value before getting it. Just remember not to sting a buyer with your information before you gather the nectar first.