It must have been a terrifying time in the late ’50s — Cuba was in the middle of a revolution and Ralph de la Vega was just a boy when his parents decided to flee to the United States. How bleak the future must have seemed at that time to even consider this as an option.

Few of us can imagine leaving everything behind forever and getting on an airplane with only the shirt on our backs. Yet, that was the plan for his family of four. Ralph and his family arrived at the airport terminal only to hear the words that would change his life forever: “Only the boy can go.” Tears were shed and his father furiously got on the phone to make plans for his only son.

It would be four long years before he would speak to his family again. He was living in a new land, living with strangers and didn’t speak the language. Regardless, he was in the land of opportunity and made the conscious decision to make the most of it.

Today, he is the CEO of ATT Wireless. It is an impressive career so far for someone that started with the cards stacked against him. He tells factual stories of how he negotiated the multibillion dollar business deal with Steve Jobs to bring the iPhone to market. He built the largest wireless network in the world spanning across third world nations and hundreds of cultures. Today he manages operations that produce over $35 billion in revenue and has over 70,000 employees.

Yet he still says, “That was easy; having my family torn apart was hard.”

Dr. de la Vega’s words really resonated with me because I have heard this similar story of adversity many times, except the stories were from my father. Escaping from Cuba and coming to this country as a teenager, he thought the move was temporary. Not so. He, too, made the choices to not take any opportunity for granted.

These were some of the lessons I learned recently when I attended the Jacksonville University Davis College of Business Leadership series luncheon. It proved to be an unexpected inspiring talk for me because it reminded me of my own family history and the sacrifices they made. It reminded me that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

I thank JU for having me and hope to continue to participate in more events. This was a great event in an intimate setting.

If you are interested in being notified of future speakers and programs, visit www.Dcob.ju.edu

By nature, business owners are optimistic and I think that’s why I enjoy being around them so much. Whenever I get the opportunity to meet a new entrepreneur, I usually jump at the chance. On every occasion, I come away feeling energized and positive. It’s good for the soul.

I had one such experience recently when I met Scott Nelowet, owner and founder of French Fry Heaven.

On a recent trip to Europe, he noticed there were many independent stores that only sold French fries, and it made him wonder, “Why not in the states?” After some conversation with family and friends, he made a decision to try to create a similar concept with an American flare.

Not content with simple ketchup or mayo, he started experimenting and getting creative with such flavors as “Darrinn’s Canadian Angels” (brown gravy and cheese) and “Island Angel” (a coconut and curry blend of flavors).

It’s relatively simple with just a large kiosk or in-line store with one main ingredient on the menu—French Fries. You can then choose from over a dozen toppings to personalize your taste.

His plan is to franchise the concept.

I sat with him on a bench outside of his location at St. John’s Town Center. When I asked my standard question “Where do you see your business in three to five years?” Without blinking, he confidently answered “500+ stores.”

I must admit, it sounds pretty ambitious considering his first location has only been open three months—there is still a whole lot of learning that needs to go on. I was encouraged, however, by his answer because he has the right attitude.

It may sound crazy to an outsider, but it makes perfect sense to him—he has a plan, believes in it, and has the energy to execute. After all, if you are going to make a goal, why not a Big Audacious Hairy Goal (BHAG)?

So will it work? Time will tell, but in the hour I spent with him, I saw lots of customers ordering his tasty snacks.

So what is your BHAG? Your company name on an NFL stadium or being recognized as a “Top place to work?” Or is it to surpass the sales of your industries titan? Let’s hear them! Post your BHAG on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/advantage.bizmag. Maybe we can get some ideas from each other.

Admittedly, I don’t have much involvement with the travel and tourism business in North Florida; however, when I had some friends and relatives visit for the holiday, I had this unexplained drive to make sure they had a good time and will come back soon.

In my own way, I was a tour guide, historian, and cheerleader for the area that I live in and operate a business and it made me wonder how many other residents were also entertaining their family and friends. Were they impressed? Will they be back? We sure hope so.

Jacksonville has always had what some describe as an “inferiority complex.” While that probably means different things to different people, I do know that we collectively have not done a great job of telling “our” story. We have natural resources in a river, a bustling downtown, a major port and multiple major interstates running right through the “Bold new city of the South” or is it “Where Florida begins” or perhaps it’s the “First Coast” or “River City”—See what I mean?

Regardless of the catchy slogan the issue runs much deeper—and for no good reason. Our cost of living is low by comparison, the sun shines most days and some wonderful things are happening in our community. But it has to start with all of us; the Mayor and Chamber of Commerce cannot do it alone.

Regardless of your occupation, we all live here and as they say, with a rising tide, all boats rise. Love your city, people!

We had the honor of partnering with the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce this month to announce the overall winner of the Small Business Leader of the Year. While only one can win, all of the nominees are well deserving of the title.

•Tara Yvette Forrest, Florida Imageworks and Promotions

•Dr. Joanna Frantz, In Motion Physical Therapy

•Ann Freeman, River City Security Services, Inc.

•Sandy Knowles, Coordinated Benefits Group

•Jennifer Marko, Bottle Snugglers

•Diana Otwell, Spectrum Signs and Graphics

•Chad Perce, iMethods, LLC

•Sandy Polletta, Edgewood Bakery

•Ann Sabbag, Health Designs

•Kirsten Schneider, Dinners Direct

•Jepp Walter, Marlin Technology

Space prohibits me for telling you more about them here, but you can learn more at: http://advantagebizmag.com/archives/10285

With this great recognition also comes great responsibility. I know all of these people will certainly be ambassadors for North Florida led by the overall winner Chad Perce. These people are among the best and brightest our area has and we are lucky to have them. I know they are already talking up Jacksonville. Are you?

The movement has already begun. Be sure to check out #ilovejax on twitter to see what I mean.

Many of you have probably had these moments when you realize time has been creeping up on you. Perhaps it’s when you realize your 20 year college reunion is coming up or maybe it’s when your “babies” graduate high school or college—it happens to the best of us.

Just like my parents remember life before color television, I remember a time without cellphones. It is difficult to imagine now, but I remember when a good high school friend of mine pulled up outside my home in his IROC Camaro calling me on his dad’s new cellphone. It was a backpack-sized contraption, but it was so cool at the time!

I used to consider myself to be the young and ambitious type; now I guess I’m just an ambitious, middle-aged, bald-guy type. Behind me is an army of talent waiting to get in the game, and it is a fantastic pool of some of the smartest people ever to enter the workplace. They need us and we need them.

The old ways of doing business have changed forever. I’m reminded of a book I read titled “How to market to people not like you” by Kelly McDonald. In it she discusses the differences in the generations noting that to Generation X (born 1965-1981), the Internet is perhaps the greatest invention in our lifetime. We see it as a tool to get the information we want.

To Generation Y (born 1982-1994), however, they do NOT consider the Internet as a huge leap in technology. They take it for granted, just as the generation before them took electricity for granted. For them, this is the only way to do business.

This Generation Y and the coming Generation Z born (1995-2004) will soon be joining to combine for the first time ever four generations in the same workplace!

While this will certainly be a challenge for managers, you need this young talent on your team. Why?

Because the way you do business has changed permanently. The technology you use to reach your prospects, manage the processes you have internally and communicate with your vendors have all transformed forever—digitally.

Do you have the talent to keep you competitive? Many business owners I speak with are realizing that keeping pace with the speed of business is more difficult than before. Having younger talent on your team can keep you relevant and bring ideas never before considered. I say you should listen to them—their ideas may not be something you fully understand, but a bit of blind faith might serve you well.

We recently uncovered a group of smart Generation Y guys that caught our eye. 5ivecanons has bet their future on the need for their talents in organizations that understand the value in being innovative.

We took a good hard look at what they do, learned insights from experts and clients and painted a picture forward thinking that only digital natives can present to us. We hope it opens your eyes.

Regardless of how you source the talent, if you haven’t explored online shopping, instantly responding to customers, automating your processes, or mobile messaging, you may want to take a member of the Generation Y to lunch. Open your mind and prepare for an education.

If they don’t return a phone call, don’t take it personally—they may think telephones are soooo last century. Maybe send a text to their PDA instead.

Well, here we are. It was an interesting mayoral race for our fine city to say the least. I was probably like most in Jacksonville and went to bed not knowing who our next city leader would be. The people spoke and by a narrow margin, Alvin Brown was elected.

I watched this election process closely, like many of you I’m sure, because I wanted to see if campaign rhetoric would translate into action. Often the best intentions to help along our small businesses get pushed aside when large employers or a business from another region starts knocking on the door of city hall.

When Saft America (a high-tech battery manufacturer) committed to the area, it came with over 20 million dollars of incentives between state and city funds. For that governmental encouragement, Saft committed to hiring 279 high-paying jobs by 2016. This is great news for our area, of course, and I’m happy we put the deal together—it was money well spent.

But according the Mayor’s Strategic Initiatives report, firms in our region employing less than 100 people make up 98% of all Northeast Florida companies. Do you have any incentive room left for us?

While our fine Mayor is just getting started, I am encouraged by what I have seen so far. Making small business and entrepreneurship one of the strategic initiatives of this administration is a good start.

I loved it when he recently toured businesses on San Marco boulevard suffering through the ongoing “streetscape project.” If you have ever been through this area, it’s a mess. With the sidewalk torn up and heavy equipment in the way, retailers are hoping pedestrians are willing to trounce through mud and noise to patronize their businesses. It will be great when construction ends, but surviving the improvement is an accomplishment in itself.

It was good to see Mayor Brown walking and shaking hands with the effected business owners, and giving words of encouragement, hearing their concerns and bringing media attention. Kudos.

Of course, job creation is number one on any civic leaders list of goals in America today, and Jacksonville is no different. Yes, we want to compete for any large employers coming to the area, but those opportunities are few and far between. They are a definite home run when we get them, but the “base hits” happen slowly and don’t get published in the newspaper when businesses like yours and mine hire one at a time.

I would encourage you to make your voice heard, you have more influence and impact on public policy than you may think. Collectively, we are a large group that can encourage our elected officials to operate in a way that takes down unnecessary barriers to our success and help stack the cards in our favor. The rest is up to us.

After reading the recently completed Strategic Initiatives report, the last sentence stood out to me: “If every small business in our region hired one person, the employment rate would be zero”

Oversimplified for sure, but it also seems pretty reasonable when you think about it in these terms.

Let’s get after it.

Over the last couple of years, I have struck up a relationship of sorts with a few people that I would consider greenies. This isn’t meant as a derogatory term; it is just the label I give people that willfully ignore economics because being “green” is that important to them. They are the pioneers of a movement—and thank goodness they are because it has to start with someone.

Admittedly, I’m not there yet. While I do choose paper over plastic, stay away from Styrofoam, and properly dispose of used motor oil, I still drive a thirsty V-8, water my grass as needed, and lose little sleep over of my carbon footprint. Now you know where I am coming from. If I can save money and be socially responsible, I’m all for it. Ask me to pay $1.75 more for that floor cleaner, however, and I don’t think so; you must have me mistaken for someone else.

Ironically, it is this shallow mindset that Wally Conway from HomePro Inspections picked up on. He said the magic words I wanted to hear, “I will show you how you can lower your energy bills in your home and save the planet at the same time.” Now we’re talking, I thought. “When can you come over?” I asked.

Wally and Phillip showed up right on schedule. Armed with equipment, they unpacked right inside my front door. Elaborate fans, infrared scanners, probes, and other stuff I didn’t recognize, but it instantly brought back memories of the movie “Ghostbusters.”

Wally took me aside and showed me my energy usage patterns from the JEA website on his laptop. A few calculations of electric, sewer, and gas created a baseline from which I would measure my future energy saving efforts.

Phillip was busy doing whatever “energy busters” do, which includes peeking behind my walls, inspecting weather stripping, and measuring the air tightness of my home. The special cameras showed me how much heat was entering my home on a warm summer day.

Finally, the curiosity got to me and I blurted out, “How much is your energy bill, Wally?” He said, “$58 bucks a month,” with a proud grin. I looked at him with astonishment as if I just witnessed him walking on water.

He was quick to point out that results are different for everyone and there is a trade-off for all of life’s creature comforts. For example, most would not be interested in taking cold showers to save $10 in a month in heating water. (Try convincing your spouse of that behavior modification!)

After an extensive review, Wally and Phillip left, but not before giving me lots of homework—improving insulation, sealing windows, switching to low-heat light bulbs, just to name a few. I haven’t completed everything yet, but the review did put me in a different mindset. It’s sort of a game for me now, with the score card coming in the form of my utility bill.

What I learned about this experience to move toward green is that it is a marathon, not a sprint, and I still have a lot to learn. A greenie in training, I guess.

Until next time,

Brian Barquilla

This is a first for Advantage Business Magazine. By now you know this is our special Top 50 Business Influencers issue—and it’s been a long time coming.

The process started nearly three months ago when we began asking for nominations on social media, in this magazine, and through email on who were the people you absolutely needed to know if you ran a business in the North Florida area. I was overwhelmed and flattered with the responses. Before the process concluded, we had a couple of hundred nominations—and all of them deserving. Next was the unenviable task of narrowing the list, but we did it.

When the final names came in, I sat back at my desk and pondered what an effect these select few have had on our city. How many jobs did they help create? And whose dreams did they help realize? Upon further inspection, I realized that I, in fact, knew many of them personally.

Speaking from my own experience, I can tell you they all have something in common. Opening doors of opportunity for others and unselfishly helping an eager business owner is no special favor at all from them, it is simply the way they do business. By lending a helping hand, they believe their generosity comes back to them tenfold.

It is because of this mindset that we have identified them as the “must-knows” in the business community. If you don’t know them, you need to—and we have just the opportunity.

I have no doubt that calling each one and inviting them to a cup of coffee is time well spent, but of course, that would take a while. Instead, join us for a special meet and greet on June 8 where you can interact with these TOP 50 award recipients. Look for details on page 23.

So circle the date, come make some new contacts, and see what you can do to help yourself. I know at least 50 people who will be as excited as you are if they can help you hit your next goal.

It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.

I just conducted an Internet search to see if an old boss of mine was the originator of a quote he repeated back to me years ago. While I never found my answer, the quote resonated with me.

I was just 24 years old and already struggling with my work-life balance—which sounds trivial now since that was well before the spouse, kids, and mortgage came along. During a heart-to-heart conversation with this old boss, he said a mouthful of words that have stuck with me ever since: “Never come back from a vacation without having your next one planned.”

I remember thinking that was good advice because it gives you something to look forward to. However, that is easier said than done, but a good goal to shoot for. The reality is, hours of focused work turns into days, which turns into weeks, which turns into months. And before you know it, life can get out of balance and you become a prisoner of your own business. Admittedly, there have been times where I have been guilty of this.

No clearer the revelation was when my 6-year-old daughter came home with a school project to proudly deliver to me for Father’s Day. On it were a series of questions that she answered describing her father along with some colorful artwork. It was a cute piece that I could tell she put a lot of work into. Sadly, I got down to the prompt of “My daddy likes to:” and the answer instantly filled my eyes with tears.

She had written down in her awkward 6-year-old handwriting, “W-O-R-K” and my heart sank. This isn’t exactly the memory I want to leave my daughters with. I had to stop and ask myself, “What am I doing?” I knew then something needed to change.

We, as a family, decided to take our “off time” a bit more seriously. We now have family meetings around the dinner table to discuss our plans for the summer and I find that just the discussion helps me stay grounded and keep things into perspective.

I also try to do the little things as well, such as working out of my home when I can, being home when the girls come home from school, or taking five minutes to actually walk them into school. These little things are a big deal for both of us, and I hope it’s making a difference.

As it so happens, that advice I heard when I was just starting my career turned out to be pretty good after all—I guess I just forgot the real meaning for a while.

Rest, recharge, and repeat.

Early on in my business life, I operated my small business as if I were a scared turtle afraid to come out of my shell. I knew I had a good thing going and didn’t want my competitors to take notice for fear they would announce a widget better, faster, or cheaper than me. Figuratively speaking, I thought the roof would collapse on me any second.

In some ways this was good because we treated every customer like it might be our last, but in the long run, we were stunting our growth by not shouting our message to all who would listen.

In hindsight, it was a mistake to operate for so long with that mindset, and I often wonder how things might have been different if I didn’t run my business “under the radar.” I now wonder how many of our small businesses are falling into this same sense of paranoia.

It was only years later that my confidence grew enough to where I was comfortable sponsoring events, being quoted in magazines, or even doing some full-scale advertising. What I didn’t give us credit for in those early days was our level of passion and skill. Not everybody could do what we did, nor did they have the desire.

You see, I was comfortable operating my company—it was uncomplicated to me, and I loved it. “What if others learn how simple this is?” I thought. But what I didn’t realize is that I spent years shaping my craft, and what came as straightforward to me was completely foreign and daunting to others. My customers needed us and they knew it, but ironically, I was the last one to figure it out.

I try to share my stories as much as I can. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I have lots of “experiences” others can learn from. I guess some just learn the hard way.

Yes, of course, hold your business close and incubate it in the vulnerable stages, but break out of that stage as quick as you can and get noticed!

On the cover of this issue is Mike McCreary, owner of Baymeadows Moving and Storage. When I approached Mike about the cover feature, he took a big breath and with quiet confidence said, “We’re ready.” Up until this point, Mike and his sons have been quietly running a successful business for years, purposely attracting as little attention as possible. It was only the recent announcement that his business was accepted into the North American Van Lines network did he feel comfortable with some real exposure.

Good for you, Mike! We hope this feature will make good things happen for your business like it has to others. The teaching point for others here is to find great channel partners, come out of your shell, and experience the growth you are working so hard for.

Brian

I was inspired last week by a story of a local small business looking for a creative way to fire up their team. During a beginning-of-the-year sales meeting, the owners hired some well-known sign spinners.

Now if you aren’t sure what a sign spinner is, you have probably seen them at busy intersections near you. They are the extraordinarily energetic and animated individuals that advertise for their clients by dancing about enthusiastically while proudly holding signs. They apparently lack the part of the brain that governs embarrassment because the better they dance, the happier their employer is.

To break up the monotony of a boring sales meeting, this staffing company invited the sign spinners to get on stage and have a dance off. Armed with Hire Methods signs, they began to do what they do best. The impromptu display of outrageousness was just the trick to lighten the mood and fill the room with laughter. Brilliant, I thought, I never would have thought of that.

It did get me thinking. What can I do that would be different, create a better work environment, or differentiate my business from that of my competitors?

Upon more reflection, I was reminded of numerous examples from individuals I have already learned from.

•Donna Reade at Car-Tech introduces herself to strangers bysaying, “It’s a great place to take a leak.” Once the giggling stops, they will always remember her and her business.

•Frank Wallmeyer of Safegaurd Printing gives away ice scrapers. In fact, it is so odd of an item to leave behind in Florida, he has developed a cult following of sorts—and people know him and his business for it.

•Jason Sadler with iwearyourshirt.com sells advertising space on his body.

Of course, being different is being innovative. For example, one of the reasons we profiled Pet Paradise this issue is not only because Fred Goldsmith, CEO, has surrounded himself with a team of top talent, but also because he found a niche and put a new spin on an old business. Locating a pet boarding house near an airport? Of course, why didn’t I think of that?

Regardless, no industry, no company, and no individual owns the market on unique ideas. There is no finite supply of innovation that can help you grow your business. And the best part is, they don’t have to work! Your customers and employees alike usually appreciate out-of-the-box thinking and not that “follow the herd” mentality.

So what can you do to be different? That’s for you to decide, but in case you were thinking about the inviting-sign-spinners-to-the-business-meeting idea, you are too late, it’s already been done—and we have video to prove it.

What a fun time it was to hang out with the Radiator Barn guys. When I showed up in my tie and jacket, it was clear I was out of place. I was invited by a person I trust to have a conversation with Randy Amos, the latest caretaker of this nearly 60-year-old business.

I wasn’t expecting much and had never previously heard of Radiator Barn. The conversation started simple, Randy and Rob made me feel very welcome and even offered an ample supply of Radiator Barn shirts and hats before we even started. One reason I love my job is because of all the interesting people you meet along the way.

You see, Randy is a genuine guy who is never at a loss for words, but has an understated way of describing his business and accomplishments. He plays this humble, I-made-it-by-accident kind of a guy.

“We do OK for a couple of Westside boys, I guess. We just ship out radiators,” he tells me while shrugging his shoulders. Well, I wasn’t buying it for a minute because underneath that southern-accented, blue-collar guy is a professional that understands supply and demand better than anyone.

This was a smart guy and a true entrepreneur. He is leading a team to continue to transform his predictable, stable, old-fashioned business that works into a nimble Internet distributor that embraces e-commerce.

So why do a feature on Radiator Barn?

Because of their ability to adapt to changing market conditions, and I give them credit. Lake Shore Auto, the original company, was mature. After all, it started in the 1950s. Since that time, they had captured the majority of the market share in the area. But Randy had bigger plans.

Working together with his nephew Rob, of which he gives all the credit, they figured out how to open the door to thousands more customers online. During the pre-interview process, I asked him, “So are you really a marketing company that happens to ship automotive parts?” He was quick to stop me. “No. Just the opposite. We are an auto parts distributor at our core, that also moves product online.” And do they ever.

Rob proceeded to show me his “dashboard” where he controls their multimillion dollar business from a few keystrokes. “Once an order is placed, it pops up here,” he says, pointing to his screen. “I select the warehouse to ship from and it’s done. The customer will have it tomorrow,” Rob declares.

“Pretty impressive. It looks a whole lot easier that producing a monthly business magazine,” I joke.

Of course, a lot of work went into getting this far. They have had their software systems custom designed and track cost per clicks, time spent on site, user behavior, and a host of other graphs and charts that I didn’t even have time to ask him about.

“I can tell when activity drops off for a particular product, something is going on in the marketplace. I start with competitor sites. Maybe they changed their prices?” Rob explains.

Needless to say, this is big business.

So enjoy the article. It was a blast to produce. Keep in mind when you read it what best practices and strategies you might be able to apply to your own business. After all, these “ole Westside boys” might be able to teach you something.

Healthcare continues to be top of mind with business owners we communicate with. At our last workshop about how to spot entrepreneurial opportunities around our recent healthcare legislation, we had a record attendance.

Since that time, we had a game changing election that certainly adds to the uncertainty—at least in the short term. While few would debate our old healthcare system was unsustainable, how to fix it will be a debate that will rage on for a long time.

In the meantime, small businesses have had to make difficult choices.

I had a conversation recently with an entrepreneur that deeply cares for his employees and puts their interests ahead of his own. His most faithful have been with the company for nearly 20 years.

We spoke about how he was forced into a decision to drop ALL healthcare benefits for his crew. He hung his head in disappointment as he struggled to get the words out, visibly distraught. Unfortunately, I have heard this story before.

While the decision was not surprising, the employees’ reaction was. One by one they entered his office and offered their support and understanding. “I kept it going as long as I could,” he said. “They responded, ‘We understand and appreciate the coverage all these years. We are not going anywhere, we are a team.’”

They knew the pain and internal struggle he was having as it was written all over his face. The story left my jaw on the ground. Not the outcome I would have expected, but it only goes to show how much respect they have for one another.

Now, the employees were left to get individual coverage. Unfortunately, more than one didn’t qualify and were left uninsured. To make matters worse, one employee was diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening disease around this same time. Certainly, this was a terrible situation for everyone and it made for a difficult work environment.

I didn’t know what to say, but did the best I could to offer some solutions with companies that fill this niche with stopgap solutions—but it was little consolation. He was conflicted and wanted to do what he felt was right for his employees, but he was out of real options—a difficult dilemma for sure.

At our last conversation, there was some good news. He told me due to savings with other management decisions, he was again able to offer insurance to his employees, but this time, the company was only paying a portion of the premium. While this temporarily solves the problem, it is not a long-term solution. The premiums keep going up.

As the national discussion continues, let’s hope our politicians can come up with a program we all can live with, before it is too late for our small businesses and those who depend on them.

How many of us wouldn’t take immediate action if we knew our product or service just didn’t live up to the standards we set? Lots of effort goes in to acquiring new customers, so when something goes wrong, wouldn’t you want to know?

You bet you would.

We heard about a problem with one of the businesses profiled in a previous issue of ADVANTAGE magazine. I received an e-mail from an upset customer that thought we should know about a poor experience he had with this business.

The e-mail was well-thought out and contained lots of detail, but at the end, it said the occurrence happened more than two years ago! My immediate thought was, “How many people has he told this story to? How much business (money) has this cost the business owner?”

I can only guess thousands—and the worst part is the business didn’t even know about it.

I e-mailed back asking if I could share his comments with the named business owner, reassuring him that if the business had an opportunity to make it right, I am sure it would. Thankfully, he agreed.

Sure enough the business owner was disappointed to hear the negative news, but got right to work crafting a letter and a gift card incentive to get the customer back in the store. A month later, I got an e-mail from them both saying they have patched up the misunderstanding and even traded personal contact information.

Happy ending, right? Not so fast.

While the individual relationship was patched up, the negative comments made to friends and contacts about his negative experience most certainly have paid their toll. Some of those potential customers are lost forever.

How about another recent example where a scared mother had a bad experience at a local urgent care clinic? The doctor misdiagnosed her young child with something considerably more serious than the actual condition. Her emotions came out via Facebook and instantly hundreds of people sympathized with her—and demonized a local small business.

We all make mistakes, and in today’s world you pay for them dearly. The old adage many of us believe is if a consumer has a bad experience they tell 10 people, and those 10 people tell 10 people, and so on.

Well, that’s likely a very old school adage because in a digital world, you are just a few keystrokes away from spreading your discontent with hundreds of people at one time.

Thankfully, this can be in your control. Sadly, we find that customer satisfaction metrics are frequently ignored—probably because we are eager to move on to the next client and build our business. The reality is it is just as important as any of our critical data.

So here is the advice: Slow down and learn from the real-life examples above. They happened in your community. Take time to examine your own customer intelligence systems and see if you have had any less-than-perfect client outcomes.

Focusing and fixing these negative experiences may just pay greater dividends than you think.

Years ago, when I still used a Daytimer, I would feel a bit sad when I removed December from its leather jacket and stowed it away. Taking the last month of the year out of my planner was a bit like saying good-bye to an old friend with whom I had shared fond memories.
As sad as it was to put December away, filling the planner with January was like making a new beginning: Its pages were a clean slate on which I could plan a good future.

My Daytimer has given way to my PDA. But I do keep a paper calendar on my desk, and I have to admit that when I tore off December and tossed it in the trash, I thought, “Good riddance!” 2009 was less than a stellar year for those of us in the small business community. I think I speak for many small business owners in saying that I am very happy to start the new year.

Economists are telling us things are getting better. I hope so. No—I know so. I talk with a lot of small business people, and one thing comes across: optimism for the future. No matter how bad 2009 was, the small business people I know are determined to find a way to succeed—somehow, some way. They are a resilient bunch.

Where do they find the energy to keep going? I can’t speak for everyone, but one way I keep myself energized is to allow myself to dream about what could and will be. Dreaming about success helps me keep my eye on the prize and remember why I spend countless hours in the office, go on so many sales calls, and do the other things that are required to reach my goals. I give myself permission to lose myself in the thought of great achievement.

Daydreaming isn’t something I can turn on just by looking out the car window. The time I prefer to daydream is when I exercise. There is something about getting the blood to flow that makes me come alive and kicks my mind into overdrive. Perhaps it is just the endorphins coursing throughout my body, but as I exercise and dream about better days ahead, I get motivated to act on the dreams—to turn my dreams into actionable goals. And I also realize that every day provides me with one more opportunity to make those dreams come true.

Go ahead and try it: Mentally check out once in a while. Find the “thing” (try exercising!) that will allow you to get lost in your own thoughts and keep your troubles in perspective.  When you punch back into reality, you will be energized and ready to meet your next challenge head on.
As you put your new calendar on your desk, think positive: 2010 is going to be a great year, because we are going to make it one. Keep that thought in mind.

Now, it’s time for me to take a jog.

Until next time,

I have always believed that with enough creative thought and ingenuity, we can always find new solutions to old problems. That’s an important concept, because if you think about the core of your business, what you do is to provide solutions to your clients’ problems. In other words, clients come to you to buy your products or services because they have a problem that needs to be fixed, and you have a specialized solution (one you have worked hard to perfect) for them.

Now think about this: You yourself probably have more than one problem. So do your customers. What if you (and your employees) took the time to ask a few probing questions to uncover more of your customers’ challenges? Would you be able to solve those problems, too?  Maybe.  Think for a moment the benefit probing about problems could have on your top line. Offering another solution could add perhaps 10%, maybe even 20% to the average invoice.

I’m reminded of something the owners of a surveillance company recently told me. They said that simple observation of staff behavior could identify teachable moments.

For example, if you were to sit back, watch, and listen, would you observe employees on the phone saying, “No, we don’t do that,” or “We don’t have that in stock” and then hang up the phone?
You would probably be greatly disturbed if you observed that happening in your business. After all, you have put lots of sweat equity and money into making your business phones ring. Unfortunately, however, that type of scenario does happen every day.

Since we are talking about solutions, the solution to employees’ saying no is to create a “yes” culture within your business. (You might even consider banning the word “no”!) The benefit to that culture is enormous: Creating a “yes” culture can force you to find more solutions for customers problems (that is, to get into different lines of business), which then can result in more revenue opportunities than you ever before considered. Using the simple “yes and….” technique can help you evolve from being a “one trick” business.

Granted, making good on your “yes” promises takes extra effort. Outsourcing, shipping overnight priority, hiring new talent, and even taking extra calculated risks may be required.  But it’s good for you, and it’s a strategy.

So here is my challenge: Start today to create a “yes” environment. The way to start? At the top, with you, and cascade it to all your employees. We are in an ever-changing business environment, and success depends upon business evolution. Think of it this way: If you don’t establish a “yes” culture, you most certainly will pass up a revenue opportunities and maybe worse: You may drive your customers to your competitor.

Until next time,

It’s been well over two years since I had been to one of my favorite sandwich spots at the beach. For several years, when my office was in another location, I used to frequent Sun Deli on 3rd St. in Jacksonville Beach. Although it doesn’t have a lot of frills, it does have individuality, unlike the corporate homogeny of sandwich and coffee shop chains such as Panera and Starbucks.

The Sun Deli formula is quite simple: They offer quality sandwiches at a fair price and fast service. When I say fast, I mean really fast service.
Diners are welcome to stay and read the newspaper and mix with beach locals if they want, but they shouldn’t expect to do so in luxury. The hard chairs are purely for function.

I remember when I visited the restaurant for the first time in 1998. Each of three very friendly people warmly greeted me. I later found out they were all family. After just one visit, Barbara—the owner, mom and head cashier—remembered my order. Every visit after that she would ask, “A Gnarly Charlie with no mayo today, Brian?” Since I am a creature of habit, I would nod “yes” almost every time.

(If you have never been to Sun Deli, a “Gnarly Charlie” is named after a local surfing legend. It is a delightful combination of meat, cheeses, and vegetables and is served toasted or cold. Try it; you’ll like it.)
Career and family have put me in other parts of town now, and I don’t get to the Beaches as often as I used to, but I think about Sun Deli from time to time and hoped it was doing well. Our economic climate has been especially tough for our friends in the restaurant business, particularly lunch-only spots like this eatery.

One day last week, business appointments caused me to be in the area of Sun Deli. Although it was only 11 a.m. and not quite lunchtime, I decided to stop in.

To my delight, when I walked in I found the place just as it had always been. Same tables, chairs, and pictures on the wall. I was surprised at the unexpected emotional effect walking into the deli had on me. It instantly brought back great memories of a less complicated time in my life when I was more concerned about beach weather than profit margins. The nostalgia felt good.

As I approached the counter, there was Barbara with a familiar smirk on her face. In her best sarcastic tone she said, “You look a lot like Brian Barquilla, a guy that used to visit our small business all the time.”
I smiled, embarrassed that I had been away for so long. More than two years had passed since I had stood before her. Her next words spoke volumes on how much she cares about me and values my business.
“ Gnarly Charlie with no Mayo today, Brian?”
It made me feel warm in side. What I really I heard was, “Welcome back. We missed you.”

Until next time,

Like most of you, I eat, drink, breathe, and live my business. It’s a true passion from which I derive much satisfaction. But, I’ve found that if I allow it to consume me 24/7, it can wreck havoc on my personal life with family and friends. So, I try to unplug on weekends and focus on other things, not the least of which is my family, the source of my strength.
I would like to share an interesting family experience the other day. On a rainy Saturday morning—the kind that lulls you into sleeping late— my two little daughters, ages 5 and 2, barged into our bedroom. The 5-year-old didn’t want to be put off by the gloomy day; she wanted to know what we could do for fun.

My wife and I thought about the possibilities. Outdoor activities were out, because of the weather. What could we do? Then I remembered: Earlier that week I had been to a meeting of the Professional Women’s Council (PWC) of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. There I met David Durrett, owner and founder of YesYouCanvas (www.yesyoucanvas.com). He is an artist who has made painting a fun activity for anyone—from children through adults. As an artist, he wanted to make others as excited about art as he was, so he opened a business where he teaches painting in a relaxed class structure. He welcomes both experienced and novice learners—from little kids to adults.

His teaching method is simple: He provides everything the budding painter needs—from paints, to canvass, to smocks—and guides the class step-by-step to paint a picture they can take home and frame. When I visited his Web site, I was impressed with his organization and efficiency. You can even book a class online.

Our 5-year-old is very much interested in painting and the arts, so I suggested that my wife take her to explore her talents at the YesYouCanvas location at 6012 San Jose Boulevard.
. It was a win-win suggestion: While mommy and No. 1 daughter had time together, I would get some much needed daddy-daughter time with our 2 year old.

After a few hours, the mommy-daughter duo returned, and our little one proudly showed me her masterpiece—a handsome spotted giraffe. Talking a mile-a-minute, she took me through the step-by-step process: “First, I drew a circle here,” she said. “Then I carefully colored in the yellow.” When she finished her narrative, she said she was going to take her painting to “show and tell” at school on Monday. I immediately saw how the experience had boosted her confidence and opened her eyes to a whole new world.

All thanks to a local small business.
My wife later explained in more detail how supportive and patient David was with the kids in the class as he showed them how to paint the picture. For our family, it was a great experience and a great $20 investment.

Just another example of how small business fills a void—especially on a cold rainy day.

Until next time,

It seems my letters from the publisher have taken on a life of their own. The warm comments I get around town give me great joy and inspiration. I find bringing attention (and hopefully good fortune) to small businesses not expecting it is fun and very rewarding.

One of my fishing buddies recently sent me a link to a remarkable photo. Some discussion ensued among the recipients of the photo about its origination. As it turns out, the photo was taken locally. The picture was so well done, I had to know more. After a few calls to get to the source, I learned the story. To me, it’s fascinating, because it pinpoints the moment when an entrepreneur was born.

Not many of us can isolate the day—let alone the minute and place—we started life as an entrepreneur. For James Vernacotola it was February 8, 2010, at 4:41 a.m., atop the Palm Valley Bridge.

James has always loved photography and sharing pictures of family and friends through Internet-based sites. He even dreamed one day he would turn professional, and people would actually pay him to take photographs. But the time and risk involved to make that dream come dream always pushed it into the background. He didn’t think it would ever happen. But, then, along came February 8.

In the early morning hours, when it was still dark and only 31 degrees outside, James hauled his equipment to the Palm Valley Bridge and climbed up to the exact spot he had planned for the photo shoot of NASA’s last scheduled space shuttle launch. With just seven minutes to spare, he made final preparations. As the countdown ended, he opened the shutter.

The click of the camera was the start of his professional photography career.
“Three times before I had been through this exercise—two other rocket launches and a scrubbed shuttle takeoff. “Each time I learned a little something as I practiced for this shot,” he explained to me. He learned a lot. The shot came out spectacularly—so much so it took on a life of its own as he sent it to friends and family, thanks to Internet technology.
As we continued our chat, I congratulated him on the photo’s celebrity status. He explained he has received comments, compliments, requests, and suggestions from around the world. “It’s been amazing” he said. NASA even posted the picture on its homepage and named it, ‘Waterway to Orbit;”

As we spoke, I couldn’t help but think of Woody Allen’s famous quote “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” How literally true that was for James. If he had been just seconds late or if he had decided it was too cold outside and too early to get out of bed that morning, his rendezvous with fate would have passed him by.

“I didn’t know this photo would launch my professional second career, but with all the notoriety, the time is now!” he told me.
So, with his signature piece published here, we are proud to introduce to our readers James Vernacotola Photography. High resolution images can be purchase at www.JamesVernacotola.com

Congratulations, James. Way to go, creating your own luck!

Until next time,

This issue of Advantage: The Resource for Small Business marks our first anniversary. I can’t believe a year has gone by since we put the first issue in the mail. As anniversaries are prone to do, I have become nostalgic as I reflect on how this magazine came about.

I’ve always considered myself a “small business guy”—my loose definition of those individuals who pour their hearts, souls—and yes—money into building a future for themselves and their families. Being a small business guy (or gal) comes with no guarantees, a roller coaster ride of emotions, and lots of stress. But, the rewards are great, such as knowing you are in control of your financial future, being able to attend your kids’ dance recitals, and not having to ask for permission to make a decision.

I believe a small business guy is also one who lives the adage, “It is much better to try and fail, than to not try at all.”

About two years ago, I invited some close friends and business owners to dinner. The occasion was not social; it was to share our experiences as business owners and to learn from the wisdom of the group. With each of us representing different industries, we discussed major business decisions on the horizon, employee issues, and vendor relationships. The dinner meeting went so well, we agreed to get together monthly. The fresh perspective from accomplished peers was extraordinarily valuable—so valuable in fact, that it ultimately gave birth to a new business concept: Advantage: The Resource for Small Business.

Advantage’s formative mission was to share the best practices of other successful business owners in a format that fostered learning. So, after some careful planning and assembling the team, we launched this magazine just one year ago.

The Advantage team aims to find and bring to you the experiences and accomplishments of the smartest and most successful small business people in the greater Jacksonville area—your peers—so that you can learn from them and make your own business better.

The last 12 months have been some of the most rewarding of my career, bringing a satisfaction not achieved by money alone. Hundreds of people have attended our live events, and thousands have logged on to our Web site or have read our publications.

I have so many people to thank for the growing success of Advantage: the vendors who are willing to share their expertise in guest columns and as expert sources in articles; the business owners who welcome our cameras and writers into their offices when we profile them; the Advantage team—Linda, Jessica, Josie, our contributing editors and photographers—who work tirelessly to turn words and images into a high quality product month after month; and our clients, who are the economic engine that give us the opportunity to effect change.

And most of all, I want to thank you—our readers. Without you, we are nothing.

Until next time,

What a whirlwind month. I must say that after attending the Small Business Week celebration luncheon May 13, I was energized for weeks. This signature event has become one of my favorite business gatherings of the year.  Something about the passion of the business owners who receive recognition for their hard work gives others the extra motivation to push forward.

One of the reasons I enjoy this event so much is because of the magic that happens behind the scenes. This year’s guest speaker was Warren Brown. Educated as an attorney, Warren quickly found that although his profession was rewarding in many ways, it could never provide him the creative outlet he craved.

To fulfill that creativity need, he started baking cakes for friends and family. Soon he found himself deviating from published recipes. Some combinations worked and others didn’t. Over time he had some sure winners, and he found demand for his signature cakes began to grow. His creations were the outcome of his passion. Today that passion is shared with viewers on his television shows CakeLove and Sugar Rush on the Food Network. He has also appeared on Oprah.

Before the luncheon began, Cathy Hagan, a certified analyst at the Small Business Development Center, found me to tell me what she had just witnessed: One of the luncheon’s attendee’s, Elizabeth, who is owner of A Sweet to Eat (www.asweettoeat.com), had had a conversation with Warren.

As the owner of a recently opened bakery, Elizabeth was excited to meet an entrepreneur who has had extraordinary success in her industry. As they talked, they both learned they had a lot in common. Just as Warren had left law to become a baker, she left a successful career in the retail food industry to study baking at two elite institutes in New York. Then she returned to Jacksonville to follow her dream of opening an international bake shop, just as Warren had opened his bakeries.

As the brief conversation was ending a few moments before Warren was to make his way on stage, he asked if he could visit the bakery before his flight out of town. Elizabeth was ecstatic to have him visit.
When I heard about this, I had to be a spectator.  I went along to Elizabeth’s shop and took a few photos as they chatted about four-quart mixers and convection ovens. The real value was the inspiration provided each other.
The collaboration between these two creative minds was intriguing to watch. I couldn’t help but think of the ingredient many of us in business never find—passion. You could tell these people care more about their craft than their checkbook.

The lesson for me was clear. Pick what you are passionate about and do it 100%. The financial rewards are simply a by-product.

I think everyone gained something that day. Warren earned my respect for investing his time in developing one of our small businesses—something he did not need to do.  Elizabeth gained a lot—especially emotionally—from the time she spent with Warren. And even Warren got something out of the day: Elizabeth taught him how to make chocolate -covered popcorn—an idea he had never before considered.

Until next time,

In the course of running the business side of Advantage, I encounter many owners of a variety of different kinds of businesses. It seems that at every organized event and chance meeting, I hear success stories and meet the people behind those successes. Sadly, I also hear many stories of failures resulting in business closings.

What makes some companies succeed while others fall by the wayside? Many factors come into play—from having the right product or service at the right time (or the wrong product at the wrong time!), to planning well and working the plan. Although it is not always possible to identify the factors that lend themselves to a specific success or failure, one thing has become apparent to me: Successful businesses are run by individuals who realize they never know as much as they need to.

Stephen Covey calls this type of humility “sharpening the saw.” To me, however, understanding (and accepting) that you don’t know as much as you need to know is really the only way to stay ahead of your competition.
And make no mistake: Every business—no matter how large or how small—has competition. And the goal of each of your competitors is to steal your customers!

The cold, harsh reality of running a business is all about understanding and outdoing the competition.

Earlier in my career, when I consulted with business owners, I tended to mind my words more carefully. I think I wrapped them up in nurturing vocabulary as I encouraged business owners toward their success goals. Now, I am much more direct, and my advice is straightforward: Now is the time to be open to new ideas, step outside your comfort zone, and learn new ways to stay ahead of the game. If you don’t, you’ll become a dinosaur, a creature that did not change when change needed to me made.

An example of leaving your comfort zone and blazing a new trail is with social networking. Social networking sites have exploded in popularity. When I hear business owners say, “Oh, I just don’t get it!” or “I don’t care about Facebook,” I feel sorry for them. What they don’t realize is their businesses are slowly taking a back seat to those whose owners have the courage to try new things. Technology waits for no one. If you doubt me, consider this: The text generation is growing up thinking that e-mail is for old people!

I know it is inconvenient to register for an online course, sit through a workshop, compare notes with your peers, and take the time to keep yourself up-to-date. But do you have a choice?

Becoming knowledgeable gives you the edge you need. I prefer to learn about dinosaurs by going to the Museum of Science and History—not by reading about their demise…

Until next time,