If you’ve got hundreds, or thousands, of people in your area that share common interests, why not engage the local businesses and partner together to host events, shows, and festivals? Not only will this bring the businesses revenue from their local (and hopefully regional) patrons, it also shows the community that they don’t need to drive 40 minutes to do something fun. Bringing in regional artists and musicians will help the community remember why art and music are important in our school systems. The arts promote creativity, innovation, and raw emotion. These are characteristics that one carries for a lifetime and are applicable in all different arenas of life.  I am a big fan of all different types of art.  I find things to be art that others might not.  And I truly appreciate it when people take action and create their art in various forms.

Being a part of a smaller community, I’ve decided to help take action and try to help the arts regain that traction that was once great. To do my part, I’m helping put on regularly occurring shows with some regional (and even international!) artists. We’ve got a great venue, art gallery, and recording studio in Indiana (not to mention The Sisters’ Tea & Eatery!) that all come together to make great things happen.  It’s $5 at the door, and there are great local eateries within walking distance that will fill your stomach with their specialties. It’s a great way to reconnect with friends as well as discover the undiscovered.  This month we’ve got The Great Flood Catastrophe, The Rendition, The Jill Hagen Band, and From the Rooftop.  Not only will you get to see and hear some great music, you’ll also witness the visual art of Sayaka Ganz, Angela Leed and Adam Parsons.

I encourage you to do the same in your community. Talk with your local businesses and artists and see what kind of ideas are floating around. Sometimes all it takes is a few like minds to get together. Before you know it you’ve got more on your plate then you can handle and are forced to bring in more people to help make everything happen. It’s a beautiful thing and a good problem to have. If you’re in the northern Indiana region and want to find out how you can help, let me know!  The most simple of ways that you can help make an impact is by going to the local events, shows, and businesses. Just showing up is more than enough support. Let me hear your thoughts about ways to help impact the local communities, businesses and arts!

Cheers,

Josh Walker

Lead by example. Cliche?  Yes.  False?  No.  If you take just one thing away from this, let it be that.  If you set the standard that you’d like to see carried out, you can’t ask for much more.   When a person is working under another person, the subordinate might feel as though they could do the job better.  It’s up to you, the leader, to show your subordinates that you are in the position because of your experience, expertise, judgement, and general leadership abilities.  You don’t have to say all of this; you need to show them through your work and example.

Add value to the relationship. I know that most people are overworked and underpaid.  I also know that I’d take a slight pay cut in exchange for an awesome team to work with.  The value that you can give someone in a working relationship often times exceeds the value of a bonus or more cash.  How do you feel at night when you lay your head down?  Are you happy with your coworkers and team members?  If so, you probably don’t worry about the fact that you don’t get paid X.  You go to bed happy and satisfied with the work your team is able to accomplish and look forward to growth and relationships.  However, if you’re unhappy with them, that’s probably all you think about.  About how you don’t get paid enough to put up with it.  Adding value can mean a lot of different things to different people.  It can be as simple as making the morning rounds with your coffee and just chatting with each person individually about how their week is going.  Listening to them.  Remembering what’s going on in their life.  Or, it can be something like taking the money set aside for you to get a new work computer and using that to take the team out for drinks and a show after a long day at work.  Doing something to show your team that you value them and their time just as much if not more than you value your own speaks volumes about your leadership mentality.

Listen. And repeat.  And repeat .  And repeat.  And repeat.  Okay, I think you get the point.  Make it a personal mantra for yourself as a leader.  Your team has boots on the ground and they know what is happening better than you.  You can read all the reports and sit in on all the meetings you want to.  You’ll get so much more information and feedback over an informal lunch with a couple people in regular discussion than in a meeting with charts, presentations, and 20 people.  It’s all about building relationships with those people and helping them feel comfortable enough with you to be honest.  To build their trust in you that they feel as though they can rely on you to do right by the team.  You have to constantly be listening.  And hearing.  And attempting to understand where they’re coming from.  If you do this, your team will know they can come to you, count on you, and rely on you.

Being able to build a team that trusts you and will support you is not always easy.  But if you’re honest with them and you show then that you care, that will go very far in gaining trust from them.  You need to show a willingness to sacrifice.  You need to be real with them.  And never hold your power over their heads.  This being a short post, there are obviously many more ways to be successful with your team.  These are just a short few examples I’ve learned over the years.  I encourage you to find ways to bring value to relationships.  And comment any stories or experiences you had.  I’d love to hear them.

When it comes to Indiana FHA mortgages, Dave Woodson is the person to contact.  He deals with mortgages on a daily, even hourly (sometimes by-the-minute) basis.  If you follow Dave Woodson on Twitter, you’ll see that he is consistently providing people with the most up-to-date and breaking news regarding the indiana mortgage rates.  Dave not only helps you stay in tune with what’s going on with mortgages, he can also help people in Indiana that need to refinance their mortgage.

I know that this was the first house that we’ve purchased.  While the process for us wasn’t too difficult or confusing (we had some great help), I highly recommend Dave for anybody that is looking for a Northwest Indiana mortgage broker or an expert on Indiana FHA regulations.  He knows his stuff.  On top of being an expert in his field, he’s a nice guy.  After you’ve been through the process of purchasing a home with him, I am assured that you’ll remain friends years to come.

If you’d like to find out some more information on NW Indiana FHA mortgages, you can also go to his website, The Mad Mortgage Machine.  There you’ll find even more information on FHA mortgages, rates, and anything relating to Indiana mortgage.  He is great about using video and blog posts to keep people informed and educated.  Dave picks up where the others leave off.

Be sure to check back next week for another post about someone from Indiana that you should get to know.  Because while timing is everything, relationships are key.

We all know it’s the latest buzz.  Being green.  Saving the environment.  Saving money.  Reduce, reuse, recycle.  Everywhere you look you’ll see products and packaging details how environmentally friendly it is or how it is made of recycled materials, etc.

I completely believe in recycling our waste.  However, we need to keep in mind that just because something is recycled doesn’t mean it’s always great for the environment.  There is a ripple-effect of sorts involved in the recycling process.

For instance, you have a brand new paper bag.  You use it and put it in the recycle bin.  It gets picked up and shipped off.  That requires fuel in the truck that is transporting it and hourly wages for the driver.  You did the right thing by recycling, but now that brown paper bag is riding in the back of a big diesel truck emitting all sorts of stuff into the air.

Once it does get to the plant, it takes energy to take an object, break it down, and reform it into a new, usable product.  This required energy has to come from somewhere.  Coal, wind, hydro, and geothermal are some options.  I’ll let you guess which source is the largest.  Basically, in order to recycle something (like a paper bag) it often takes more energy to recycle it than to just make a new one.  We need to be better educated about the process and not just buy a bottle of water because it has a white and green label that says it uses less plastic.  (On top of that, a lot of companies will charge slightly more because the consumer is usually okay with paying more if it has a positive effect)

Here’s a quick breakdown of a plastic bag vs a paper bag and the energy it takes to recycle; you’ll see that producing and recycling a paper bag actually has more of an impact on the environment than a paper bag (assuming both are recycled – however, if left in a landfill, the paper bag will breakdown much quicker, thereby leaving the plastic bag to have more of an overall impact):

ENERGY TO PRODUCE BAG ORIGINALLY (BTUs)
Safeway Plastic Bags: 594 BTUs
Safeway Paper Bags: 2511 BTUs
(Source: 1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry.)

ENERGY TO RECYCLE PACKAGE ONCE (BTUs)
Safeway Plastic Bags: 17 BTUs
Safeway Paper Bags: 1444 BTUs
Source: 1989 Plastic Recycling Directory, Society of Plastics Industry.

I have become very interested in this particular topic of energy costs as related to recycling.  This is something to think about.  More on the way…

Your old/new friend goes on to describe their dilemma and the fact that they actually happen to have a great need for your “XYZ” service.  So the two of you decide to schedule a time to get together for coffee to talk about how you can collaborate.  You go home happy that you’re just a cup of joe away from sealing another deal and making a couple bucks, all the while getting to help an old/new friend.

As time leads up to the meeting, you quickly jot down a couple of ideas and points that you really want to hit before the deed is done.  Things like overall cost, timeline, and other details.  You might even go so far as to search Google, Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In for your old/new friend.  You make a mental note of any sort of news or related data that would be useful.  And you grab your keys and wallet and head out the door.

The meeting couldn’t have gone better; you talked to them about how you could benefit them, and they expressed a lot of interest in having your help.  They give you an outline of what they’re looking for and ask you that dreaded question, “So, how much will that cost?”

Think before you answer.  You have approximately 17 milliseconds to decide the fate of you and your old/new friend’s new business (and personal) relationship.  The next words to come out of your mouth may very well be what dictates the coming weeks and months of your business with this person.  The road leading you to this fork was inevitible.  However, you are now forced to make a decision.  It will play out one of two ways:

Pathway 1: Your old/new friend has just asked you how much it will cost for you to provide them with “XYZ.”  The friend side of you is trying to justify doing it for cheap.  You don’t want to scare them, offend them, or confuse them.  You certainly don’t want to say something that may cause them to never talk to you again.  And your professional side is vying for your attention, all the while screaming, “Full and normal cost structure!  Charge them what it’s worth!”  You weigh the two against each other and come out somewhere in the middle.

You’ve decided that you will respond to your old/new friend and tell them it will cost $XXX.  The look on their face implies satisfaction mixed with a hint of surprise (that it’s so cheap).  You both shake hands and part ways, happy that you’ve left the meeting at an agreement.

The outcome:  You were forced to give a response.  This is typical of an asked question.  You chose to give a response that had a figure attached to it.  Not good. By breaking under the pressure of a required response, you sold yourself short and gave them an unnecessary discount simply because you felt rushed.  You probably felt that if you told them you couldn’t quote them right then and there that you might lose the sale.  The fact that you’re sitting with them and they’re your old/new friend should tell you that they aren’t going anywhere.  If you would have gone with Pathway 2 it would have shown them another level of professionalism and efficiency.

Pathway 2:  Your old/new friend has just dropped the “How Much?” bomb on you and this is just your first meeting to discuss the simple possibility of even taking on the project.  You were certainly not prepared to actually tell them how much it would cost; you did, however, come to the meeting knowing what ballpark you would charge them, assuming the project fell within the guidelines that you had previously deduced from talking and researching.

If you’ve chosen this pathway, you won’t even attempt to run the numbers in your head.  Instead, you let them know that there is a bit more criteria that you’ll need to gather from them and that you’ll then be able to let them know your quote.  Tell them, “Right now is just too soon to affix a cost.  I need to know a little more about your project and needs to be able to accurately and confidently quote it.” This shows them that you’re serious and interested.  It also shows them that you don’t run headfirst into anything before analyzing the costs, risks, and benefits of a project.

The outcome: After you’ve responded and they’ve shown their understanding, you set up another meeting, either over the phone or in person.  This meeting is specifically to nail down the fine details that will dictate your price.  Then, after you’ve left the meeting and had time to evaluate your notes and estimate your time, money, energy, materials, and other costs, you will give them an official proposal.  This proposal outlines everything from the overall project, how to accomplish the clients goals, a real and actual cost, and an associated timeline.  This is something real and concrete that they can refer back to.

Time goes by and you’ve made it halfway through the project.  You realize that it’s taking longer to accomplish or more of your resources.  Looking back at the proposal (that you both signed), you recall the part that says the overall cost may be affected by unforeseen expenses, needs, and such.  You contact the old/new friend and explain the situation and they pay you accordingly.  The job is soon finished and all parties are happy with the outcome.

If, instead, you were to go with Pathway 1 and just a handshake (you’re old/new friends after all, right?), you end up putting in double the hours you’d originally anticipated and can’t go to the old/new friend and ask them for more money because there was no original agreement in writing.  With nothing to refer back to, you can’t alter the original cost, timeline, or terms.  You’ve effectively shot yourself in the foot.  Good job.

Try using both.  A proposal and a handshake.  We’re real people doing real business, after all.

How do you communicate and interact with clients both old and new?  Is it down and dirty or professional and efficient?  Or a mix of both?

When we lived in Arizona and Missouri, anytime we’d come to Indiana to visit family it would all be planned out with dates, times, and locations.  We knew where we were going and who we were seeing.  It was usually tiring, due to the non-stop scheduling, but we were always able to see everybody we needed or wanted to.

The south, however, seems to be different.  Time moves a bit slower, and things just aren’t quite as attached to deadlines.  At times I appreciate this.  Being on vacation is nice, and I don’t really want to have a full schedule.  Rather, I’d prefer to just hang out and see people as time allows.  Obviously, there are always a couple of big plans made, but I like having a buffer of time where we can relax and slow down.

On another note, I believe that only two people on my dad’s side of the family knows that we’re vegetarian.  And I’m not about to call up my grandfather and drop that bomb on him the day before Thanksgiving!  Instead, we’ll do what we usually do at family get-togethers and eat from the abundance of side dishes and appetizers.  We aren’t the kind of vegetarians that shove our beliefs down people’s throats and make sure everybody knows.  We don’t want people to go out of their way for us.  Instead, we just let it come up in conversation when and if they notice it, and then briefly explain why we make the choices we do.  Simple and kind.

This holiday, I am reminded to be thankful for my wife who stands beside me at all times, my extended family and friends, and the ability and opportunity to do what I love.  I am thankful for love and hope that one day more people will understand this concept.

What are you thankful for?  Sometimes we forget to think about these things.  Slow down a bit and reflect.

The one major issue I see with Balmer’s claim is this: digital media, whether newsletters, blogs, websites, streaming video and audio, or regular websites are considerably lower maintenaince than brick-and-mortar establishments.  Hand-in-hand with that is lower costs.  So, yes, I can completely see why we would want to go all digital.  However, there are still hundreds of thousands of people worldwide that do not have stable and consistent internet access.  So, much would be lost in that transition.  In addition, and more importantly, huge numbers of jobs would be lost.  A newspaper that employs 150 people and 25 paperboys could not afford to keep them all on when they transitioned from physical format to the digital format.  This would greatly affect the local economy as well as the national economy.

In their defense, I’m sure Microsoft has done it’s research.  I would hope so, anyway.  I highly doubt I am the first to see any holes in this great idea.  When I say that, I say it with sincerity.  I would love to see more digital content as opposed to physical content.  It would be much better for the environment and more cost effective.  Another thing to think about is that many people will always prefer an actual book with pages compared to a digital copy on a computer screen.

Thoughts?  Comments?

Anyway, I was just browsing this wonderful thing called the World Wide Web the other night and came across an article that Hole frontwoman Courtney Love had written.  She voices many frustrations, the largest of them the way that the RIAA and major labels take advantage of artists.

I think it’s interesting how you have this mainstream rock artist who many people have idolized over the years and she is not happy with her situation in the least.  But most average people would never hear about that.