The Not So Secret Path For Business Success, And Tools to Get You There

If you’ve ever watched ABC’s “Shark Tank” you’d agree that the true value for a business owner to take on investors isn’t really about the money. Let’s face it, in a financial pinch, most of us could probably resort successfully to the famous three Fs of finance: Family, Friends, and Fools.

The elements that make investors worthwhile are their contacts, their industry experience, and more importantly, their business knowledge. Here’s how Mark Cuban, a self-made billionaire and regularly an investor on Shark Tank, puts it: “entrepreneurs don’t fail for lack of resources, it’s their lack of brains.” That’s not to say we entrepreneurs are somehow less smart or unimaginative, but it does reinforce the idea that we don’t know it all and, like professional athletes, we too must to go back to basics regularly to acquire new insights and new knowledge.

Just this morning, GE released findings from its annual survey on innovation; and business education topped the list of priorities among entrepreneurs.

To that end, I recently came across the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative, and not only is the program measuring its success by the companies it grows, plus business genius Warren Buffett is involved — best of all — it’s a free opportunity. Of course you must meet certain criteria, but it’s simple.

Here’s what I have on the program: The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million investment to help small businesses create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. The program is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that greater access to this combination of education, capital and support services best addresses barriers to growth.

If you’re in Southern California, the criteria to be eligible is:

• Applicant must be an owner or co-owner of a business
• Business in operation for at least two years
• Business revenues between $150,000 and $4.0 million in the most recent fiscal year
• At least 4 employees (including the owner)

Again, it’s a free program, please take advantage. Here’s where to sign up:
http://socal10ksb.com/apply/selection-criteria/

If this program isn’t for you, make somebody’s year and share it with them.

Stop Networking! How to Bring Connections To You

From a post by Yanik Silver of Young Entrepreneur Council, published September 27, 2012

5 ways to turn yourself into an authentic connector who is valuable to anyone’s network:

1. Don’t hog the spotlight. Connectors understand the necessity of creating value for others. If you want to be in the middle of the action, you must seek ways to enhance the lives of those surrounding you. The best connectors I know are extremely generous with introductions where they make sense. One of my favorite questions is, “What are you most excited about right now?” From that answer, I know who I can hook that person up with.

2. Be valuable. People value connectors for what they provide in terms of interaction and resource. In some cases, it’s because they create a space to bring together an elite group. And the person who is that “hub” is remembered when business deals are coming together. After all, how did these people get to the table in the first place? I’m always getting notes back or hearing from attendees of my seminar about deals they’ve created. Sometimes, they give me credit when I didn’t directly introduce them.

3. Be calendar-worthy. Everyone already has too much on their plates and their calendars, so why should they attend or be part of something you create? Anyone can start meetup groups, dinner meetings, or curated events, but it takes some creative energy to make the event worth attending. Once you have people’s attention, you can stop networking and truly start connecting.

4. Let loose. This connectivity needs to be genuine and fun—I may or may not have been known to don a green Speedo or dress up as a circus ringleader on occasion. However, that might not work for everyone. The appeal is in the authenticity of the fun, so it’s important to find your natural personality and allow it come through in your dealings.

5. Play mediator. I work with many entrepreneurs with type A personalities, so there’s inevitably some jockeying for top positions. When facilitating at a session, there’s a fine line between guaranteeing that everyone offers input and knowing when someone needs to be dialed down. If a situation requires you to step up, it’s best to start with humor and work toward a more direct approach when “calling someone out.” If one of the members takes too long with the microphone, I might hit a gong or shoot the person with a Nerf gun. He gets the point, and the crowd gets a laugh.

For a list of networking events, check out our calendar at: www.conex360.com

Good Food L.A. + [INFOGRAPHIC]

This post is about getting you involved with the Good Food Day LA project, a citywide event and day of service dedicated to learning about, celebrating and volunteering to strengthen the food system for all Angelenos. The event simultaneously brings together nearly forty sites and thousands of volunteers and participants who will be engaged in activities throughout Los Angeles – and you can learn about them and sign-up to participate here.

Good Food Day LA culminates in the afternoon at the Metabolic Studio, near Chinatown and will feature a resource fair, food trucks, chef demonstrations, and a cabbage cooking contest called “From Kim Chee to Cole Slaw” which will be judged by Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold and several renowned chefs. It will be followed by a panel discussion at 1pm focused on the fight for food workers’ rights and Fair Food across the globe.

For me, this is an opportunity to empower our community to take charge of our food supply. When we become the food producers, not just the consumers, we indirectly promote healthier lifestyles that prevent debilitating diseases, while saving money and the planet by getting our produce from our own backyards. Plus, I’m convinced there is nothing fresher, tastier, or more gratifying than growing our own food.

The infographic below is a baseline assessment of our current relationship with food:

There are more than 50 personal and professional development events on the Conexion calendar; just click here or follow us on Facebook.

Thanks for reading.
Cheers to good health!
Edgar

3 Wow Factors to Producing Kick-butt Events

From Avatar Star to Modern Family Mom to Superstar Director, they were in one place...

Last year alone, our company produced or co-produced more than 50 events, and over 250 since the business was founded just five years go. Before making the entrepreneurial jump, I had the daunting task and delight of producing events that included two U.S. Presidents (at separate times) and Fortune-100 CEOs as keynotes.
The point is, I’ve learned that no matter the type, the fundamentals of producing a kick-butt event that audiences are willing to travel and pay good money for are the same. I call these fundamentals the “wow factors.” Here they are in order of importance:

Latino Americans: Social Engagement

We gladly share with you a witty infographic highlighted at last Thursday’s KPCC One Nation event; “Real and Virtual Worlds: A Forum On Today’s Latino Americans,” and take this opportunity to thank Giovanni Rodriguez (@giorodriguez), Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, Deloitte Postdigital Enterprise; Fernando Guerra, Director, Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University; and our moderator and KPCC reporter, Adolfo Guzman-Lopez (@aguzmanlopez).

For a one minute video recap of the event, click here.
Stay tuned for upcoming events by following our calendar at CONEXION.