It’s been an amazing year for Parmasters Waterloo Region. We formed the company and purchased the franchise. We tied the next ten years of our lives to the good ship Parmasters. And happily so. I believe 2006 will be remembered as a very important year.
And with the end of 2006, springs the beginning of 2007. We will sign a lease and begin construction. Membership marketing and sales will follow. As will lots of training, interviewing and hiring. And then we’ll be into the whirlwind of opening and our early days in operation.
And hopefully, before we end 2007, profitability. Yes, a lofty goal. You heard it here first. It’s entirely possible. Certainly difficult, but also quite possible. We’ll have our answer in just over 365 days.
Two more days of RnR, and then it’s back to work. I’ve been catching up on my journals, and doing a quite a bit of strategic thinking. I’ve also been playing with my boys, watching some movies with my wife, and generally putting my feet up. I’m just now starting to unwind, and actually feel relaxed. It’s taken six days!
I’ll close with words that inspire me, and hopefully you.
Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise; risking more than others think is safe; dreaming more than others think is practical and expecting more than others think is possible. -unknown
All the very best in 2007 and beyond!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
My blogging will undoubtedly slow down as we lead up to Christmas and New Years Day. It’s a time of celebration, family and friendship.
In fact, I am currently planning to take next week off. No work. I haven’t decided if that includes blogging or not.
Saturday was busy. Just one meeting, but I’m also trying to get several things done, in preparation for January and beyond. We’re preparing offers to lease on two buildings, and considering a third. Once lease offers are in place, I will have much more activity on a weekly basis.
Sunday will be a final push to put everything in place before January. After that, I’ll take a week off. Time to sharpen the saw, as Stephen Covey says.
For all Christians, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Fruitful New Year. For all of you of other faiths, may you enjoy any holidays you take, and also of course have a very Happy and Fruitful New Year.
In fact, I am currently planning to take next week off. No work. I haven’t decided if that includes blogging or not.
Saturday was busy. Just one meeting, but I’m also trying to get several things done, in preparation for January and beyond. We’re preparing offers to lease on two buildings, and considering a third. Once lease offers are in place, I will have much more activity on a weekly basis.
Sunday will be a final push to put everything in place before January. After that, I’ll take a week off. Time to sharpen the saw, as Stephen Covey says.
For all Christians, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Fruitful New Year. For all of you of other faiths, may you enjoy any holidays you take, and also of course have a very Happy and Fruitful New Year.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Hank Haney Visits Parmasters Memphis
Hank Haney was selected by the number one golfer in the world as his coach. Tiger Woods, as he shatters professional golf records and benchmarks, takes instruction from Hank Haney.
So, it was with great excitement, that the owners of Parmasters Memphis welcomed coach Haney into their state-of-the-art golf training center.
And how did coach Haney react?
He loved the facility. I can’t quote him because I wasn’t there. Also, we likely need his permission to publish his comments, or rather, his endorsement. And it was just that, an endorsement.
However, I was told that his comment regarding our fluency bays was something like “these bays are one of the most innovative and effective golf training tools I’ve ever seen.” (I will continue to seek the actual quote, and if I receive it, I’ll post it. But that, as I understand it, is pretty close.)
Our fluency bays include an automated tee. The golfer hits into a net. The bays are private, sheltered by frosted glass. A ball is teed up, automatically, every 1.5 seconds. This allows the golfer to simply swing, repeatedly, developing a rhythm, a movement, and a timing that works best.
We can't guarantee that we'll turn you into the next world's number one. But we can guarantee a 25% reduction in your handicap, or your money back. And our fluency bays help us achieve that 25%.
So, it was with great excitement, that the owners of Parmasters Memphis welcomed coach Haney into their state-of-the-art golf training center.
And how did coach Haney react?
He loved the facility. I can’t quote him because I wasn’t there. Also, we likely need his permission to publish his comments, or rather, his endorsement. And it was just that, an endorsement.
However, I was told that his comment regarding our fluency bays was something like “these bays are one of the most innovative and effective golf training tools I’ve ever seen.” (I will continue to seek the actual quote, and if I receive it, I’ll post it. But that, as I understand it, is pretty close.)
Our fluency bays include an automated tee. The golfer hits into a net. The bays are private, sheltered by frosted glass. A ball is teed up, automatically, every 1.5 seconds. This allows the golfer to simply swing, repeatedly, developing a rhythm, a movement, and a timing that works best.
We can't guarantee that we'll turn you into the next world's number one. But we can guarantee a 25% reduction in your handicap, or your money back. And our fluency bays help us achieve that 25%.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Our Cause - Right To Play
As some of you may know, Parmasters Golf Training Centers, and all franchise owners, support Right To Play (WARNING: Don't visit the Right To Play website if you don't enjoy the sound of children playing and laughing.). One dollar from each paid golf lesson goes to Right To Play. In addition, our centers will run other fundraisers. Parmasters Memphis did so earlier this year.
Here’s a year-end update from Right To Play. They do exceptional work. I’m sure they won’t mind my plagiarism.
As the year draws to a close, I am pleased to take this opportunity to update you on the successes of Right To Play in 2006, and give you a glimpse into what we have planned for 2007.
The year got off to a great start at the Torino Olympic Games. The generosity of speed skaters Joey Cheek, Clara Hughes and Yang Yang A., after their gold medal wins, spurred an incredible boost in awareness and fundraising for Right To Play. That momentum stayed with us throughout the entire year.
We were excited to begin several new projects this year: working with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan; returned refugees and internally displaced persons in Liberia; and working in Tsunami affected communities in Thailand and Indonesia. We also laid the ground work to begin in Sri Lanka. This brought our total to 46 projects implemented in 22 countries in 2006. In 2007, we look forward to starting a project in The People’s Republic of China and seven new projects in current project countries.
I'd like to take this chance to highlight the incredible work at our new project in Lebanon. This project was begun in March 2006, and by the time war broke out in July, the local Project Coordinators had been hired and trained, the offices were set up and 140 coaches from 50 local NGOs were trained to run Right To Play activities in summer camps. Although the war meant the cancellation of summer camps, Right To Play staff refused to stand idly by. Right To Play Lebanon coordinated relief work, carried out sport and play activities for approximately 5500 Palestinian and Lebanese children displaced by the war and even conducted training workshops for 32 new coaches. As a result of this work, Right To Play, a relatively new organization in Lebanon, has been recognized as a non-political, non-partisan organization that helps children on all sides of a conflict and has gained the respect not only of the local community but also of other NGOs.
There are a few other stories this year that also stand out in my mind: I was particularly struck by the story of eighteen year old Right To Play coach Justin Cuna in Mozambique. Justin grew up on the outskirts of Maputo, Mozambique, in a community that makes its living off the city’s main garbage dump. Like the other children, Justin used to spend his days playing in the garbage dump, looking for toys or food. Now, Justin is a Right To Play coach running sport and play activities twice a week for children in his own community. Justin says “Now the kids don’t wake up in the morning to go play in the dump, they wake up to play football with Right To Play”.
Another story that remains in my mind is the story of the 10-year-old Afghan girl named Samiva whose face was disfigured when the Taliban set fire to her family's home forcing them to flee to Pakistan. In Pakistan her family would not permit her to attend school as they were afraid the other children would make fun of her. Local Right To Play Assistant Coach Tamina knew that a key principle of Right To Play is the inclusion of girls and children with disabilities and so determined to do everything in her power to help the girl. Through her persistent encouragement, the parents agreed to allow their daughter to attend school and participate in Right To Play programs. At first she was very shy and frightened but, through the power of sport and play, she has gradually become more and more active and gained great confidence. Thousands more girls are benefiting from the renewed hope that Right To Play programs bring, in partnership with Pakistan’s Insan Foundation.
These children and youth are the reason that we continually work to improve our organization. One of our key initiatives in 2006 has been the continuation of a strategic decentralization process. In 2005, we made the decision to decentralize, shifting field operations responsibilities from Headquarters to Regional and Country Offices. We made this decision in order to best support program excellence, enhance sustainability and more effectively manage program growth by moving decision making closer to the projects. We now have four Regional offices with Regional Managers in place and eight strong local Country Managers. In 2007, we will continue this process by hiring more local leads including nine more Country Managers and nine Program Managers.
In 2006 we also embarked on a process to review and improve all of our Program material, including all curriculum, modules and training. This process was infused with a great deal of momentum after hiring our new Director of Program this fall. Other important areas of focus this year have been the continued improvement of our logistical systems and our first step towards moving from short term project funding proposals towards multi year program proposals using Results Based Management.
I’d like to thank all of our supporters, partners, staff, volunteers and friends for helping to make 2006 a great year for Right To Play. All of this could not be done without you and your support! We are now looking forward to 2007 with great anticipation as we expect to see the positive results of our hard work this year through the increased quality of our programs and our ability to reach even more children.
If you have not already contributed to Right To Play in 2006, and would like to do so, it is not too late. Just log onto our special holiday campaign on the Right To Play website.
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season,
Johann O. Koss
President and CEO
Right To Play
Here’s a year-end update from Right To Play. They do exceptional work. I’m sure they won’t mind my plagiarism.
As the year draws to a close, I am pleased to take this opportunity to update you on the successes of Right To Play in 2006, and give you a glimpse into what we have planned for 2007.
The year got off to a great start at the Torino Olympic Games. The generosity of speed skaters Joey Cheek, Clara Hughes and Yang Yang A., after their gold medal wins, spurred an incredible boost in awareness and fundraising for Right To Play. That momentum stayed with us throughout the entire year.
We were excited to begin several new projects this year: working with Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan; returned refugees and internally displaced persons in Liberia; and working in Tsunami affected communities in Thailand and Indonesia. We also laid the ground work to begin in Sri Lanka. This brought our total to 46 projects implemented in 22 countries in 2006. In 2007, we look forward to starting a project in The People’s Republic of China and seven new projects in current project countries.
I'd like to take this chance to highlight the incredible work at our new project in Lebanon. This project was begun in March 2006, and by the time war broke out in July, the local Project Coordinators had been hired and trained, the offices were set up and 140 coaches from 50 local NGOs were trained to run Right To Play activities in summer camps. Although the war meant the cancellation of summer camps, Right To Play staff refused to stand idly by. Right To Play Lebanon coordinated relief work, carried out sport and play activities for approximately 5500 Palestinian and Lebanese children displaced by the war and even conducted training workshops for 32 new coaches. As a result of this work, Right To Play, a relatively new organization in Lebanon, has been recognized as a non-political, non-partisan organization that helps children on all sides of a conflict and has gained the respect not only of the local community but also of other NGOs.
There are a few other stories this year that also stand out in my mind: I was particularly struck by the story of eighteen year old Right To Play coach Justin Cuna in Mozambique. Justin grew up on the outskirts of Maputo, Mozambique, in a community that makes its living off the city’s main garbage dump. Like the other children, Justin used to spend his days playing in the garbage dump, looking for toys or food. Now, Justin is a Right To Play coach running sport and play activities twice a week for children in his own community. Justin says “Now the kids don’t wake up in the morning to go play in the dump, they wake up to play football with Right To Play”.
Another story that remains in my mind is the story of the 10-year-old Afghan girl named Samiva whose face was disfigured when the Taliban set fire to her family's home forcing them to flee to Pakistan. In Pakistan her family would not permit her to attend school as they were afraid the other children would make fun of her. Local Right To Play Assistant Coach Tamina knew that a key principle of Right To Play is the inclusion of girls and children with disabilities and so determined to do everything in her power to help the girl. Through her persistent encouragement, the parents agreed to allow their daughter to attend school and participate in Right To Play programs. At first she was very shy and frightened but, through the power of sport and play, she has gradually become more and more active and gained great confidence. Thousands more girls are benefiting from the renewed hope that Right To Play programs bring, in partnership with Pakistan’s Insan Foundation.
These children and youth are the reason that we continually work to improve our organization. One of our key initiatives in 2006 has been the continuation of a strategic decentralization process. In 2005, we made the decision to decentralize, shifting field operations responsibilities from Headquarters to Regional and Country Offices. We made this decision in order to best support program excellence, enhance sustainability and more effectively manage program growth by moving decision making closer to the projects. We now have four Regional offices with Regional Managers in place and eight strong local Country Managers. In 2007, we will continue this process by hiring more local leads including nine more Country Managers and nine Program Managers.
In 2006 we also embarked on a process to review and improve all of our Program material, including all curriculum, modules and training. This process was infused with a great deal of momentum after hiring our new Director of Program this fall. Other important areas of focus this year have been the continued improvement of our logistical systems and our first step towards moving from short term project funding proposals towards multi year program proposals using Results Based Management.
I’d like to thank all of our supporters, partners, staff, volunteers and friends for helping to make 2006 a great year for Right To Play. All of this could not be done without you and your support! We are now looking forward to 2007 with great anticipation as we expect to see the positive results of our hard work this year through the increased quality of our programs and our ability to reach even more children.
If you have not already contributed to Right To Play in 2006, and would like to do so, it is not too late. Just log onto our special holiday campaign on the Right To Play website.
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season,
Johann O. Koss
President and CEO
Right To Play
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
The Things You Look At Change
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” -Max Planck, Nobel Prize-winning physicist
Ponder that.
No really, I urge you to stop reading and simply ponder the quote above. There are few words that I would consider more powerful.
Now, assuming you’ve pondered, and you GET IT, and you’re now reading on … I’ll continue …
I heard this relayed by Dr. Wayne Dyer during a lecture I viewed via PBS. As Dr. Dyer relayed the story, Max Planck was referring to some of the smallest known (perhaps THE smallest known, I’m no quantum physicist, at least not yet) elements (perhaps the wrong word) of matter. If you drill down from cells to molecules, to atoms, to protons, neutrons and electrons, and then eventually to quarks, and as you study matter at the sub-atomic level … yes, apparently, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
The implications for every man, woman and child are astronomical. The implications for every business, for every community group, for every government, are astronomical.
I spoke, the other night, to my boys about asking powerful questions. I believe I may have blogged recently about this. If you ask a group to improve a process by 10%, they will come back with ideas to improve by 10%. If you ask the same group to improve by 90%, they will come back with ideas to improve by 90%. Powerful questions. Change the way you look at things.
On the Parmasters Waterloo Region front …
While we’re slowing down for the Christmas season, there are a lot of great things happening. We are preparing offers to lease for two separate buildings. We’re also strongly considering a third. And we may yet end up simply buying a building.
We’ve also had many recent successes related to financing.
I’ve started thinking about future sites also. London. Windsor. Elsewhere. The plan has always been to build a new site every 1.5 to 2 years. We’re starting to analyze a faster, more aggressive schedule.
Ponder that.
No really, I urge you to stop reading and simply ponder the quote above. There are few words that I would consider more powerful.
Now, assuming you’ve pondered, and you GET IT, and you’re now reading on … I’ll continue …
I heard this relayed by Dr. Wayne Dyer during a lecture I viewed via PBS. As Dr. Dyer relayed the story, Max Planck was referring to some of the smallest known (perhaps THE smallest known, I’m no quantum physicist, at least not yet) elements (perhaps the wrong word) of matter. If you drill down from cells to molecules, to atoms, to protons, neutrons and electrons, and then eventually to quarks, and as you study matter at the sub-atomic level … yes, apparently, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
The implications for every man, woman and child are astronomical. The implications for every business, for every community group, for every government, are astronomical.
I spoke, the other night, to my boys about asking powerful questions. I believe I may have blogged recently about this. If you ask a group to improve a process by 10%, they will come back with ideas to improve by 10%. If you ask the same group to improve by 90%, they will come back with ideas to improve by 90%. Powerful questions. Change the way you look at things.
On the Parmasters Waterloo Region front …
While we’re slowing down for the Christmas season, there are a lot of great things happening. We are preparing offers to lease for two separate buildings. We’re also strongly considering a third. And we may yet end up simply buying a building.
We’ve also had many recent successes related to financing.
I’ve started thinking about future sites also. London. Windsor. Elsewhere. The plan has always been to build a new site every 1.5 to 2 years. We’re starting to analyze a faster, more aggressive schedule.
Monday, December 18, 2006
What Did You Do This Past Weekend?
Our local newspaper, the KW Record, has been running a series of ads lately that focus on “what did you do this past weekend?” The idea is, the paper keeps you informed and helps you do more. More life. (Actually, “more life” is a phrase oft used within Parmasters. That’s meant to be one of the many benefits to franchise owners. More life. But that’s another story …)
Anyway, “what did you do this past weekend?” I:
- purchased Christmas gifts for children that may not otherwise receive any and delivered them to a local charity
- cleaned up large stack of office paper work
- met with my regional franchisor (he handles Canada for Parmasters) regarding our search for a suitable location for Parmasters Waterloo Region
- watched my older son block lots of shots and help his team win their hockey game
- did some Christmas shopping for both of our sons
- had a nice meal with my loving wife at Marbles, a downtown Waterloo eatery
- watched the Toronto Maple Leafs dismantle the Rangers
- attended our church service
- talked to my parents
- read a few of my periodicals
- balanced the books for the Special Gifts Fund within our church (planned giving, life insurance, bequests, etc.)
- updated my profile at the Business and Education Partnership of Waterloo Region (BEP)
- received a speaking request as part of the speaker’s bureau at the BEP
- watched my son’s Sunday afternoon hockey practice
- reviewed my contact list for potential investors to an Ottawa-based software company and future success story
- booked a few meetings with potential/future investors
- and last but never least, played with my young boys
And today, we received some FANTASTIC news out of Parmasters Halifax. Matt Jeffrey and his team (of one other individual) are doing a great job, and along the way, proving the Parmasters concept truly resonates with current and future golfers. Matt (or Parmasters Halifax) now has over 500 members! He reached that lofty plateau this afternoon. He’s not even open yet. That’s not scheduled to happen until March 2007!
Anyway, “what did you do this past weekend?” I:
- purchased Christmas gifts for children that may not otherwise receive any and delivered them to a local charity
- cleaned up large stack of office paper work
- met with my regional franchisor (he handles Canada for Parmasters) regarding our search for a suitable location for Parmasters Waterloo Region
- watched my older son block lots of shots and help his team win their hockey game
- did some Christmas shopping for both of our sons
- had a nice meal with my loving wife at Marbles, a downtown Waterloo eatery
- watched the Toronto Maple Leafs dismantle the Rangers
- attended our church service
- talked to my parents
- read a few of my periodicals
- balanced the books for the Special Gifts Fund within our church (planned giving, life insurance, bequests, etc.)
- updated my profile at the Business and Education Partnership of Waterloo Region (BEP)
- received a speaking request as part of the speaker’s bureau at the BEP
- watched my son’s Sunday afternoon hockey practice
- reviewed my contact list for potential investors to an Ottawa-based software company and future success story
- booked a few meetings with potential/future investors
- and last but never least, played with my young boys
And today, we received some FANTASTIC news out of Parmasters Halifax. Matt Jeffrey and his team (of one other individual) are doing a great job, and along the way, proving the Parmasters concept truly resonates with current and future golfers. Matt (or Parmasters Halifax) now has over 500 members! He reached that lofty plateau this afternoon. He’s not even open yet. That’s not scheduled to happen until March 2007!
Friday, December 15, 2006
Much To Learn
We’ve hosted two investor conference calls over the past two days (yesterday and today). The President, CEO and Co-founder of Parmasters Golf Training Centers, Tom Matzen, presented during both calls. The attendees are all considering an investment in our franchise, so I asked Tom to spend some time with them.
On Thursday we went through a presentation. Today it was simply Q&A.
While listening to Tom speak, I was continuously reminded of just how much I have yet to learn about this business. It’s a bit like an iceberg. I understand on all that is on/above the surface. But that is only, obviously, a small part of the story.
I will go through extensive training once we have a site secured. (And we’re working night and day to find a site.) I will become familiar with the operations manual, all 6,000+ pages, and growing. I will be certified to teach Straight-Line Golf™. The ops manual offers a detailed procedure for virtually every aspect of the business. I have much learning to do.
So, would I like to have all of this knowledge today? Yes, of course. Is that or was that possible? No, absolutely not.
It’s like all things in life. Acknowledge the current situation. Don’t fool yourself. Don’t deny where you are today, or deny the current situation. Acknowledge it. Then decide where you want to be and when you want to be there. And finally, build a plan to move from the current state to the desired future state.
And so, I must ask more questions. I must do more reading. I must spend more time with other franchisees, my regional franchisor, and others. I must do a little more to build my knowledge base a little faster than I am currently.
At the same time, I’m reminded of this quote:
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. -John Quincy Adams
On Thursday we went through a presentation. Today it was simply Q&A.
While listening to Tom speak, I was continuously reminded of just how much I have yet to learn about this business. It’s a bit like an iceberg. I understand on all that is on/above the surface. But that is only, obviously, a small part of the story.
I will go through extensive training once we have a site secured. (And we’re working night and day to find a site.) I will become familiar with the operations manual, all 6,000+ pages, and growing. I will be certified to teach Straight-Line Golf™. The ops manual offers a detailed procedure for virtually every aspect of the business. I have much learning to do.
So, would I like to have all of this knowledge today? Yes, of course. Is that or was that possible? No, absolutely not.
It’s like all things in life. Acknowledge the current situation. Don’t fool yourself. Don’t deny where you are today, or deny the current situation. Acknowledge it. Then decide where you want to be and when you want to be there. And finally, build a plan to move from the current state to the desired future state.
And so, I must ask more questions. I must do more reading. I must spend more time with other franchisees, my regional franchisor, and others. I must do a little more to build my knowledge base a little faster than I am currently.
At the same time, I’m reminded of this quote:
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. -John Quincy Adams
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Honing My Systems
As many of you know, I am a great believer in systems. They help with both efficiency and effectiveness. I’ve developed my existing systems over many years and they’ve served me well. But they also require a periodic tune-up. Now is such a time.
I’m simply struggling to handle the volume. And the volume is definitely going to increase, until it eventually decreases (when I’m able to hire more staff).
I’m not currently keeping up with my reading, both work related and for pleasure. While I’ve been quite diligent with my morning workouts and runs, I have not kept up with my stretching. There are several stretches that help one’s golf game. I would also like to speak with at least one other Parmasters franchise owner at least weekly, but have not kept pace. Lastly, there are many more things I should be doing with this blog, such as writing actual articles, doing more promotion, etc.
And of course, a little more free time, to re-charge my batteries, would be welcomed also.
All of this suggests I need to become more efficient. I look to improved systems to accomplish this.
I had a similar conversation today with the incoming chair of The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation’s Marketing Committee. I serve on the committee. I feel our meetings are very effective and efficient, but also feel there are ways to make better use of committee members’ time. Continuous improvement.
I make heavy use of my MS Outlook Calendar, and my Blackberry, to maintain my schedule. I have a recurring monthly appointment to review and revise how and where I spend my time. I also block off time weekly to ensure I’m working on the right things.
My friend and mentor Jim Estill – and this post really reads like something Jim would post about – has noted the difference between management (doing things efficiently and effectively) and leadership (doing the right things). This is also something I must continually review.
Lastly, I’m quite cognizant of the wisdom of Jay Paterson’s writings on Focus, Free and Buffer Days. While at this point – as I launch our first site in Waterloo Region – my schedule is very heavy, would I be more efficient and effective if I took more Free Days, or dedicated more Focus Days?
Much to ponder …
I’m simply struggling to handle the volume. And the volume is definitely going to increase, until it eventually decreases (when I’m able to hire more staff).
I’m not currently keeping up with my reading, both work related and for pleasure. While I’ve been quite diligent with my morning workouts and runs, I have not kept up with my stretching. There are several stretches that help one’s golf game. I would also like to speak with at least one other Parmasters franchise owner at least weekly, but have not kept pace. Lastly, there are many more things I should be doing with this blog, such as writing actual articles, doing more promotion, etc.
And of course, a little more free time, to re-charge my batteries, would be welcomed also.
All of this suggests I need to become more efficient. I look to improved systems to accomplish this.
I had a similar conversation today with the incoming chair of The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation’s Marketing Committee. I serve on the committee. I feel our meetings are very effective and efficient, but also feel there are ways to make better use of committee members’ time. Continuous improvement.
I make heavy use of my MS Outlook Calendar, and my Blackberry, to maintain my schedule. I have a recurring monthly appointment to review and revise how and where I spend my time. I also block off time weekly to ensure I’m working on the right things.
My friend and mentor Jim Estill – and this post really reads like something Jim would post about – has noted the difference between management (doing things efficiently and effectively) and leadership (doing the right things). This is also something I must continually review.
Lastly, I’m quite cognizant of the wisdom of Jay Paterson’s writings on Focus, Free and Buffer Days. While at this point – as I launch our first site in Waterloo Region – my schedule is very heavy, would I be more efficient and effective if I took more Free Days, or dedicated more Focus Days?
Much to ponder …
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Fixed Costs Covered on Day 1
Our goal at Parmasters Waterloo Region is to have enough revenue on our first day of operation to cover our fixed costs. How do we do so? We sell memberships before we open.
As soon as we have our site selected, we start “pre-selling” memberships. Members that sign on prior to our opening day receive various benefits that will not be offered once we’re open. On the day we open, we start billing monthly membership fees.
There are many benefits to the new members. First, they get a bargain when they sign up early. This bargain has not been fully defined. Parmasters makes recommendations, but we have final say at the local level. Also, members that purchase ahead of time receive updates, and are fully prepared for and aware of the day we open.
Parmasters Halifax is using this model. They are now up to 460 members! And are they open yet? NO! They’ll open in March 2007! And they’ll open with their fixed costs covered!
We’ll be doing the same.
This is just another in a long list of reasons why the Parmasters franchising and franchise models are head and shoulders above all others.
As soon as we have our site selected, we start “pre-selling” memberships. Members that sign on prior to our opening day receive various benefits that will not be offered once we’re open. On the day we open, we start billing monthly membership fees.
There are many benefits to the new members. First, they get a bargain when they sign up early. This bargain has not been fully defined. Parmasters makes recommendations, but we have final say at the local level. Also, members that purchase ahead of time receive updates, and are fully prepared for and aware of the day we open.
Parmasters Halifax is using this model. They are now up to 460 members! And are they open yet? NO! They’ll open in March 2007! And they’ll open with their fixed costs covered!
We’ll be doing the same.
This is just another in a long list of reasons why the Parmasters franchising and franchise models are head and shoulders above all others.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Focus and Free Days Clarified by Jay Paterson
The good Mr. Jay Paterson of Empowered Wealth Canada tried to post the following comment, but fell prey to the vagaries of technology. My apologies Jay, and thank you for taking the time to fill us in.
Jay has taken the time to explain more clearly the concept of Focus Days and Free Days. I posted on this topic last week.
Jay’s comments:
Here's the Rest of the Story behind Free and Focus Days. The original concept goes to Dan Sullivan, The Strategic Coach. All of these days are defined for the benefit of entrepreneurs. The Most important days are Free Days. These are absolutely critical days that an entrepreneur needs to Re-charge the Batteries. No business is contemplated nor done. It’s a Free Day to do whatever gives the entrepreneur Great Joy!
A Focus Day is defined as the day in which an entrepreneur uses his or her Unique Ability to the best of his/her advantage and creates business opportunities. A Focus Day gives an entrepreneur Great Results.
A Buffer Day is the day in which the entrepreneur prepares for his/her Focus Days. Preparation gives Energy, which makes for better Focus Days and far better results.
For Example, a professional golfer practices his or her craft on Buffer Days. They stay completely away from the game on Free Days. And on Focus Days, they're supposed to bring their best up front. They had better not be thinking about all the other stuff that clutters up the mind. They better be clear headed about what they are doing and just do it.
Kevin had a question: How do you identify the Top 20% of your activities? I'll make it easier by asking one question. What is the ONE SINGLE THING you do, that you enjoy doing more than anything else, that you do better than anybody else because you do it naturally and you enjoy it, and that people would pay you great money for because you do it better than anyone else? Forget the top 20%, that's too much. No one can do a whole whack of things really well. FOCUS your energy on that ONE THING, do it really, really well, and the world will beat a path to your door.
I have only 120 FOCUS Days in one year. That is all the energy I have for Focus Days. I do All of my Unique Ability in those 120 days.
I have 40 Buffer Days, that's it!
The Rest are FREE DAYS. That's 205 days each year doing exactly what I LOVE to do.
Steve posed a question: How do you do the digging? Ask 40 of your closest friends, advisors and especially all of your children and grandchildren one very simple question, "What is the ONE THING I do best, that you value me for the most?" You'll get 30 to 40 honest answers and you will find the ONE THING to Focus on.
Oh, by the way, that's my partner in The Secret, Lee Brower.
Now I've got to get back to straightening out my putting stroke.
Jay Paterson
Jay has taken the time to explain more clearly the concept of Focus Days and Free Days. I posted on this topic last week.
Jay’s comments:
Here's the Rest of the Story behind Free and Focus Days. The original concept goes to Dan Sullivan, The Strategic Coach. All of these days are defined for the benefit of entrepreneurs. The Most important days are Free Days. These are absolutely critical days that an entrepreneur needs to Re-charge the Batteries. No business is contemplated nor done. It’s a Free Day to do whatever gives the entrepreneur Great Joy!
A Focus Day is defined as the day in which an entrepreneur uses his or her Unique Ability to the best of his/her advantage and creates business opportunities. A Focus Day gives an entrepreneur Great Results.
A Buffer Day is the day in which the entrepreneur prepares for his/her Focus Days. Preparation gives Energy, which makes for better Focus Days and far better results.
For Example, a professional golfer practices his or her craft on Buffer Days. They stay completely away from the game on Free Days. And on Focus Days, they're supposed to bring their best up front. They had better not be thinking about all the other stuff that clutters up the mind. They better be clear headed about what they are doing and just do it.
Kevin had a question: How do you identify the Top 20% of your activities? I'll make it easier by asking one question. What is the ONE SINGLE THING you do, that you enjoy doing more than anything else, that you do better than anybody else because you do it naturally and you enjoy it, and that people would pay you great money for because you do it better than anyone else? Forget the top 20%, that's too much. No one can do a whole whack of things really well. FOCUS your energy on that ONE THING, do it really, really well, and the world will beat a path to your door.
I have only 120 FOCUS Days in one year. That is all the energy I have for Focus Days. I do All of my Unique Ability in those 120 days.
I have 40 Buffer Days, that's it!
The Rest are FREE DAYS. That's 205 days each year doing exactly what I LOVE to do.
Steve posed a question: How do you do the digging? Ask 40 of your closest friends, advisors and especially all of your children and grandchildren one very simple question, "What is the ONE THING I do best, that you value me for the most?" You'll get 30 to 40 honest answers and you will find the ONE THING to Focus on.
Oh, by the way, that's my partner in The Secret, Lee Brower.
Now I've got to get back to straightening out my putting stroke.
Jay Paterson
Monday, December 11, 2006
Carpe Diem!
Long time, no blog. I feel a sting of guilt when I miss a couple of blog entries. I generally just blog once on a given weekend, but also usually on a Friday at some point. I feel I missed two entries.
Quite a bit has happened.
On Thursday of last week we toured six building/properties. Most were existing structures. Two were empty lots. Two were in the north end of Cambridge, and the rest were in central and east Kitchener.
Two of these sites seem to be exactly what we’re seeking. Another is very interesting, but a little above our budget, and it can be very challenging entering and exiting the parking lot.
A fourth site is in a mall location, and completely different than what we thought we were seeking. However, the opportunity remains quite intriguing. There would be a significant impact on the business if we went with this site. There are many pros, and several cons. The question is, will the overall impact be positive or negative.
I have debated naming the sites that we’re considering, but have thus far refrained. Instead, I refer to them in vague terms, as above. It won’t help our negotiating position with the landlords to have too much information in the public domain. Also, I have no doubt that some of our competitors are listening in to this blog. (Hi guys.)
In the days since Thursday, we’ve also had some good investor meetings and completed a lot of smaller tasks that were piling up. We have a major investor presentation this week which requires a fair bit of preparation.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we lost a pet over the weekend. In 1991, a year after we married, we went to the Humane Society and adopted two kittens. They weren’t brothers. Bo and Diddley spent many years with us. Bo developed cancer in the summer of 2000 and went very quickly. Diddley had been going downhill this past year. We were constantly searching for a food that his digestive system could handle. This past week he simply stopped eating. He passed away quietly Sunday around 5:00pm.
It’s interesting. I grew up in a rural setting and worked on many farms. I’ve seen cattle slaughtered, toured a turkey “processing” plant, and been involved in many other harsh realities of rural life. But nevertheless, the passing of Diddley has definitely left a void. He was with us for more than 15 years. It was also very difficult to watch our boys go through the experience. Diddley was the first close loved one that they’ve lost. In a way, I’m glad their first loss was their pet, rather than a human family member. We did what we could to guide them through the grieving process, while also letting them do their thing, and cope however was best for them.
So, even though it was feline that we lost, and not a human family member, we are reminded that our time on this Earth is very limited, and that we should make the most of every day. Carpe diem! Seize the day!
Quite a bit has happened.
On Thursday of last week we toured six building/properties. Most were existing structures. Two were empty lots. Two were in the north end of Cambridge, and the rest were in central and east Kitchener.
Two of these sites seem to be exactly what we’re seeking. Another is very interesting, but a little above our budget, and it can be very challenging entering and exiting the parking lot.
A fourth site is in a mall location, and completely different than what we thought we were seeking. However, the opportunity remains quite intriguing. There would be a significant impact on the business if we went with this site. There are many pros, and several cons. The question is, will the overall impact be positive or negative.
I have debated naming the sites that we’re considering, but have thus far refrained. Instead, I refer to them in vague terms, as above. It won’t help our negotiating position with the landlords to have too much information in the public domain. Also, I have no doubt that some of our competitors are listening in to this blog. (Hi guys.)
In the days since Thursday, we’ve also had some good investor meetings and completed a lot of smaller tasks that were piling up. We have a major investor presentation this week which requires a fair bit of preparation.
Lastly, but certainly not least, we lost a pet over the weekend. In 1991, a year after we married, we went to the Humane Society and adopted two kittens. They weren’t brothers. Bo and Diddley spent many years with us. Bo developed cancer in the summer of 2000 and went very quickly. Diddley had been going downhill this past year. We were constantly searching for a food that his digestive system could handle. This past week he simply stopped eating. He passed away quietly Sunday around 5:00pm.
It’s interesting. I grew up in a rural setting and worked on many farms. I’ve seen cattle slaughtered, toured a turkey “processing” plant, and been involved in many other harsh realities of rural life. But nevertheless, the passing of Diddley has definitely left a void. He was with us for more than 15 years. It was also very difficult to watch our boys go through the experience. Diddley was the first close loved one that they’ve lost. In a way, I’m glad their first loss was their pet, rather than a human family member. We did what we could to guide them through the grieving process, while also letting them do their thing, and cope however was best for them.
So, even though it was feline that we lost, and not a human family member, we are reminded that our time on this Earth is very limited, and that we should make the most of every day. Carpe diem! Seize the day!
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Think Big
“Think big!”
This is what I took away from a 1-hour animated children’s Christmas television show that we all watched earlier this evening. I can’t really recall what it was called. Something about a happy elf who helped bring the small town of Bluesville joy and happiness. So much so that they renamed the town Joyville.
I must admit that I spent most of the hour contemplating the elf’s mantra to “think big.” I believe it went something like, “think big and you can accomplish great things!”
Are we thinking BIG enough with Parmasters Waterloo Region? Are we letting perceived limitations hold us back? Are we keeping the plan smaller than it should really be?
As you might imagine, this is not the first time such thoughts have crossed my mind. They’re simply part of ongoing strategic planning.
I’ve never believed in reckless abandon. I’m not risk averse, but believe that all risks must be thoroughly calculated, and the reward must justify the risk.
By extrapolation, I do not believe that businesses should take any significant (read “material”) risks in areas where they have absolutely no experience or knowledge. I believe businesses should grow by pushing and stretching the envelope that represents their current experience and knowledge. Take some of what you know, and some of what you don’t know, and launch into a new market or product line or both. The key is to take some of what you KNOW.
In that sense, all businesses should, to an extent, think small. And necessarily so! Their plans should target growth that relies, at least partly, on knowledge and experience already found within the company.
However, truly effective companies also think BIG, because they leverage their existing knowledge and experience in BIG and innovative ways.
This is related to the science – I believe it’s a science – of asking appropriate questions. If you ask a team of brilliant analysts to figure out how to make a given process 10% more efficient, they will come back with a solid plan for a 10% gain. However, if you ask the same team to find a 75% improvement, they will likely return with a solid plan for a 75% improvement. The only difference is the question.
So, I guess the key is to think small, meaning leverage what you already KNOW, but think BIG, by asking BIG questions, and truly LEVERAGING existing experience and knowledge.
I believe, with Parmasters Waterloo Region, we’re building on existing knowledge and experience, while also asking the BIG questions, and LEVERAGING appropriately.
Yes, it seems we’re thinking BIG, and we will most definitely "accomplish great things!"
This is what I took away from a 1-hour animated children’s Christmas television show that we all watched earlier this evening. I can’t really recall what it was called. Something about a happy elf who helped bring the small town of Bluesville joy and happiness. So much so that they renamed the town Joyville.
I must admit that I spent most of the hour contemplating the elf’s mantra to “think big.” I believe it went something like, “think big and you can accomplish great things!”
Are we thinking BIG enough with Parmasters Waterloo Region? Are we letting perceived limitations hold us back? Are we keeping the plan smaller than it should really be?
As you might imagine, this is not the first time such thoughts have crossed my mind. They’re simply part of ongoing strategic planning.
I’ve never believed in reckless abandon. I’m not risk averse, but believe that all risks must be thoroughly calculated, and the reward must justify the risk.
By extrapolation, I do not believe that businesses should take any significant (read “material”) risks in areas where they have absolutely no experience or knowledge. I believe businesses should grow by pushing and stretching the envelope that represents their current experience and knowledge. Take some of what you know, and some of what you don’t know, and launch into a new market or product line or both. The key is to take some of what you KNOW.
In that sense, all businesses should, to an extent, think small. And necessarily so! Their plans should target growth that relies, at least partly, on knowledge and experience already found within the company.
However, truly effective companies also think BIG, because they leverage their existing knowledge and experience in BIG and innovative ways.
This is related to the science – I believe it’s a science – of asking appropriate questions. If you ask a team of brilliant analysts to figure out how to make a given process 10% more efficient, they will come back with a solid plan for a 10% gain. However, if you ask the same team to find a 75% improvement, they will likely return with a solid plan for a 75% improvement. The only difference is the question.
So, I guess the key is to think small, meaning leverage what you already KNOW, but think BIG, by asking BIG questions, and truly LEVERAGING existing experience and knowledge.
I believe, with Parmasters Waterloo Region, we’re building on existing knowledge and experience, while also asking the BIG questions, and LEVERAGING appropriately.
Yes, it seems we’re thinking BIG, and we will most definitely "accomplish great things!"
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Ruthless
Busy day today. Lots of meetings. And we’re now officially into the Christmas party season. This evening I attended the Orbex Christmas open house. Of course, they probably refer to it in the non-Christian, more inclusive “holiday season” manner. Dwayne, the owner, is an old friend. We met during my third work term while doing my undergrad at UW, in 1987.
We’re doing more site tours tomorrow. I think we’re viewing approximately six sites. Mostly existing buildings. Two are currently empty lots. I also have investor and networking meetings tomorrow. Looking forward to another productive day.
I came across this Warren Buffet quote recently, and have been trying to slide it in to a post at some point. Since an opportunity has not really presented itself, I’ll simply foist it upon you.
“If you lose dollars for the firm by bad decisions, I will be very understanding. If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless.” -Warren Buffet
We’re building a service business, which is also necessarily a “reputation” business. I don’t tend to ever be “ruthless” with team members, but the team we build will have to understand the deep lessons captured in this quote.
We’re doing more site tours tomorrow. I think we’re viewing approximately six sites. Mostly existing buildings. Two are currently empty lots. I also have investor and networking meetings tomorrow. Looking forward to another productive day.
I came across this Warren Buffet quote recently, and have been trying to slide it in to a post at some point. Since an opportunity has not really presented itself, I’ll simply foist it upon you.
“If you lose dollars for the firm by bad decisions, I will be very understanding. If you lose reputation for the firm, I will be ruthless.” -Warren Buffet
We’re building a service business, which is also necessarily a “reputation” business. I don’t tend to ever be “ruthless” with team members, but the team we build will have to understand the deep lessons captured in this quote.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Giving and a Servant Attitude
We attended a Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF) event this evening. It was the annual Presidents Reception. Wine, cheese, good conversation, good friends.
My wife and I then went out for dinner afterwards and discussed our charitable donations. We’ve been rather haphazard so far. We’ve lacked an overall strategy and philosophy. Our discussion this evening was the beginnings of said strategy and philosophy. The process has only begun.
Earlier this week we finalized arrangements with Thomson Associates Inc. Bill Thomson offers an angel funding facility to entrepreneurial ventures such as ours. Basically, he houses information regarding the business and investment offering on his website. He then sends a “nudge” to his close contacts and associates, urging them to have a look at the information and to consider their involvement.
Bill seems to approach this area of the business with somewhat of a servant mentality. His typical “deal” is certainly many times larger than my offering. There’s not much upside for him in working with me. Except that, he wants to help and enjoys seeing businesses and entrepreneurs succeed.
Bill has a vast and very influential network. I’ve already noticed a substantial increase in traffic on this blog.
So, to all of Bill’s colleagues, welcome. I look forward to future discussions.
I met Bill through my continued efforts to build out my own network of colleagues. JP introduced me to TW. TW introduced me to Bill. I’ve also introduced Bill to Parmasters HQ, specifically our CEO, as there are certainly several ways in which Bill can benefit Parmasters, and vice versa.
As I close this entry, it’s clear to me, as an entrepreneur, that our current charitable donations are not “sizeable”, nor will they be sizeable for quite some time. However, I’m reminded of the following quote.
“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things ... I am tempted to think ... there are no little things.” -Bruce Barton
My wife and I then went out for dinner afterwards and discussed our charitable donations. We’ve been rather haphazard so far. We’ve lacked an overall strategy and philosophy. Our discussion this evening was the beginnings of said strategy and philosophy. The process has only begun.
Earlier this week we finalized arrangements with Thomson Associates Inc. Bill Thomson offers an angel funding facility to entrepreneurial ventures such as ours. Basically, he houses information regarding the business and investment offering on his website. He then sends a “nudge” to his close contacts and associates, urging them to have a look at the information and to consider their involvement.
Bill seems to approach this area of the business with somewhat of a servant mentality. His typical “deal” is certainly many times larger than my offering. There’s not much upside for him in working with me. Except that, he wants to help and enjoys seeing businesses and entrepreneurs succeed.
Bill has a vast and very influential network. I’ve already noticed a substantial increase in traffic on this blog.
So, to all of Bill’s colleagues, welcome. I look forward to future discussions.
I met Bill through my continued efforts to build out my own network of colleagues. JP introduced me to TW. TW introduced me to Bill. I’ve also introduced Bill to Parmasters HQ, specifically our CEO, as there are certainly several ways in which Bill can benefit Parmasters, and vice versa.
As I close this entry, it’s clear to me, as an entrepreneur, that our current charitable donations are not “sizeable”, nor will they be sizeable for quite some time. However, I’m reminded of the following quote.
“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things ... I am tempted to think ... there are no little things.” -Bruce Barton
Monday, December 04, 2006
Focus and Free Days
I saw Bob Proctor and others from The Secret interviewed on Larry King in November. Bob spoke about Focus Days and Free Days.
Focus Days leverage the 80-20 rule. Typically 80% of our production (or you can think of effectiveness, or leverage, or achievements) come from 20% of our activities. The first step is to understand which activities deliver all of this benefit. Then, set aside Focus Days that are dedicated entirely to these activities.
Free Days are just that. You’re free to do whatever you want. Some studies apparently show that people with more free days become more successful. I have not seen any data on this, so don’t quote me!
I plan to start with one Focus Day and one Free Day per month.
Something to contemplate …
Focus Days leverage the 80-20 rule. Typically 80% of our production (or you can think of effectiveness, or leverage, or achievements) come from 20% of our activities. The first step is to understand which activities deliver all of this benefit. Then, set aside Focus Days that are dedicated entirely to these activities.
Free Days are just that. You’re free to do whatever you want. Some studies apparently show that people with more free days become more successful. I have not seen any data on this, so don’t quote me!
I plan to start with one Focus Day and one Free Day per month.
Something to contemplate …
Friday, December 01, 2006
Building Up Rather Than Out?
As you know, we continue to search for a site to house Parmasters Waterloo Region. It’s taking a little longer than anticipated to find the right site. However, at the same time, it’s time very well spent. Location and building (configuration, esthetics, price, etc.) are crucial to success. We will not rush into the wrong location.
To broaden our choices, we’ve been considering the possibility of a two story Parmasters. Well, really a story and a half I guess. We’re considering including a mezzanine or loft area.
Going up into a mezzanine would allow us to reduce our overall footprint by roughly the size of the mezzanine. Thus, instead of a 15,000 sq. ft. footprint, we could consider leasing say 12,000 sq. ft. and building a 3,000 sq. ft. mezzanine.
Several considerations come to mind:
- Will the space still create that “wow!” reaction that we’re looking for?
- Which components go up on the mezzanine?
- Will we have to install an elevator or lift?
- How much vertical – floor to ceiling – clearance do the components require?
We believe that a two story section, along with a balcony up on the mezzanine, overlooking the rest of the center, will create a very interesting and appealing space. The “wow!” reaction is still very attainable.
If we were to offer a ground floor alternative to all components that are up on the mezzanine, we believe an elevator would be unnecessary. So, if we put six simulators up on the mezzanine and had two identical simulators on the main floor, no need for an elevator.
But when you start considering the components that go up, and the components which sit underneath the mezzanine, it becomes complicated.
Certain components must remain on the main floor. These include the café, the pro shop (we call it Kaizen Korner), the green and short game area, and ideally the meeting room. Club storage and repair should also stay on the main floor, along with the locker rooms.
My office can certainly go upstairs.
However, the remainder of the components are driving bays (simulators, fairway bunker bay, fluency machines) and the fitness area. These components all require at least a 12 foot ceiling.
So, it seems, if we were to include a mezzanine we would require at least 12 foot ceilings both above and below the mezzanine. That suggests at least a 25 foot overall ceiling height.
We have not yet seen a building with a 25 foot clear ceiling.
Of course, there is also the cost side of the equation. We would only consider a mezzanine if the cost per sq. ft. for the floor area was above our budget. Thus, the cost of the mezzanine (capital cost) would be offset by reduced lease costs (operational).
But, in the end, it’s quite unlikely that we will find a space with 25 foot ceilings that requires us to build a mezzanine.
To broaden our choices, we’ve been considering the possibility of a two story Parmasters. Well, really a story and a half I guess. We’re considering including a mezzanine or loft area.
Going up into a mezzanine would allow us to reduce our overall footprint by roughly the size of the mezzanine. Thus, instead of a 15,000 sq. ft. footprint, we could consider leasing say 12,000 sq. ft. and building a 3,000 sq. ft. mezzanine.
Several considerations come to mind:
- Will the space still create that “wow!” reaction that we’re looking for?
- Which components go up on the mezzanine?
- Will we have to install an elevator or lift?
- How much vertical – floor to ceiling – clearance do the components require?
We believe that a two story section, along with a balcony up on the mezzanine, overlooking the rest of the center, will create a very interesting and appealing space. The “wow!” reaction is still very attainable.
If we were to offer a ground floor alternative to all components that are up on the mezzanine, we believe an elevator would be unnecessary. So, if we put six simulators up on the mezzanine and had two identical simulators on the main floor, no need for an elevator.
But when you start considering the components that go up, and the components which sit underneath the mezzanine, it becomes complicated.
Certain components must remain on the main floor. These include the café, the pro shop (we call it Kaizen Korner), the green and short game area, and ideally the meeting room. Club storage and repair should also stay on the main floor, along with the locker rooms.
My office can certainly go upstairs.
However, the remainder of the components are driving bays (simulators, fairway bunker bay, fluency machines) and the fitness area. These components all require at least a 12 foot ceiling.
So, it seems, if we were to include a mezzanine we would require at least 12 foot ceilings both above and below the mezzanine. That suggests at least a 25 foot overall ceiling height.
We have not yet seen a building with a 25 foot clear ceiling.
Of course, there is also the cost side of the equation. We would only consider a mezzanine if the cost per sq. ft. for the floor area was above our budget. Thus, the cost of the mezzanine (capital cost) would be offset by reduced lease costs (operational).
But, in the end, it’s quite unlikely that we will find a space with 25 foot ceilings that requires us to build a mezzanine.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Bad, The Ugly and the Really Scary
I attended a Gwynne Dyer lecture tonight at Wilfrid Laurier University. I find him to be a fascinating orator. I’m sure he’s also quite a lightning rod – as is anyone that spends a great deal of time conveying his/her opinions, regardless of the foundation and/or research behind them – and thus many of you will either strongly like or dislike Mr. Dyer. Regardless, one must agree that he is thought provoking.
The real point is, I was once again reminded of how little we really know about what’s happening in the world. I believe this is particularly true in North America. The citizenry, and to a perhaps larger extent the media, seem to have this mistaken belief that news from offshore is not terribly relevant to our day to day lives. Dyer noted the full two pages dedicated daily within the Globe and Mail to “international” news. I recall catching a CNN broadcast whilst readying for a day in a hotel room somewhere in the US several years ago, when they announced their “international minute” segment would be up next.
Dyer divided his time amongst three topics: things that don’t worry him much at all, things that worry him a great deal, and things that frankly scare him half to death.
In the not-very-worrisome category were the Middle East conflicts, Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism, etc. It’s not that he doesn’t feel for the personal tragedies that are unfolding. He simply feels that these issues will have very little effect on global affairs and the lives of average citizens throughout the world.
He worries about the potential for a USA-China cold war. He paints a picture whereby all of the necessary elements are in place. Just as the end of the 19th century witnessed the end of the dominant British Empire, so to the end of the 20th century witnesses the decline of America as the sole super power. China’s GDP is growing by some 10% annually. India’s in the 8-9% range. Dyer sees a world of three economic and military super powers within 50 years. He also believes the US is actively developing economic and military ties with countries all around China, in an effort to lock it in. He doubts China will initiate a back and forth cold war spiral, but also suggests they are certainly being provoked.
And what truly frightens Mr. Dyer. Climate change. Period. And I believe he’s right. If we don’t get this one right, nothing else really matters does it. And it’s not about electric cars, or SMART cars, or strain on air conditioners. The issue is food supply. If the average annual temperature increases by two degrees C, some studies suggest that India’s food production will drop by 25%. That would leave 250 million people without food. And that's but one example. It’s time to do something.
I realized this evening that I don’t listen to such speakers often enough. And when I do, I often listen to speakers that believe what I believe. It would likely be better to engage with advocates of differing opinions.
The real point is, I was once again reminded of how little we really know about what’s happening in the world. I believe this is particularly true in North America. The citizenry, and to a perhaps larger extent the media, seem to have this mistaken belief that news from offshore is not terribly relevant to our day to day lives. Dyer noted the full two pages
Dyer divided his time amongst three topics: things that don’t worry him much at all, things that worry him a great deal, and things that frankly scare him half to death.
In the not-very-worrisome category were the Middle East conflicts, Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism, etc. It’s not that he doesn’t feel for the personal tragedies that are unfolding. He simply feels that these issues will have very little effect on global affairs and the lives of average citizens throughout the world.
He worries about the potential for a USA-China cold war. He paints a picture whereby all of the necessary elements are in place. Just as the end of the 19th century witnessed the end of the dominant British Empire, so to the end of the 20th century witnesses the decline of America as the sole super power. China’s GDP is growing by some 10% annually. India’s in the 8-9% range. Dyer sees a world of three economic and military super powers within 50 years. He also believes the US is actively developing economic and military ties with countries all around China, in an effort to lock it in. He doubts China will initiate a back and forth cold war spiral, but also suggests they are certainly being provoked.
And what truly frightens Mr. Dyer. Climate change. Period. And I believe he’s right. If we don’t get this one right, nothing else really matters does it. And it’s not about electric cars, or SMART cars, or strain on air conditioners. The issue is food supply. If the average annual temperature increases by two degrees C, some studies suggest that India’s food production will drop by 25%. That would leave 250 million people without food. And that's but one example. It’s time to do something.
I realized this evening that I don’t listen to such speakers often enough. And when I do, I often listen to speakers that believe what I believe. It would likely be better to engage with advocates of differing opinions.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Sunday Afternoons
I meant to do a blog entry over the weekend, but never did get to it. Saturday was our Southern Family Day – so no work! – and Sunday was spent on some high priority and high leverage activities.
I’d prefer to not work on Sundays, but for now it simply seems like there’s too much to do in only five or six days a week. From the age of about 12 to about 18 I worked on many farms that surrounded my little home town of Cannington, Ontario. My two primary employers were a fellow named Jim Gordon, who was my father’s best friend, and my eventual father-in-law, John Warvill. Jim was my father’s best man when my parents married, and vice versa. I met John at my grade 8 graduation ceremony, and eventually married “the farmer’s daughter.” We lost Jim to cancer several years ago. Happily John is still very much with us.
The point is, I was working one Sunday afternoon for Jim, picking stones. For those that are not initiated, this involves walking through a field, with a wagon near by, and harvesting any significant boulders that have surfaced (due to plowing, frost, etc.). Jim had a home made wagon, pulled by a team of Belgian horses. He preferred horses to tractors for many odd jobs like this. So did I.
On this particular Sunday, towards the end of the day, I was riding on the wagon, with my legs dangling over the side. My foot got caught under the rear right tire. I was immediately hauled off the wagon, my knee and hip wrenched into very uncomfortable contortions!
I decided then and there that God was serious about this “day of rest” stuff. Unfortunately, for now at least, it seems seven days a week must be the norm.
We spent part of Saturday at a used book sale hosted by a seniors centre in Kitchener. I love used book sales. It’s a treasure hunt. I came away with Sir Winston Churchill’s six volume account of WWII, plus some Hemingway, Keats and others.
I’ve also just returned from a church meeting. I serve as Financial Secretary on our Special Gifts Fund Committee. The Fund exists to serve those members of the congregation that wish to plan a gift to the church as part of their estate planning.
And this afternoon I met with a gentleman that runs a contracting business out of Windsor. We’ve been trying to connect for a while. He was in the area. Last minute. I had to adjust my schedule, but the meeting was worth while. While I’m currently focusing on Waterloo Region, I will eventually be opening centers in London and Windsor, and elsewhere. This fellow’s company will tender on the construction aspect, plus he’s well connected throughout London and Windsor.
For now, time to rest, do some reading, and prepare for tomorrow.
I’d prefer to not work on Sundays, but for now it simply seems like there’s too much to do in only five or six days a week. From the age of about 12 to about 18 I worked on many farms that surrounded my little home town of Cannington, Ontario. My two primary employers were a fellow named Jim Gordon, who was my father’s best friend, and my eventual father-in-law, John Warvill. Jim was my father’s best man when my parents married, and vice versa. I met John at my grade 8 graduation ceremony, and eventually married “the farmer’s daughter.” We lost Jim to cancer several years ago. Happily John is still very much with us.
The point is, I was working one Sunday afternoon for Jim, picking stones. For those that are not initiated, this involves walking through a field, with a wagon near by, and harvesting any significant boulders that have surfaced (due to plowing, frost, etc.). Jim had a home made wagon, pulled by a team of Belgian horses. He preferred horses to tractors for many odd jobs like this. So did I.
On this particular Sunday, towards the end of the day, I was riding on the wagon, with my legs dangling over the side. My foot got caught under the rear right tire. I was immediately hauled off the wagon, my knee and hip wrenched into very uncomfortable contortions!
I decided then and there that God was serious about this “day of rest” stuff. Unfortunately, for now at least, it seems seven days a week must be the norm.
We spent part of Saturday at a used book sale hosted by a seniors centre in Kitchener. I love used book sales. It’s a treasure hunt. I came away with Sir Winston Churchill’s six volume account of WWII, plus some Hemingway, Keats and others.
I’ve also just returned from a church meeting. I serve as Financial Secretary on our Special Gifts Fund Committee. The Fund exists to serve those members of the congregation that wish to plan a gift to the church as part of their estate planning.
And this afternoon I met with a gentleman that runs a contracting business out of Windsor. We’ve been trying to connect for a while. He was in the area. Last minute. I had to adjust my schedule, but the meeting was worth while. While I’m currently focusing on Waterloo Region, I will eventually be opening centers in London and Windsor, and elsewhere. This fellow’s company will tender on the construction aspect, plus he’s well connected throughout London and Windsor.
For now, time to rest, do some reading, and prepare for tomorrow.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Videos, Photos and More
I’m taking the night off tonight, along with most of tomorrow. Saturday is “Family Day” in the Southern household. We try to block off a full day each month for family activities, all together. Looking forward to it.
In the meantime, have a look at indoor golf utopia, and hear some comments from other Parmasters team members:
www.parmastersgolf.com
Videos of the completed Memphis site part way down this page http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Home-1.html
Photos of the Memphis site http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Photos_from_the_site-156.html
Memphis construction videos http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Construction_Videos-331.html
Parmasters Halifax http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Halifax_Dartmouth-254.html
Halifax floor plan http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Our_floor_plan-305.html
Parmasters Guangzhou http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Guangzhou-232.html
Marketing http://www.parmastersfranchise.com/center_marketing_systems.html
Hear from other team members http://www.parmastersfranchise.com/testimonials.html
Learn more about the HQ team and their goals http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Our_Team-7.html
Make it a great weekend!
In the meantime, have a look at indoor golf utopia, and hear some comments from other Parmasters team members:
www.parmastersgolf.com
Videos of the completed Memphis site part way down this page http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Home-1.html
Photos of the Memphis site http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Photos_from_the_site-156.html
Memphis construction videos http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Construction_Videos-331.html
Parmasters Halifax http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Halifax_Dartmouth-254.html
Halifax floor plan http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Our_floor_plan-305.html
Parmasters Guangzhou http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Guangzhou-232.html
Marketing http://www.parmastersfranchise.com/center_marketing_systems.html
Hear from other team members http://www.parmastersfranchise.com/testimonials.html
Learn more about the HQ team and their goals http://www.parmastersgolf.com/fw/main/Our_Team-7.html
Make it a great weekend!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Abundance
We live in a world of abundance, a world of charity, a world of caring and helping. These themes came to my attention repeatedly today.
It started with a mid-morning Business and Education Partnership meeting held at the Accelerator Centre in Waterloo. The BEP operates a speakers’ bureau. The speakers are volunteers who go into local schools and speak to classes about jobs, careers and related topics. The meeting this morning was meant as a training refresher for some of us that have been involved since the beginning. The room was full. Great turn out. Volunteerism. Abundance.
We also read in our newspapers today that Canadians donated a record $7.9 billion to charities in 2005, representing a 14 percent increase over 2004. Charity. Abundance.
One of the gentlemen that I met with yesterday placed a call to a friend on my behalf. He then urged me to call this friend and seek his assistance with my ongoing efforts to capitalize Parmasters Waterloo Region. We all do favours. I placed the call and left a message with the friend. He’s never met me, and knew I was calling to ask a favour, and yet called back later the same day, today. Helping. Abundance.
And of course, I try to return these favours. A friend has developed a seemingly innovative and promising investment model for certain types of investment vehicles. I introduced him to two friends, including the gentleman noted in the paragraph above. I also made several other introductions/connections today.
The day ended – or more accurately – the last meeting of the day was Wilfrid Laurier University’s annual Economic Outlook, hosted at CIGI in Waterloo this evening. The turnout was very large and the speakers were quite informative.
The day will officially end after some reading later tonight.
It started with a mid-morning Business and Education Partnership meeting held at the Accelerator Centre in Waterloo. The BEP operates a speakers’ bureau. The speakers are volunteers who go into local schools and speak to classes about jobs, careers and related topics. The meeting this morning was meant as a training refresher for some of us that have been involved since the beginning. The room was full. Great turn out. Volunteerism. Abundance.
We also read in our newspapers today that Canadians donated a record $7.9 billion to charities in 2005, representing a 14 percent increase over 2004. Charity. Abundance.
One of the gentlemen that I met with yesterday placed a call to a friend on my behalf. He then urged me to call this friend and seek his assistance with my ongoing efforts to capitalize Parmasters Waterloo Region. We all do favours. I placed the call and left a message with the friend. He’s never met me, and knew I was calling to ask a favour, and yet called back later the same day, today. Helping. Abundance.
And of course, I try to return these favours. A friend has developed a seemingly innovative and promising investment model for certain types of investment vehicles. I introduced him to two friends, including the gentleman noted in the paragraph above. I also made several other introductions/connections today.
The day ended – or more accurately – the last meeting of the day was Wilfrid Laurier University’s annual Economic Outlook, hosted at CIGI in Waterloo this evening. The turnout was very large and the speakers were quite informative.
The day will officially end after some reading later tonight.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Favours Returned Repeatedly
Today was another day spent predominantly in my “mobile office.” The meetings started shortly after 9:00am and continued throughout the day. Seven or eight in total.
My BlackBerry is a fantastic productivity tool, allowing me to keep up with the email flow even when I’m out on the road. Of course, I do not type/read when driving. But I must admit to a bit of reading at stop lights.
I had lunch with a gentleman that is loosely connected to The Utility Company. They offer an interesting service – basically IT solutions provided in a utility model as opposed to the current buy, break, fix model. We lunched to discuss how we might help each other. I can make some introductions for The Utility Company, and they can help me expand my network and thus help finance Parmasters Waterloo Region. Win-win.
What is truly interesting is that The Utility Company is a franchisor. They are selling franchises throughout Canada, and possibly elsewhere. There aren’t many technology or IT businesses that choose franchising as a growth model. It definitely seems to make sense in their case.
I also finally secured the services of a bookkeeper. This should help me remain organized and reduce my work volume.
I also met today with a good friend whose company offers special financing to dentists and doctors that want to build and occupy a commercial building (i.e. owner-occupied). This fellow can also help me grow my network. And I will help him grow his network amongst dentists and doctors. My wife is a dental hygienist.
We live in a world of abundance. There’s more than enough for all of us. The list of people helping me – in one way or another – with Parmasters Waterloo Region is very, very long. And thus, I continually look for opportunities to return the favour.
For now, time for some reading ...
My BlackBerry is a fantastic productivity tool, allowing me to keep up with the email flow even when I’m out on the road. Of course, I do not type/read when driving. But I must admit to a bit of reading at stop lights.
I had lunch with a gentleman that is loosely connected to The Utility Company. They offer an interesting service – basically IT solutions provided in a utility model as opposed to the current buy, break, fix model. We lunched to discuss how we might help each other. I can make some introductions for The Utility Company, and they can help me expand my network and thus help finance Parmasters Waterloo Region. Win-win.
What is truly interesting is that The Utility Company is a franchisor. They are selling franchises throughout Canada, and possibly elsewhere. There aren’t many technology or IT businesses that choose franchising as a growth model. It definitely seems to make sense in their case.
I also finally secured the services of a bookkeeper. This should help me remain organized and reduce my work volume.
I also met today with a good friend whose company offers special financing to dentists and doctors that want to build and occupy a commercial building (i.e. owner-occupied). This fellow can also help me grow my network. And I will help him grow his network amongst dentists and doctors. My wife is a dental hygienist.
We live in a world of abundance. There’s more than enough for all of us. The list of people helping me – in one way or another – with Parmasters Waterloo Region is very, very long. And thus, I continually look for opportunities to return the favour.
For now, time for some reading ...
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
How To Hit The Ball Straight
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” –Albert Einstein
Spend some time around the first tee of any golf course and you’ll see a continual stream of “insane” people. Every golfer I know, every golfer I’ve ever seen, myself included, repeats basically the same swing, over and over, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, “expecting different results.” He/she may take some lessons, tweak a few things, focus on a few different things, and even go out and buy some new clubs. But at the end of the day, very little has changed.
Want to learn how to hit a little white ball straight down any fairway? Consistently? Easily? Confidently?
Then I suggest you surf the web to here and/or here. Enjoy!
We’ll be open next summer. Come see us. And after your lessons, we’ll look forward to seeing you in the fairway …
Spend some time around the first tee of any golf course and you’ll see a continual stream of “insane” people. Every golfer I know, every golfer I’ve ever seen, myself included, repeats basically the same swing, over and over, shot after shot, game after game, year after year, “expecting different results.” He/she may take some lessons, tweak a few things, focus on a few different things, and even go out and buy some new clubs. But at the end of the day, very little has changed.
Want to learn how to hit a little white ball straight down any fairway? Consistently? Easily? Confidently?
Then I suggest you surf the web to here and/or here. Enjoy!
We’ll be open next summer. Come see us. And after your lessons, we’ll look forward to seeing you in the fairway …
Monday, November 20, 2006
Tackling Those Dreaded Tasks
This past weekend was very productive, in many ways. My wife and I dined out at a quaint little restaurant in the south end of Kitchener on Friday evening. I worked most of Saturday and Sunday but did take time out for family meals, my son’s hockey game and practice, etc.
The focus for the weekend was a lot of tasks that I had put off for a couple of weeks. There are just some tasks that seem really daunting, or complicated, or painful. These tasks were like that. Admittedly, I had procrastinated on a couple of them. Others only recently became a higher priority.
So not only did I simply get a large volume of work accomplished, but I also cleared my plate of some tasks that I was really dreading. This feels good.
I started the week, as I do most Mondays, with a great workout. Exercising leaves me energized to tackle the rest of the day.
The morning was spent working in my office, and the afternoon was full of meetings. This evening I’ve been catching up on some email and also working on some paperwork related to a volunteer position I fulfill within my church.
I’m intentionally transitioning the way I allocate my time. Right now I really have two primary tasks: capitalize the business by attracting and signing investors, and find a building/site for the business. While capitalization still takes a lot of time, I am reducing the time per week I spend on that activity, and increasing the time per week spent on finding a site.
I believe that once I find a site, the capitalization effort will proceed more quickly.
Early meetings tomorrow, and they continue for most of the day. Thus, early to bed tonight …
The focus for the weekend was a lot of tasks that I had put off for a couple of weeks. There are just some tasks that seem really daunting, or complicated, or painful. These tasks were like that. Admittedly, I had procrastinated on a couple of them. Others only recently became a higher priority.
So not only did I simply get a large volume of work accomplished, but I also cleared my plate of some tasks that I was really dreading. This feels good.
I started the week, as I do most Mondays, with a great workout. Exercising leaves me energized to tackle the rest of the day.
The morning was spent working in my office, and the afternoon was full of meetings. This evening I’ve been catching up on some email and also working on some paperwork related to a volunteer position I fulfill within my church.
I’m intentionally transitioning the way I allocate my time. Right now I really have two primary tasks: capitalize the business by attracting and signing investors, and find a building/site for the business. While capitalization still takes a lot of time, I am reducing the time per week I spend on that activity, and increasing the time per week spent on finding a site.
I believe that once I find a site, the capitalization effort will proceed more quickly.
Early meetings tomorrow, and they continue for most of the day. Thus, early to bed tonight …
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Busy Weekend Ahead
It’s been another hectic week for Parmasters Waterloo Region. While the capitalization efforts continue, and in fact accelerate, I find my time is increasingly occupied with finding a building/site, and other sundry activities. We’ll conduct more site tours towards the end of this month. We’re now considering some very interesting and diverse properties.
We’re also now members of both Communitech and the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce. Networking is critical to all aspects of the business.
For various reasons, several tasks have slipped from this past Thurs and Fri, into this weekend. Two more days left in the week and an awful lot to do. Time to get on with the tasks hand …
We’re also now members of both Communitech and the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce. Networking is critical to all aspects of the business.
For various reasons, several tasks have slipped from this past Thurs and Fri, into this weekend. Two more days left in the week and an awful lot to do. Time to get on with the tasks hand …
Thursday, November 16, 2006
PDAs as Efficiency Tools
I mentioned in an earlier post that I keep lists of ideas related to Parmasters Waterloo Region. These ideas may come from personal experiences, books I’m reading, conversations, etc. The point is, the ideas are captured and ready for future scrutiny, refinement and perhaps implementation.
I believe strongly in the use of some form of personal digital assistant (PDA) as an efficiency and effectiveness tool. The founding President of Communitech (a local technology and advocacy organization), Vince Schiralli, first turned me on to PDAs around 2000. At that time I purchased a Palm m100. Today I use my BlackBerry.
Almost all PDAs include the following capabilities:
- calendar
- task list
- contact list
- memo/note pad
Calendar – This is mostly obvious. I always have my calendar with me. But the key is, note all of your commitments in your calendar. Don’t just use it for work. The mundane tasks of life – working out, a shower, banking, eating – all take time, and thus should be blocked off in your calendar. My son’s hockey games and practices are blocked off in my calendar. This helps you manager your own expectations regarding how much time you actually have available.
Task List – There are two key points here. First, capture every task and/or commitment. Credibility is critical in business, and nothing zaps your credibility faster than not following through on a commitment. I’ve been in countless meetings where an individual has been assigned several tasks/commitments within the first few minutes of the lengthy meeting, and he/she has not recorded any of them. Will he/she meet those commitments? Generally not. Open your PDA, and note the task, immediately. That tells your colleagues that you’re committed to making the commitment.
Also, tasks should be categorized. We all play many roles in life. I am husband, father, son, friend, entrepreneur, consultant/director, home owner, volunteer, etc. Each task/commitment is associated with one of the roles in your life. Categorization helps you understand the nature of your commitments, where you’re stretching yourself thin, where you’re spending time and where you need to focus.
Contact List – This too is rather obvious. I have contact information for everyone in my network, always in hand. That’s powerful.
Memo/Note Pad – I suspect most people really under-utilize this capability. I am a strong believer in lists. I keep all lists in my BlackBerry, in various memos. This is an amazing efficiency tool.
Examples:
- Goals – I keep my evolving list of goals, and related thoughts and tactics, with me at all times. Thus, I can review them, or work on them, whenever I have a few minutes of down time (like in a checkout line).
- Shopping – Most Canadian home owners have a small but continual list of items that they (believe they) require from Canadian Tire, or Rona, or Home Depot. But most don’t keep the list. Mine is always with me. When I find myself driving past said store, with a few minutes before my next appointment, I can use that time to check some items off of my list.
- Ideas – Already mentioned. I can capture these and work on them anywhere, anytime.
- Books – I capture key points from books and have them handy for review. I also keep lists of books that I want to read, books that I’ve loaned out, etc.
- Gift Ideas – People drop hints all the time. Don’t spend time scratching your head come Christmas, or a birthday. Capture ideas as they appear, and have them handy when the time comes.
I’ve only scratched the surface of this topic. PDAs are fantastic efficiency tools.
As I refer to my BlackBerry, it’s clear that I have meetings most of the day, and it’s now time to prepare.
I believe strongly in the use of some form of personal digital assistant (PDA) as an efficiency and effectiveness tool. The founding President of Communitech (a local technology and advocacy organization), Vince Schiralli, first turned me on to PDAs around 2000. At that time I purchased a Palm m100. Today I use my BlackBerry.
Almost all PDAs include the following capabilities:
- calendar
- task list
- contact list
- memo/note pad
Calendar – This is mostly obvious. I always have my calendar with me. But the key is, note all of your commitments in your calendar. Don’t just use it for work. The mundane tasks of life – working out, a shower, banking, eating – all take time, and thus should be blocked off in your calendar. My son’s hockey games and practices are blocked off in my calendar. This helps you manager your own expectations regarding how much time you actually have available.
Task List – There are two key points here. First, capture every task and/or commitment. Credibility is critical in business, and nothing zaps your credibility faster than not following through on a commitment. I’ve been in countless meetings where an individual has been assigned several tasks/commitments within the first few minutes of the lengthy meeting, and he/she has not recorded any of them. Will he/she meet those commitments? Generally not. Open your PDA, and note the task, immediately. That tells your colleagues that you’re committed to making the commitment.
Also, tasks should be categorized. We all play many roles in life. I am husband, father, son, friend, entrepreneur, consultant/director, home owner, volunteer, etc. Each task/commitment is associated with one of the roles in your life. Categorization helps you understand the nature of your commitments, where you’re stretching yourself thin, where you’re spending time and where you need to focus.
Contact List – This too is rather obvious. I have contact information for everyone in my network, always in hand. That’s powerful.
Memo/Note Pad – I suspect most people really under-utilize this capability. I am a strong believer in lists. I keep all lists in my BlackBerry, in various memos. This is an amazing efficiency tool.
Examples:
- Goals – I keep my evolving list of goals, and related thoughts and tactics, with me at all times. Thus, I can review them, or work on them, whenever I have a few minutes of down time (like in a checkout line).
- Shopping – Most Canadian home owners have a small but continual list of items that they (believe they) require from Canadian Tire, or Rona, or Home Depot. But most don’t keep the list. Mine is always with me. When I find myself driving past said store, with a few minutes before my next appointment, I can use that time to check some items off of my list.
- Ideas – Already mentioned. I can capture these and work on them anywhere, anytime.
- Books – I capture key points from books and have them handy for review. I also keep lists of books that I want to read, books that I’ve loaned out, etc.
- Gift Ideas – People drop hints all the time. Don’t spend time scratching your head come Christmas, or a birthday. Capture ideas as they appear, and have them handy when the time comes.
I’ve only scratched the surface of this topic. PDAs are fantastic efficiency tools.
As I refer to my BlackBerry, it’s clear that I have meetings most of the day, and it’s now time to prepare.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Make Ready for the Mavens
Yet another fantastic day in the development of Parmasters Waterloo Region! While I hate to sound repetitive, momentum is really starting to build. My network of contacts is growing quickly, and in some very promising directions. New possibilities for the location or site continue to come to the fore. We’re making progress on many fronts.
As you might imagine, I keep a notebook on my nightstand, and nearby at all times. Well, throughout the day my “notebook” is actually my BlackBerry. Ideas come at me constantly. Some of these ideas will play a role within some/all of our Parmasters Centers. Others will not stand the test of closer scrutiny. Either way, these two simple tools help me quickly capture ideas.
One such “idea” came from one of the books I finished over the weekend, Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. I’m sure many of you have read it. If not, do so.
Gladwell writes about the Law of the Few, including Mavens, Connectors, and Salesmen. (There’s much more to the book than this groundbreaking concept.)
Mavens are product/category experts. They crave new information about products in specific categories, whether it be dish soap, automobiles, golf equipment or retirement homes. You name it, and there exist Mavens that study it.
Connectors are relationship and networking experts. They build personal relationships with an above average number of people. They’re well connected. And their relationships are strong.
Salesmen spend time convincing others to pursue a given course of action, or to buy, or not buy, a given product, etc. They are influencers.
People turn to Mavens for product information. They’re experts.
Connectors help spread the word.
Salesmen overtly spread product information. If they believe a product delivers value, they’ll go out of their way to urge you to try it.
Gladwell gives the example of the launch of Lexus in the United States. Shortly after the launch they identified two minor problems – requiring a recall – with their LS400 line. This was a potential disaster. They launched in the market, positioning themselves as the new quality leader.
Lexus quickly realized that this recall was actually an opportunity in disguise. They had only sold a few thousand cars. And who had purchased these new models from this new brand? Mavens! A perfect audience.
Lexus set about to conduct the most perfect product recall ever attempted. All vehicles were washed as part of the recall. Gladwell lists many ways in which Lexus did everything it could to impress the Mavens.
Some might argue that Lexus went overboard with the service that they provided, but they never looked at the exercise as a cost of doing business. They saw it as a marketing initiative, an investment in their brand. As a result of this foresight, the “recall” was a massive success!
Prior to opening Parmasters Waterloo Region, we will sell a target of 750 memberships. We call this “pre-selling.” Who will buy these memberships? Mavens!
As you might imagine, I keep a notebook on my nightstand, and nearby at all times. Well, throughout the day my “notebook” is actually my BlackBerry. Ideas come at me constantly. Some of these ideas will play a role within some/all of our Parmasters Centers. Others will not stand the test of closer scrutiny. Either way, these two simple tools help me quickly capture ideas.
One such “idea” came from one of the books I finished over the weekend, Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. I’m sure many of you have read it. If not, do so.
Gladwell writes about the Law of the Few, including Mavens, Connectors, and Salesmen. (There’s much more to the book than this groundbreaking concept.)
Mavens are product/category experts. They crave new information about products in specific categories, whether it be dish soap, automobiles, golf equipment or retirement homes. You name it, and there exist Mavens that study it.
Connectors are relationship and networking experts. They build personal relationships with an above average number of people. They’re well connected. And their relationships are strong.
Salesmen spend time convincing others to pursue a given course of action, or to buy, or not buy, a given product, etc. They are influencers.
People turn to Mavens for product information. They’re experts.
Connectors help spread the word.
Salesmen overtly spread product information. If they believe a product delivers value, they’ll go out of their way to urge you to try it.
Gladwell gives the example of the launch of Lexus in the United States. Shortly after the launch they identified two minor problems – requiring a recall – with their LS400 line. This was a potential disaster. They launched in the market, positioning themselves as the new quality leader.
Lexus quickly realized that this recall was actually an opportunity in disguise. They had only sold a few thousand cars. And who had purchased these new models from this new brand? Mavens! A perfect audience.
Lexus set about to conduct the most perfect product recall ever attempted. All vehicles were washed as part of the recall. Gladwell lists many ways in which Lexus did everything it could to impress the Mavens.
Some might argue that Lexus went overboard with the service that they provided, but they never looked at the exercise as a cost of doing business. They saw it as a marketing initiative, an investment in their brand. As a result of this foresight, the “recall” was a massive success!
Prior to opening Parmasters Waterloo Region, we will sell a target of 750 memberships. We call this “pre-selling.” Who will buy these memberships? Mavens!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Remembrance and Thankfulness
Today, Remembrance Day, above all other days, is a time to remember, and be thankful. So many young men and women made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy the very freedoms that we generally take for granted today. And whether you agree or disagree with the current missions of the Canadian military abroad, you cannot deny the fact that our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, are putting themselves in harms way, and doing so for our greater good. I pray that they return home safely.
Thankfulness, gratitude, can also be a very powerful exercise. I find it helps with focus, mission, determination and energy. You simply sit down, with pen and paper, or a more electronic means, and list all of the things for which you are thankful. After a while you simply continue to add to an ongoing list.
Today, I note, that I am very thankful for:
- My family and friends, and their ongoing and unwavering support.
- My youngest son scored perfect on a spelling test this week.
- He also received an A on a math test and a B+ on a science project that occupied most of last weekend.
- My eldest son had an assist in his hockey game last night.
- He played great, they recorded their first victory, and it was against a former coach of his. Fun!
- I had a fantastic workout and run this morning. I’ve discovered a new, brutally difficult chest routine. Enjoying the burn.
- The Secret has been passed on. We purchased a copy and passed in on to friends, urging them to do the same. So The Secret will travel from friend to friend, and who knows what may come of it.
- Another friend wants to borrow our copy of The Secret. Great!
- I had a great time with SlipStream friends on Thursday evening.
- I have a Spectradigital board meeting today. Spectradigital has fantastic technology and will have a very positive impact on millions of lives!
- Also meeting an investor today, and collecting another cheque!
- A local hockey team stopped by this morning to pick up empty bottles to raise money for their team. Win-win!
- I’ve added several new contacts to my network this week, and all are very influential and well connected.
- I’m very thankful that Parmasters has come into our lives. We’re having a lot of fun, and will generate a lot of benefits of all kinds for members, customers, employees, investors and our family.
- We live in a world of abundance. There is more than enough of everything for all. For that I am very thankful.
- I also realize there is much work to be done to ensure some that do not currently enjoy the abundance of this world start enjoying it soon. I’m thankful that there are ways that I can and do help.
Remember! And be thankful everyday!
Thankfulness, gratitude, can also be a very powerful exercise. I find it helps with focus, mission, determination and energy. You simply sit down, with pen and paper, or a more electronic means, and list all of the things for which you are thankful. After a while you simply continue to add to an ongoing list.
Today, I note, that I am very thankful for:
- My family and friends, and their ongoing and unwavering support.
- My youngest son scored perfect on a spelling test this week.
- He also received an A on a math test and a B+ on a science project that occupied most of last weekend.
- My eldest son had an assist in his hockey game last night.
- He played great, they recorded their first victory, and it was against a former coach of his. Fun!
- I had a fantastic workout and run this morning. I’ve discovered a new, brutally difficult chest routine. Enjoying the burn.
- The Secret has been passed on. We purchased a copy and passed in on to friends, urging them to do the same. So The Secret will travel from friend to friend, and who knows what may come of it.
- Another friend wants to borrow our copy of The Secret. Great!
- I had a great time with SlipStream friends on Thursday evening.
- I have a Spectradigital board meeting today. Spectradigital has fantastic technology and will have a very positive impact on millions of lives!
- Also meeting an investor today, and collecting another cheque!
- A local hockey team stopped by this morning to pick up empty bottles to raise money for their team. Win-win!
- I’ve added several new contacts to my network this week, and all are very influential and well connected.
- I’m very thankful that Parmasters has come into our lives. We’re having a lot of fun, and will generate a lot of benefits of all kinds for members, customers, employees, investors and our family.
- We live in a world of abundance. There is more than enough of everything for all. For that I am very thankful.
- I also realize there is much work to be done to ensure some that do not currently enjoy the abundance of this world start enjoying it soon. I’m thankful that there are ways that I can and do help.
Remember! And be thankful everyday!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
A 25% Handicap Reduction, Guaranteed!
At Parmasters we teach a simplified, single axis golf swing known as Straight-Line Golf. This method of swinging a golf club does not look radically different than the traditional golf swing. But the results of using Straight-Line Golf are definitely very radical!
Scott Hazledine, Parmasters Chief Golf Professional and Co-Founder, developed Straight-Line Golf. Other pros were also involved. It’s Scott’s life’s work.
Scott and his protégés (there are many) have been teaching Straight-Line Golf for years and offering an ironclad guarantee. If they didn’t reduce your handicap by at least 40% - yes you read that correctly, forty percent – then you would receive your money back. No one has ever asked for their money back.
At Parmasters, we’ve reduced the guaranteed reduction to 25%, not 40%. The main reason this was done is simply credibility. It’s very difficult for someone to fathom a 40% reduction in their handicap. It almost sounds unbelievable or too good to be true. The reduced 25% seems more plausible.
The following testimonial snippets come from the Parmasters Golf Training Centers website.
“I attended one of Scott's three day schools in February, 2000. I went to the school with a 13 handicap that had been steadily worsening over the years, and by August had reduced it to 9 by practicing what Scott taught at the school and in his videos. I'm hitting balls as far or farther, and for sure straighter than I did five years ago, even at the age of 57. ... I'm still playing in the 9 to 10 range (8.7 slope index currently), but certainly feel I am capable of achieving a 5-6 or lower level with some concerted short game practice effort.“
“How has his swing improved my game? I have limited time to practice and play now. Before Scott, I shot in the low 90's and occasionally the high 80's. ... Now playing less, and practicing much less, just tuning up the swing once every two weeks, I can shoot consistently in the low 80's.”
“I am a recent convertee to the Straight Line Golf™ system and love your method. ... After two weeks of training and 2 rounds of golf, I dropped my score from a 92 down to an 81 (should have been a 78 since I blew 3 three-footers for par). ... I was rather skeptical of what would be taught and the promise that my handicap would improve 40%. ... Scott's Straight Line Golf™ system has improved my golf game dramatically. I have improved my distance, accuracy and short game considerably in just 5 months of self-training.”
You can read many more testimonials here.
Scott Hazledine, Parmasters Chief Golf Professional and Co-Founder, developed Straight-Line Golf. Other pros were also involved. It’s Scott’s life’s work.
Scott and his protégés (there are many) have been teaching Straight-Line Golf for years and offering an ironclad guarantee. If they didn’t reduce your handicap by at least 40% - yes you read that correctly, forty percent – then you would receive your money back. No one has ever asked for their money back.
At Parmasters, we’ve reduced the guaranteed reduction to 25%, not 40%. The main reason this was done is simply credibility. It’s very difficult for someone to fathom a 40% reduction in their handicap. It almost sounds unbelievable or too good to be true. The reduced 25% seems more plausible.
The following testimonial snippets come from the Parmasters Golf Training Centers website.
“I attended one of Scott's three day schools in February, 2000. I went to the school with a 13 handicap that had been steadily worsening over the years, and by August had reduced it to 9 by practicing what Scott taught at the school and in his videos. I'm hitting balls as far or farther, and for sure straighter than I did five years ago, even at the age of 57. ... I'm still playing in the 9 to 10 range (8.7 slope index currently), but certainly feel I am capable of achieving a 5-6 or lower level with some concerted short game practice effort.“
“How has his swing improved my game? I have limited time to practice and play now. Before Scott, I shot in the low 90's and occasionally the high 80's. ... Now playing less, and practicing much less, just tuning up the swing once every two weeks, I can shoot consistently in the low 80's.”
“I am a recent convertee to the Straight Line Golf™ system and love your method. ... After two weeks of training and 2 rounds of golf, I dropped my score from a 92 down to an 81 (should have been a 78 since I blew 3 three-footers for par). ... I was rather skeptical of what would be taught and the promise that my handicap would improve 40%. ... Scott's Straight Line Golf™ system has improved my golf game dramatically. I have improved my distance, accuracy and short game considerably in just 5 months of self-training.”
You can read many more testimonials here.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Progress On Many Fronts
Another busy day in the life of Parmasters Waterloo Region.
Three things of note:
- capitalization of the company is going very well
- site selection is taking more and more time, but it’s an awful lot of fun, very interesting, and going very well
- I’m taking my message to Bay Street (the one in Toronto)
Today was a fantastic day for the capitalization efforts. My network expanded substantially. I communicated the vision very effectively (based on the responses I received). And several potential investors are now closer to signing on, much closer than they were when my feet first hit the floor this morning!
As for site selection, I thought it would be a process of viewing a few buildings, picking the best one, perhaps seeing a few new sites become available over the course of our efforts and viewing some of those, and then making a decision. It’s a little different than that. We’re now ‘working’ close to ten potential sites. We’re involved in meeting with developers, meeting with landlords that may shuffle some tenants around their portfolio, investigating who’s about to put a shovel in the ground on a particular lot, and considering alternative structures (more details to follow). It’s fascinating and going very well, but also time consuming.
And lastly, I’m off to Bay Street on Thursday, spreading the Parmasters message. I wonder how far one could hit a golf ball, a driver, straight down Bay Street. Best to do so when it’s relatively empty, I suppose. Fewer obstructions. But, I digress. I’m meeting with an investor candidate, and a connector. And perhaps he’s reading thing blog. I’ve had many meetings on Bay Street, but didn’t anticipate the capitalization of Parmasters Waterloo Region taking me to arguably the financial capital of Canada. I look forward to the discussions …
With that, and since I’m still lacking RnR, I’m off to read for a few minutes before bed. Lots to do tomorrow …
Three things of note:
- capitalization of the company is going very well
- site selection is taking more and more time, but it’s an awful lot of fun, very interesting, and going very well
- I’m taking my message to Bay Street (the one in Toronto)
Today was a fantastic day for the capitalization efforts. My network expanded substantially. I communicated the vision very effectively (based on the responses I received). And several potential investors are now closer to signing on, much closer than they were when my feet first hit the floor this morning!
As for site selection, I thought it would be a process of viewing a few buildings, picking the best one, perhaps seeing a few new sites become available over the course of our efforts and viewing some of those, and then making a decision. It’s a little different than that. We’re now ‘working’ close to ten potential sites. We’re involved in meeting with developers, meeting with landlords that may shuffle some tenants around their portfolio, investigating who’s about to put a shovel in the ground on a particular lot, and considering alternative structures (more details to follow). It’s fascinating and going very well, but also time consuming.
And lastly, I’m off to Bay Street on Thursday, spreading the Parmasters message. I wonder how far one could hit a golf ball, a driver, straight down Bay Street. Best to do so when it’s relatively empty, I suppose. Fewer obstructions. But, I digress. I’m meeting with an investor candidate, and a connector. And perhaps he’s reading thing blog. I’ve had many meetings on Bay Street, but didn’t anticipate the capitalization of Parmasters Waterloo Region taking me to arguably the financial capital of Canada. I look forward to the discussions …
With that, and since I’m still lacking RnR, I’m off to read for a few minutes before bed. Lots to do tomorrow …
Monday, November 06, 2006
Lifestyle Choices Now for Lifestyle Choices in the Future
It’s been a busy few days. I generally try to take half a day off, for myself, each weekend. That didn’t happen this past weekend. I worked Friday evening, most of Saturday and most of Sunday. I had planned to relax a little this evening, but that hasn’t really happened either. I did have a break on Saturday afternoon, watching my oldest play hockey. And Saturday evening we tuned into the Toronto Maple Leafs game.
It’s not that I mind lengthy periods with little RnR. I absolutely love what I’m doing, and can easily work non-stop on the business.
However, what I do mind is the potential for a drop in effectiveness. I’ve blogged before about “sharpening the saw,” as Covey likes to refer to it. I know it’s important to take time to keep that saw sharp. But, I’m also fully aware that creating a business takes a monumental effort. Most people that do so work basically all of the time for the first period. I’m no different.
I had an interesting conversation on this topic with a trusted advisor and new friend. He noted a disconnect between the lifestyle choices of my target audience (for this blog and for the golf training center), and my current lifestyle. Most of the people interested in Parmasters (as an investor, as an employee, as a customer, as a member) have an affinity for golf and also value leisure time very highly. They value time to relax. They value time on a golf course. And yet, here I am blogging about my workaholic lifestyle. He’s definitely correct. There’s a huge disconnect.
And in fact, Parmasters emphasizes “more life” as a goal for the entire franchise system and for all involved. “More life” means something different to each individual, but all agree that it’s a good thing, and synonymous with doing what you want more often than not.
So, at this stage in my life, yes I work almost all of the time. I do so, to build a future for my family, and to deliver an amazing return to my investors, all by delivering exceptional service to our future members.
I absolutely value “more life.” I value leisure time. Golf time. Family time. I look forward to a time when this business is generating wealth for my family and for my investors, and contributing to “more life” for our members also. I look forward to a time when I work very little on weekends and during evenings. I look forward to a time when my staff are taking on more and more responsibility, growing, learning and building their own futures within this business.
But for now, at this point, we are incurring short-term pain for long-term gain.
“Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” -unknown
It’s not that I mind lengthy periods with little RnR. I absolutely love what I’m doing, and can easily work non-stop on the business.
However, what I do mind is the potential for a drop in effectiveness. I’ve blogged before about “sharpening the saw,” as Covey likes to refer to it. I know it’s important to take time to keep that saw sharp. But, I’m also fully aware that creating a business takes a monumental effort. Most people that do so work basically all of the time for the first period. I’m no different.
I had an interesting conversation on this topic with a trusted advisor and new friend. He noted a disconnect between the lifestyle choices of my target audience (for this blog and for the golf training center), and my current lifestyle. Most of the people interested in Parmasters (as an investor, as an employee, as a customer, as a member) have an affinity for golf and also value leisure time very highly. They value time to relax. They value time on a golf course. And yet, here I am blogging about my workaholic lifestyle. He’s definitely correct. There’s a huge disconnect.
And in fact, Parmasters emphasizes “more life” as a goal for the entire franchise system and for all involved. “More life” means something different to each individual, but all agree that it’s a good thing, and synonymous with doing what you want more often than not.
So, at this stage in my life, yes I work almost all of the time. I do so, to build a future for my family, and to deliver an amazing return to my investors, all by delivering exceptional service to our future members.
I absolutely value “more life.” I value leisure time. Golf time. Family time. I look forward to a time when this business is generating wealth for my family and for my investors, and contributing to “more life” for our members also. I look forward to a time when I work very little on weekends and during evenings. I look forward to a time when my staff are taking on more and more responsibility, growing, learning and building their own futures within this business.
But for now, at this point, we are incurring short-term pain for long-term gain.
“Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” -unknown
Friday, November 03, 2006
Why Parmasters Golf Training Centers?
We’ve just returned from a nice family meal. We dined out. Something we rarely do these days, for many reasons.
In the past, at the restaurant where we ate tonight, I’ve seen a young gentleman serving tables. He’s not really a waiter, in that he doesn’t take food orders. But he does deliver plates to tables. Perhaps the term “busboy” applies. I’m not sure. The point is, he’s amazing with the restaurant guests. He puts people at ease within seconds of meeting them. He never simply delivers the meals and walks away. He engages people. And almost everyone reacts very positively and enthusiastically to his approach and demeanor. I’d like to talk to him, and consider hiring him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t there this evening …
I blogged the other night about Dr. Hewick’s Entrepreneurship course at WLU re-igniting my drive to build companies, and promised to address the follow-on question shortly. The follow-on question is, of course, why Parmasters Golf Training Centers?
There are many reasons.
1) I love golf and want to work with/around activities that I love.
2) I believe we have a worthy mission. While I realize we’re not exactly saving lives at Parmasters, I also realize that a typical game of golf involves an awful lot of frustration. Many people love the game, but feel that “the game doesn’t love them back.” Many people leave the game. Many people go home from a round of golf very grumpy, and it affects the rest of their day. I feel we can help people play better, have more fun, less frustration, and thus, in a small way, improve their lives. Better golf. More fun. Guaranteed.
3) I believe a round of golf offers many lessons that apply to life in general. I believe golf is good for many people, and helps them grow.
4) Parmasters is a very ethical franchisor. They truly are doing things differently. I’d like to offer a link here to a web page that highlights the ethics of the Parmasters system. Unfortunately, it’s an internal page, meant for franchisee candidates only. I’ll include short excerpt instead. This is a list of the topics addressed on the ethics page:
- Transfer fees
- Renewal fees
- Subsequent training fees
- Annual conference fees
- Start-up budgets
- Restrictions on sources of products and services
- Enforcement of product pricing abuse
- Operations manual standards
- Remodeling at renewal
- Assignment by franchisee
- Renewal
- Dispute resolution
- Golf Training Center ad fund
- Local franchisee ad council
- Local advertising
- Internet sales
5) The individuals on the team at Parmasters HQ are driven, passionate, tenacious, experienced, incredibly skilled and knowledgeable, brilliant, genuine and absolutely committed. They’re also all guided by a strong moral and ethical compass. I believe very strongly that people do business with people, not with companies. I have always shied away from business opportunities where I didn’t fully trust the other parties. I could never bring third-party investors into such a situation.
6) I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, the Parmasters model, the business, will flourish. An entrepreneur must believe, or pack it in.
7) The Parmasters business opportunity, the “deal” if you will, is sound and appealing. There are two aspects to any franchise. You must consider the business. Will it succeed, as noted in the previous point above. But you must also consider the deal. Are the franchise fees, system rental fees, and any other fees all reasonable. Does the business deal make sense. It does.
8) And lastly, I truly believe that the value system that exists within Parmasters, and within its founding principals, aligns well with my value system. We value ethics. We value doing the right thing. We value “more life”, which is an important phrase within the Parmasters world. We value people, friendship, family and community. This is critically important for me.
So, in a (rather large) nutshell, that’s the answer to “why Parmasters?”
But don’t simply take my word for it. This page on the Parmasters Franchise site includes testimonials from many of the people from HQ, and other franchisees. I haven’t yet had time to make my contribution.
It’s Friday evening. Time to do a little reading, and just relax with my family. It’s also about remaining centred, grounded and connected to the ones that you love.
In the past, at the restaurant where we ate tonight, I’ve seen a young gentleman serving tables. He’s not really a waiter, in that he doesn’t take food orders. But he does deliver plates to tables. Perhaps the term “busboy” applies. I’m not sure. The point is, he’s amazing with the restaurant guests. He puts people at ease within seconds of meeting them. He never simply delivers the meals and walks away. He engages people. And almost everyone reacts very positively and enthusiastically to his approach and demeanor. I’d like to talk to him, and consider hiring him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t there this evening …
I blogged the other night about Dr. Hewick’s Entrepreneurship course at WLU re-igniting my drive to build companies, and promised to address the follow-on question shortly. The follow-on question is, of course, why Parmasters Golf Training Centers?
There are many reasons.
1) I love golf and want to work with/around activities that I love.
2) I believe we have a worthy mission. While I realize we’re not exactly saving lives at Parmasters, I also realize that a typical game of golf involves an awful lot of frustration. Many people love the game, but feel that “the game doesn’t love them back.” Many people leave the game. Many people go home from a round of golf very grumpy, and it affects the rest of their day. I feel we can help people play better, have more fun, less frustration, and thus, in a small way, improve their lives. Better golf. More fun. Guaranteed.
3) I believe a round of golf offers many lessons that apply to life in general. I believe golf is good for many people, and helps them grow.
4) Parmasters is a very ethical franchisor. They truly are doing things differently. I’d like to offer a link here to a web page that highlights the ethics of the Parmasters system. Unfortunately, it’s an internal page, meant for franchisee candidates only. I’ll include short excerpt instead. This is a list of the topics addressed on the ethics page:
- Transfer fees
- Renewal fees
- Subsequent training fees
- Annual conference fees
- Start-up budgets
- Restrictions on sources of products and services
- Enforcement of product pricing abuse
- Operations manual standards
- Remodeling at renewal
- Assignment by franchisee
- Renewal
- Dispute resolution
- Golf Training Center ad fund
- Local franchisee ad council
- Local advertising
- Internet sales
5) The individuals on the team at Parmasters HQ are driven, passionate, tenacious, experienced, incredibly skilled and knowledgeable, brilliant, genuine and absolutely committed. They’re also all guided by a strong moral and ethical compass. I believe very strongly that people do business with people, not with companies. I have always shied away from business opportunities where I didn’t fully trust the other parties. I could never bring third-party investors into such a situation.
6) I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, the Parmasters model, the business, will flourish. An entrepreneur must believe, or pack it in.
7) The Parmasters business opportunity, the “deal” if you will, is sound and appealing. There are two aspects to any franchise. You must consider the business. Will it succeed, as noted in the previous point above. But you must also consider the deal. Are the franchise fees, system rental fees, and any other fees all reasonable. Does the business deal make sense. It does.
8) And lastly, I truly believe that the value system that exists within Parmasters, and within its founding principals, aligns well with my value system. We value ethics. We value doing the right thing. We value “more life”, which is an important phrase within the Parmasters world. We value people, friendship, family and community. This is critically important for me.
So, in a (rather large) nutshell, that’s the answer to “why Parmasters?”
But don’t simply take my word for it. This page on the Parmasters Franchise site includes testimonials from many of the people from HQ, and other franchisees. I haven’t yet had time to make my contribution.
It’s Friday evening. Time to do a little reading, and just relax with my family. It’s also about remaining centred, grounded and connected to the ones that you love.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
New Competitor Opens in Waterloo
Another full day will soon draw to a close. It started with a nice workout, although my wrist seemed more aggravated again. And I did head out for a run this morning. I had meetings at both Kitchener and Cambridge City Hall’s, and squeezed in a haircut, a lunch and many phone calls in between. I stayed in Cambridge for a meeting late in the day, and so spent an hour working out of my “mobile office” (aka truck).
After that final meeting in Cambridge I was off to Waterloo to attend, as a VIP, the grand opening of a new competitor in the indoor golf market. I won’t provide their name here, as I assume they have Google Alerts or some other similar mechanism set up.
I provided my name to them, but they didn’t seem to recognize me. I’m not sure why. There are only three large competitors for them to keep an eye on: Bogart Golf, Golftec and Parmasters. And my name is strewn throughout the Parmasters site, noting clearly that I am the franchisor for southern Ontario. I was surprised when my name was not recognized.
They’re located on Northfield Drive East, in Waterloo, close to The Keg, for those that wish to visit them.
I’m not going to go into any big competitive breakdown here and now. Suffice it to say, I truly do wish them well.
On a completely different topic, here are two of my favourite quotes.
“To a large degree, the world around you is a mirror of that which is within you. You see what you look for. People treat you as you expect to be treated. The things you experience come from the actions you take. With your thoughts and actions you can make it what you want it to be.” -Ralph Marston
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.”
-The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam - Edward Fitzgerald - 11th century
Time for some reading, and a little sleep …
After that final meeting in Cambridge I was off to Waterloo to attend, as a VIP, the grand opening of a new competitor in the indoor golf market. I won’t provide their name here, as I assume they have Google Alerts or some other similar mechanism set up.
I provided my name to them, but they didn’t seem to recognize me. I’m not sure why. There are only three large competitors for them to keep an eye on: Bogart Golf, Golftec and Parmasters. And my name is strewn throughout the Parmasters site, noting clearly that I am the franchisor for southern Ontario. I was surprised when my name was not recognized.
They’re located on Northfield Drive East, in Waterloo, close to The Keg, for those that wish to visit them.
I’m not going to go into any big competitive breakdown here and now. Suffice it to say, I truly do wish them well.
On a completely different topic, here are two of my favourite quotes.
“To a large degree, the world around you is a mirror of that which is within you. You see what you look for. People treat you as you expect to be treated. The things you experience come from the actions you take. With your thoughts and actions you can make it what you want it to be.” -Ralph Marston
“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.”
-The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam - Edward Fitzgerald - 11th century
Time for some reading, and a little sleep …
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The Science of Shopping, and Shoppers
Happy Halloween!
We had a nice night in the neighbourhood. We live at the top end of a court, and thus don’t always get many visitors. Tonight was rather slow, especially given the favourable weather. This is the first year that I stayed home and dished out the treats. My wife took our youngest son around the neighbourhood. I missed going with him, but enjoyed my time at home also.
I sat out on the front porch, with our cat, the treats we were offering, a little glass of brandy, and Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping.
I’ve read Why We Buy before, but certainly enjoyed the refresher. Underhill was one of the first to actually study what goes on within a retail environment. Many companies study their cash register receipts. And many others conduct surveys with customers. But few actually study the behaviour of “humanus shopper” in his/her natural environment. Underhill makes this a science.
Underhill offers countless anecdotes throughout the book. Such as the very effective senior executive that thought almost every one that entered his outlets made a purchase. After all, they were a “destination store”, not an impulse buy. A quick study found that 48% of people entering the store actually made a purchase.
I also quite enjoy the “runway” concept. It turns out that right after we enter a store, we are not actually mentally “in” the store. This is less pronounced in a shopping mall, and more pronounced if patrons enter from the outside. As we enter, we’re in this no-man’s land between the outside and the inside. We’re adjusting our coat. Our eyes are adjusting to the lighting. We’re quickly scanning a vast space. We are not paying attention to whatever is happening immediately around us. The area just inside the door is the “runway”, and it is extremely difficult to get the attention of shoppers while they’re still on the runway.
Many of Underhill’s revelations are not entirely applicable to a Parmasters center. We offer very little merchandise, and actual “shopping” is a very small portion of the Parmasters experience.
However, the runway concept may offer some learning. A typical Parmasters features a large lobby area, just inside the doors. Remember, most visitors are carrying golf clubs or entire golf bags. Space is important. But this can also cause a very long runway effect. Something for us to consider.
Underhill also talks about the challenges shoppers face, especially in winter months, juggling a coat, perhaps another bag or purse, and perhaps an item they wish to purchase. In our Parmasters centers, we must consider what people will do with their winter clothing. Will coats be strewn around the green? Will snow be tracked in? Is this desirable?
There is much to consider. And I did not quite finish Why We Buy. A neighbour stopped by and we began plans to resurrect our annual street barbeque party. It died off when another neighbour, the organizer, moved away. That to-do item will wait for the spring …
We had a nice night in the neighbourhood. We live at the top end of a court, and thus don’t always get many visitors. Tonight was rather slow, especially given the favourable weather. This is the first year that I stayed home and dished out the treats. My wife took our youngest son around the neighbourhood. I missed going with him, but enjoyed my time at home also.
I sat out on the front porch, with our cat, the treats we were offering, a little glass of brandy, and Paco Underhill’s Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping.
I’ve read Why We Buy before, but certainly enjoyed the refresher. Underhill was one of the first to actually study what goes on within a retail environment. Many companies study their cash register receipts. And many others conduct surveys with customers. But few actually study the behaviour of “humanus shopper” in his/her natural environment. Underhill makes this a science.
Underhill offers countless anecdotes throughout the book. Such as the very effective senior executive that thought almost every one that entered his outlets made a purchase. After all, they were a “destination store”, not an impulse buy. A quick study found that 48% of people entering the store actually made a purchase.
I also quite enjoy the “runway” concept. It turns out that right after we enter a store, we are not actually mentally “in” the store. This is less pronounced in a shopping mall, and more pronounced if patrons enter from the outside. As we enter, we’re in this no-man’s land between the outside and the inside. We’re adjusting our coat. Our eyes are adjusting to the lighting. We’re quickly scanning a vast space. We are not paying attention to whatever is happening immediately around us. The area just inside the door is the “runway”, and it is extremely difficult to get the attention of shoppers while they’re still on the runway.
Many of Underhill’s revelations are not entirely applicable to a Parmasters center. We offer very little merchandise, and actual “shopping” is a very small portion of the Parmasters experience.
However, the runway concept may offer some learning. A typical Parmasters features a large lobby area, just inside the doors. Remember, most visitors are carrying golf clubs or entire golf bags. Space is important. But this can also cause a very long runway effect. Something for us to consider.
Underhill also talks about the challenges shoppers face, especially in winter months, juggling a coat, perhaps another bag or purse, and perhaps an item they wish to purchase. In our Parmasters centers, we must consider what people will do with their winter clothing. Will coats be strewn around the green? Will snow be tracked in? Is this desirable?
There is much to consider. And I did not quite finish Why We Buy. A neighbour stopped by and we began plans to resurrect our annual street barbeque party. It died off when another neighbour, the organizer, moved away. That to-do item will wait for the spring …
Monday, October 30, 2006
Why am I an entrepreneur?
It’s been a very busy and productive day. I started with a workout; no cardio, all weights. I simply didn’t feel like running today. Not sure why.
My wife is off work this week and next. I mean, she does not have to report to her job outside of the home. Clearly, she does most of her “work” within the home – she carries, by far, most of the day to day chores – and thus she is actually very rarely “on holidays.” She was very helpful today, and often is, handling many business-related tasks that I simply don’t find the time to tackle. This contributed to our overall productivity today.
Outside of that, I simply got a lot done. And I’m quite certain I worked on the right things also.
I continue to improve my ability to “fly a desk.”
Some people have asked why we’re doing this. Why are we launching Parmasters? Why did we purchase the rights to southern Ontario?
The answer really has two parts. First, tonight, I will answer the question, why am I an entrepreneur? In the next few days I will answer the second question, why Parmasters?
Why am I an entrepreneur?
I was fairly entrepreneurial in throughout my adolescence and undergrad years. But after we married, and settled into a certain lifestyle, my drive to create businesses seemed to disappear.
In 1994 we celebrated the arrival of our first son, and my first mid-life crisis. Thus, we became parents, and after considering many other programs and schools, including the Ivy League south of the border, I enrolled in the MBA (Masters in Business Administration) program at Wilfrid Laurier University.
To make a long story shorter, in late 1996 – I took the part-time, 3+-year MBA – I was struggling to find a course that interested me. I eventually chose a course on Entrepreneurship. The professor was Dr. Laurence Hewick. I found Dr. Hewick’s anecdotes to be quite inspiring. By the time that the second lecture had ended, the entrepreneur in me had been reignited!
So, why am I an entrepreneur? In some ways I’ve always been entrepreneurial. I love creating things. I love creating companies. I do not enjoy repetitive tasks. However, in many ways, the path leads back to a course in Entrepreneurship at WLU.
My wife is off work this week and next. I mean, she does not have to report to her job outside of the home. Clearly, she does most of her “work” within the home – she carries, by far, most of the day to day chores – and thus she is actually very rarely “on holidays.” She was very helpful today, and often is, handling many business-related tasks that I simply don’t find the time to tackle. This contributed to our overall productivity today.
Outside of that, I simply got a lot done. And I’m quite certain I worked on the right things also.
I continue to improve my ability to “fly a desk.”
Some people have asked why we’re doing this. Why are we launching Parmasters? Why did we purchase the rights to southern Ontario?
The answer really has two parts. First, tonight, I will answer the question, why am I an entrepreneur? In the next few days I will answer the second question, why Parmasters?
Why am I an entrepreneur?
I was fairly entrepreneurial in throughout my adolescence and undergrad years. But after we married, and settled into a certain lifestyle, my drive to create businesses seemed to disappear.
In 1994 we celebrated the arrival of our first son, and my first mid-life crisis. Thus, we became parents, and after considering many other programs and schools, including the Ivy League south of the border, I enrolled in the MBA (Masters in Business Administration) program at Wilfrid Laurier University.
To make a long story shorter, in late 1996 – I took the part-time, 3+-year MBA – I was struggling to find a course that interested me. I eventually chose a course on Entrepreneurship. The professor was Dr. Laurence Hewick. I found Dr. Hewick’s anecdotes to be quite inspiring. By the time that the second lecture had ended, the entrepreneur in me had been reignited!
So, why am I an entrepreneur? In some ways I’ve always been entrepreneurial. I love creating things. I love creating companies. I do not enjoy repetitive tasks. However, in many ways, the path leads back to a course in Entrepreneurship at WLU.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Fly a Desk
I’ve blogged a little less this week. Mainly because it’s been busier than normal. However, I believe this level of activity is about to become the new norm. An object in motion will tend to stay in motion …
So one of my to-do items for this weekend is to look for new efficiencies. How can I become more efficient in all that I do? Are there tasks that I can completely eliminate? Are there tasks that I can ask my family members to take over? Are there tasks that I can become more efficient at?
One of my favourite ways to go about this sort of contemplation is to use the 80-20 rule. Generally, 20% of our activities generate 80% of our results. Applying this principle, wouldn’t it be interesting if we could identify the activities, tasks, habits, and time-wasters that lie within the 80% above, and eliminate most of them. What if we spent far more than 20% of our time on activities that generate our maximum results?
I took my eldest son to hockey practice last night. I generally take some reading or work with me. I watch half the time, and work the other half.
Last night I leafed through Denzil Doyle’s Making Technology Happen. I can’t recommend this book highly enough to anyone building a company, regardless of previous experience. The first half of the book deals with how to identify business opportunities within technology, how to do the research and then write a business plan. However, the second half of the book talks all about how to create a company, and instill the proper systems to ensure the best chance of success.
Doyle speaks specifically of systems to get the most out of board meetings, management meetings, board-President interaction, etc. He lays out schedules for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting, and notes the important roles of a strategic plan, a budget and a forecast.
Doyle also notes the importance of learning how to “fly a desk.” This speaks to the efficiencies that I must contemplate this weekend. I feel I’m quite strong in this area, but we can all improve.
Making Technology Happen is required reading for all companies with which I consult. Its simplicity is inspiring.
So one of my to-do items for this weekend is to look for new efficiencies. How can I become more efficient in all that I do? Are there tasks that I can completely eliminate? Are there tasks that I can ask my family members to take over? Are there tasks that I can become more efficient at?
One of my favourite ways to go about this sort of contemplation is to use the 80-20 rule. Generally, 20% of our activities generate 80% of our results. Applying this principle, wouldn’t it be interesting if we could identify the activities, tasks, habits, and time-wasters that lie within the 80% above, and eliminate most of them. What if we spent far more than 20% of our time on activities that generate our maximum results?
I took my eldest son to hockey practice last night. I generally take some reading or work with me. I watch half the time, and work the other half.
Last night I leafed through Denzil Doyle’s Making Technology Happen. I can’t recommend this book highly enough to anyone building a company, regardless of previous experience. The first half of the book deals with how to identify business opportunities within technology, how to do the research and then write a business plan. However, the second half of the book talks all about how to create a company, and instill the proper systems to ensure the best chance of success.
Doyle speaks specifically of systems to get the most out of board meetings, management meetings, board-President interaction, etc. He lays out schedules for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting, and notes the important roles of a strategic plan, a budget and a forecast.
Doyle also notes the importance of learning how to “fly a desk.” This speaks to the efficiencies that I must contemplate this weekend. I feel I’m quite strong in this area, but we can all improve.
Making Technology Happen is required reading for all companies with which I consult. Its simplicity is inspiring.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Self-confessed "Unbalanced Force"
Momentum can be so critical. As Newton’s first law of motion states,
“An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
Regarding our efforts to capitalize Parmasters Waterloo Region, Newton’s law of inertia has definitely been in full view.
For the first couple of months, it seemed the effort was “an object at rest.” That was not really the case, of course, since during that period we spoke to many potential/future investors. We also identified other potential investors that were not interested, for a variety of reasons, predominantly very personal and financial in nature. This is wonderful since it helps us focus our efforts.
But the fact remains, for the first couple of months we did not “close” any investment deals.
But now, after significant effort, we have closed our first few deals. We are gaining momentum. This is fantastic news, especially as we work to prepare offers to lease space.
So, due to the efforts of myself and those that support me, the object is no longer “at rest.” And we are absolutely focused on ensuring that “an object in motion tends to stay in motion.”
But if one reads the above characterization of Newton’s first law carefully, all of this leads to one ultimate conclusion. That is, of course, that I am an “unbalanced force.”
“An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
Regarding our efforts to capitalize Parmasters Waterloo Region, Newton’s law of inertia has definitely been in full view.
For the first couple of months, it seemed the effort was “an object at rest.” That was not really the case, of course, since during that period we spoke to many potential/future investors. We also identified other potential investors that were not interested, for a variety of reasons, predominantly very personal and financial in nature. This is wonderful since it helps us focus our efforts.
But the fact remains, for the first couple of months we did not “close” any investment deals.
But now, after significant effort, we have closed our first few deals. We are gaining momentum. This is fantastic news, especially as we work to prepare offers to lease space.
So, due to the efforts of myself and those that support me, the object is no longer “at rest.” And we are absolutely focused on ensuring that “an object in motion tends to stay in motion.”
But if one reads the above characterization of Newton’s first law carefully, all of this leads to one ultimate conclusion. That is, of course, that I am an “unbalanced force.”
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Comments Anyone?
I’m still paying the price for having taken Sunday off. There were several things I wanted to accomplish before the investor presentation mentioned in a previous post. We worked as a quite a team last night, my wife and I, preparing some paperwork.
A friend noted that I’m not yet getting any comments on my blog. That’s true, of course. So I thought about.
At this point, most people following the blog are potential investors. They’re either considering investing themselves, or considering recommending the investment to friends or family. And of course, financial matters are private matters.
So, I’m really not all that surprised that there have not yet been many comments. Most followers of this blog do not want to identify themselves.
I have in fact received several comments, which I moderate by the way. The comments received have not been, shall we say, on topic, or relevant.
All of that said, I do plan to do some reading and seek some advice on how to transition a blog into more of a dialogue, how to elicit a few comments. I think the discourse could be quite enjoyable and fruitful.
A friend noted that I’m not yet getting any comments on my blog. That’s true, of course. So I thought about.
At this point, most people following the blog are potential investors. They’re either considering investing themselves, or considering recommending the investment to friends or family. And of course, financial matters are private matters.
So, I’m really not all that surprised that there have not yet been many comments. Most followers of this blog do not want to identify themselves.
I have in fact received several comments, which I moderate by the way. The comments received have not been, shall we say, on topic, or relevant.
All of that said, I do plan to do some reading and seek some advice on how to transition a blog into more of a dialogue, how to elicit a few comments. I think the discourse could be quite enjoyable and fruitful.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Paying the Price for Taking a Day Off
Very busy day today. It started with a workout and will finish up later this evening, as always, with some reading. I’m currently reading The Tipping Point. Interesting book, but I’ve only just begun.
I paid the price today for having taken a day off yesterday, Sunday. I did get a lot of reading done on Sunday, and some organizing, and spent some good quality time with my family. But, I was really behind the 8-ball, so to speak, today.
We met today to consider the buildings we’ve viewed thus far, and whether we are ready to submit offers to lease. We decided to draft them up. Our agent is working on them. Exciting times. We’re most interested in two sites in Cambridge. They have huge potential to capture a lot of Guelph, all of Cambridge, most of Kitchener and Waterloo, and lots of 401 corridor traffic. We're a destination, not an impulse purchase. But still, proximity plays a role. Ideal!
My discussions with investors are also bearing fruit. The changes to the deal are really starting to resonate with potential investors. This is good news.
I took an hour today and considered Parmasters vis-à-vis the Blue Ocean Strategy concepts. We definitely compete on several factors that other indoor centers do not pay attention to. And we definitely do not spend resources on at least two factors that other indoor centers definitely do focus on. I need to put more work into this, and want to discuss with some trusted advisors, but it definitely bodes well!
I also found some time today to do a little consulting with a local tech company called Principal Online Solutions. They’re not really a start-up, since they’ve been around for a few years. But they’re product has really been in beta for that time, and is only now ready for “primetime.” I’m helping them with some advice on commercialization, first sales, and marketing, as well as some introductions to candidates for the role of sales leader/VP.
I’m presenting to a small group of potential investors on Wednesday. I wonder how many are reading. This is my first “presentation” to investors. All previous discussions have been one on one. So, most of this evening was spent in preparation. I’ve opted for a simple white-board-and-markers approach, rather than PowerPoint. This was suggested by the host for the event, and it makes sense to me. To a large extent, when the group does invest, they’ll be investing in me. It’s all about my ability to execute. So, perhaps it’s best that they see more of me, and less of a polished PowerPoint presentation.
Well, time to do some reading. Tomorrow starts with a breakfast meeting, then a lawyer meeting. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’ll pass …
I paid the price today for having taken a day off yesterday, Sunday. I did get a lot of reading done on Sunday, and some organizing, and spent some good quality time with my family. But, I was really behind the 8-ball, so to speak, today.
We met today to consider the buildings we’ve viewed thus far, and whether we are ready to submit offers to lease. We decided to draft them up. Our agent is working on them. Exciting times. We’re most interested in two sites in Cambridge. They have huge potential to capture a lot of Guelph, all of Cambridge, most of Kitchener and Waterloo, and lots of 401 corridor traffic. We're a destination, not an impulse purchase. But still, proximity plays a role. Ideal!
My discussions with investors are also bearing fruit. The changes to the deal are really starting to resonate with potential investors. This is good news.
I took an hour today and considered Parmasters vis-à-vis the Blue Ocean Strategy concepts. We definitely compete on several factors that other indoor centers do not pay attention to. And we definitely do not spend resources on at least two factors that other indoor centers definitely do focus on. I need to put more work into this, and want to discuss with some trusted advisors, but it definitely bodes well!
I also found some time today to do a little consulting with a local tech company called Principal Online Solutions. They’re not really a start-up, since they’ve been around for a few years. But they’re product has really been in beta for that time, and is only now ready for “primetime.” I’m helping them with some advice on commercialization, first sales, and marketing, as well as some introductions to candidates for the role of sales leader/VP.
I’m presenting to a small group of potential investors on Wednesday. I wonder how many are reading. This is my first “presentation” to investors. All previous discussions have been one on one. So, most of this evening was spent in preparation. I’ve opted for a simple white-board-and-markers approach, rather than PowerPoint. This was suggested by the host for the event, and it makes sense to me. To a large extent, when the group does invest, they’ll be investing in me. It’s all about my ability to execute. So, perhaps it’s best that they see more of me, and less of a polished PowerPoint presentation.
Well, time to do some reading. Tomorrow starts with a breakfast meeting, then a lawyer meeting. There’s a joke in there somewhere, but I’ll pass …
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Blue Ocean Strategy
Long time, no blog. There’s been a lot on the go!
Thursday was spent finalizing the revised offering, and Friday was spent talking to investors. Both days were quite fruitful.
As we’re now moving towards offers to lease, I spent most of Saturday considering site selection. I used an online mapping tool to determine the distance (in both kms and time to travel) from each postal code (in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph) to each of the sites we are considering. I then used the Canada Post database to determine the number of households in each postal code, thus providing a weighting to the averages. This data, and analysis, will feed into site selection decisions.
I read Blue Ocean Strategy over the weekend. It’s a great book with a great message. Basically, don’t compete with your competition (within the red ocean). Make them irrelevant by creating an entirely new market space (i.e. a blue ocean).
In the indoor golf experience industry, our competitors tend to compete on things like technology (golf simulators); how life-like or golf-like the experience is; price; service; and ambiance (how nice the facility is). Blue Ocean Strategy suggests that the first step is to clearly understand the few factors that our competitors compete over. Then determine which of these can be eliminated, which are irrelevant to our new market. We will also add new factors that our competitors are not focusing on.
When competing in the red ocean, all competitors are moving the same levers, adjusting the same factors. They can reduce some of their cost structure factors, and be more competitive on price. Or, they can increase price and be more competitive on some of the other factors (which means increased cost structure).
In the blue ocean, you reduce your cost structure by eliminating some of the factors (that are not relevant in your new market), and thus eliminating some costs. You then introduce new factors (or services, or features) that appeal to your new market. Overall, your cost structure remains the same, but you are in a new completely uncontested market space.
Clearly there is far more between the covers of this thought-provoker than I can summarize here. I highly recommend this book!
I now have much more work to do, to ensure that Parmasters Waterloo Region swims in vast, calm, uncontested waters.
Thursday was spent finalizing the revised offering, and Friday was spent talking to investors. Both days were quite fruitful.
As we’re now moving towards offers to lease, I spent most of Saturday considering site selection. I used an online mapping tool to determine the distance (in both kms and time to travel) from each postal code (in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph) to each of the sites we are considering. I then used the Canada Post database to determine the number of households in each postal code, thus providing a weighting to the averages. This data, and analysis, will feed into site selection decisions.
I read Blue Ocean Strategy over the weekend. It’s a great book with a great message. Basically, don’t compete with your competition (within the red ocean). Make them irrelevant by creating an entirely new market space (i.e. a blue ocean).
In the indoor golf experience industry, our competitors tend to compete on things like technology (golf simulators); how life-like or golf-like the experience is; price; service; and ambiance (how nice the facility is). Blue Ocean Strategy suggests that the first step is to clearly understand the few factors that our competitors compete over. Then determine which of these can be eliminated, which are irrelevant to our new market. We will also add new factors that our competitors are not focusing on.
When competing in the red ocean, all competitors are moving the same levers, adjusting the same factors. They can reduce some of their cost structure factors, and be more competitive on price. Or, they can increase price and be more competitive on some of the other factors (which means increased cost structure).
In the blue ocean, you reduce your cost structure by eliminating some of the factors (that are not relevant in your new market), and thus eliminating some costs. You then introduce new factors (or services, or features) that appeal to your new market. Overall, your cost structure remains the same, but you are in a new completely uncontested market space.
Clearly there is far more between the covers of this thought-provoker than I can summarize here. I highly recommend this book!
I now have much more work to do, to ensure that Parmasters Waterloo Region swims in vast, calm, uncontested waters.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Capitalizing Parmasters Waterloo Region
Capitalizing Parmasters Waterloo Region continues to be a fascinating experience. It’s taking a little longer than hoped and if I really think about it, probably a little longer than anticipated also.
I’ve made some changes lately, both to the “deal” that I’m offering to investors, and also changes to the way I am approaching investors.
I can’t really get into the specifics of the “deal” in this venue. Suffice it to say that the offering is now far more lucrative. I’ve basically eliminated almost all of the risk, and made the upside far more lucrative. Thus, the risk-return ratio has changed very dramatically.
I spoke to many trusted advisors, some of whom do a fair bit of venture investing, late last week and over the weekend. I also met with my Parmasters regional franchisor and the President and CEO of Parmasters on Saturday. Lastly, I conducted a small survey amongst some friends that had passed on the opportunity.
It’s not that things are going poorly. That’s really not the case. My investor funnel continues to grow. I continue to speak to more and more people – my network of contacts is growing substantially – and most are interested. I simply have to improve my close percentage.
The consensus that developed through the many discussions last week and over the weekend, and was confirmed through the survey results – thanks to all those that returned the survey! – had many dimensions. These included:
- I’m asking people to help me with my dream. I’m asking for their support. Thus, I really should do everything I can to make it as easy as possible for them to support me.
- One step in this direction involves eliminating the downside, most of the risk. Thus, I’m now offering full personal guarantees.
- As another step, as noted above, the offer is now far more lucrative.
- And lastly, clearly, in the future, when any of my investors approaches me and asks me to invest in their dream, assuming it has the vast potential that Parmasters has, I’ll be the first to sign up.
I sent an email this afternoon to a very successful franchisee, who is now a franchisor. The title of the email was “Am I crazy?” The rest of the email was basically just some venting. This gentleman is one of my mentors. I wondered if he’d ever been where I am. He replied that he had, and in fact, in some ways, he’s back there again. He noted that it’s all about momentum, and wished me “good hunting.”
He also noted that the founder of Starbucks pitched in 100 boardrooms before he found his investor. I tend to pitch in coffee shops more than boardrooms, due to the nature of the business, but I’ll happily surpass the 100 figure if need be. Whatever it takes!
I’ve made some changes lately, both to the “deal” that I’m offering to investors, and also changes to the way I am approaching investors.
I can’t really get into the specifics of the “deal” in this venue. Suffice it to say that the offering is now far more lucrative. I’ve basically eliminated almost all of the risk, and made the upside far more lucrative. Thus, the risk-return ratio has changed very dramatically.
I spoke to many trusted advisors, some of whom do a fair bit of venture investing, late last week and over the weekend. I also met with my Parmasters regional franchisor and the President and CEO of Parmasters on Saturday. Lastly, I conducted a small survey amongst some friends that had passed on the opportunity.
It’s not that things are going poorly. That’s really not the case. My investor funnel continues to grow. I continue to speak to more and more people – my network of contacts is growing substantially – and most are interested. I simply have to improve my close percentage.
The consensus that developed through the many discussions last week and over the weekend, and was confirmed through the survey results – thanks to all those that returned the survey! – had many dimensions. These included:
- I’m asking people to help me with my dream. I’m asking for their support. Thus, I really should do everything I can to make it as easy as possible for them to support me.
- One step in this direction involves eliminating the downside, most of the risk. Thus, I’m now offering full personal guarantees.
- As another step, as noted above, the offer is now far more lucrative.
- And lastly, clearly, in the future, when any of my investors approaches me and asks me to invest in their dream, assuming it has the vast potential that Parmasters has, I’ll be the first to sign up.
I sent an email this afternoon to a very successful franchisee, who is now a franchisor. The title of the email was “Am I crazy?” The rest of the email was basically just some venting. This gentleman is one of my mentors. I wondered if he’d ever been where I am. He replied that he had, and in fact, in some ways, he’s back there again. He noted that it’s all about momentum, and wished me “good hunting.”
He also noted that the founder of Starbucks pitched in 100 boardrooms before he found his investor. I tend to pitch in coffee shops more than boardrooms, due to the nature of the business, but I’ll happily surpass the 100 figure if need be. Whatever it takes!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Barter System
My wrist remains quite sore, but it worked well enough tonight to produce a few goals during our pick-up game. I had it wrapped with a bandage for support. Perhaps that was the difference.
Met with a good friend tonight. I’ve been asked by a local small, but not really young, company to assist with a staffing position, and possibly some sales leads. They’re doing me a favour. I’m doing them a favour. Back to the barter system. I like it.
The fellow I met with tonight could be a perfect fit as a sales professional for this small organization. Hopefully we’ll arrange a face to face in the next few days.
After that evening meeting I was home for a late supper, and watched a little of the Buffalo-Philadelphia NHL game with my sons. Philadelphia was Buffalo’ed, 9 to 1. Buffalo is playing like Tiger Woods on a Sunday at a major. Extremely entertaining, unless you’re cheering for the other team! With Buffalo scoring 6 goals – I believe – in the 2nd period, it seemed we were constantly hitting the rewind button to review the play.
Having now caught up on some email and paperwork, it’s time for a little reading and then some much needed sleep.
Tomorrow I will be contacting a large number of potential investors. I’ve changed my approach. I’ve made it easier for them to say yes, and more difficult for them to say no. And the offering is now far more lucrative. Tomorrow is a big day for Parmasters Waterloo Region!
Met with a good friend tonight. I’ve been asked by a local small, but not really young, company to assist with a staffing position, and possibly some sales leads. They’re doing me a favour. I’m doing them a favour. Back to the barter system. I like it.
The fellow I met with tonight could be a perfect fit as a sales professional for this small organization. Hopefully we’ll arrange a face to face in the next few days.
After that evening meeting I was home for a late supper, and watched a little of the Buffalo-Philadelphia NHL game with my sons. Philadelphia was Buffalo’ed, 9 to 1. Buffalo is playing like Tiger Woods on a Sunday at a major. Extremely entertaining, unless you’re cheering for the other team! With Buffalo scoring 6 goals – I believe – in the 2nd period, it seemed we were constantly hitting the rewind button to review the play.
Having now caught up on some email and paperwork, it’s time for a little reading and then some much needed sleep.
Tomorrow I will be contacting a large number of potential investors. I’ve changed my approach. I’ve made it easier for them to say yes, and more difficult for them to say no. And the offering is now far more lucrative. Tomorrow is a big day for Parmasters Waterloo Region!
Monday, October 16, 2006
Weeks Can Blur Together
Busy day today, again. I worked most of the weekend, and so today didn’t really feel like the start of a new week.
My wrist injury is really hampering my workouts. I tend to do 45 minutes or so of weights and then get out for a brief 3k run. And I generally tend towards heavier weights, with fewer repetitions. That’s a real challenge due to this wrist injury. I may have to seek medical attention.
Started the day with some emails and organizing, and then headed into a meeting with a “future” investor. He operates a very successful clothing store in a small town just outside of Kitchener-Waterloo. I should get his permission to mention the store! He truly understands customer service, just like Mr. Girard.
The rest of the day was spent working away. Many of my outstanding tasks right now involve major decisions. I spend a lot of time consulting trusted friends, crunching numbers, and contemplating various scenarios. Sometimes this work flows easily, like today, and sometimes it’s more challenging.
Also had some Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation work that occupied about an hour today. Feeding into the fall newsletter, and discussions about how I may best serve the Foundation.
I broke for about half an hour for supper around 7:00pm. Then it was right back at it. Shortly thereafter my eldest informed me that he needed some help with some homework. My first impulse was to suggest that he give me a little more warning next time. But I refrained. Fatherly duties. I set everything aside, and helped. It didn’t take long, and it was good bonding time.
Have I shared this quote before?
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” -Goethe
Right now, a little RnR, some reading, and some sleep, “matter most”. Early start tomorrow.
My wrist injury is really hampering my workouts. I tend to do 45 minutes or so of weights and then get out for a brief 3k run. And I generally tend towards heavier weights, with fewer repetitions. That’s a real challenge due to this wrist injury. I may have to seek medical attention.
Started the day with some emails and organizing, and then headed into a meeting with a “future” investor. He operates a very successful clothing store in a small town just outside of Kitchener-Waterloo. I should get his permission to mention the store! He truly understands customer service, just like Mr. Girard.
The rest of the day was spent working away. Many of my outstanding tasks right now involve major decisions. I spend a lot of time consulting trusted friends, crunching numbers, and contemplating various scenarios. Sometimes this work flows easily, like today, and sometimes it’s more challenging.
Also had some Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation work that occupied about an hour today. Feeding into the fall newsletter, and discussions about how I may best serve the Foundation.
I broke for about half an hour for supper around 7:00pm. Then it was right back at it. Shortly thereafter my eldest informed me that he needed some help with some homework. My first impulse was to suggest that he give me a little more warning next time. But I refrained. Fatherly duties. I set everything aside, and helped. It didn’t take long, and it was good bonding time.
Have I shared this quote before?
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” -Goethe
Right now, a little RnR, some reading, and some sleep, “matter most”. Early start tomorrow.
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