Big Week Upcoming …

At ActionCOACH we run on quarters (just like a publically traded company) with measurable and deliverables and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for all of our TEAM.

That means the last few weeks of any quarter are pretty hectic around our Las Vegas offices, as people are looking to deliver on deadlines what they’ve been working on for the past couple of months.

That said, both our Design TEAM and IT TEAM are finishing up the official launch of three big initiatives:

1) The “official” launch of our new Guarantee
2) A new look, feel and navigation for our home site, actioncoach.com
3) The re-launch of what will be an annual pro-bono campaign for us … Coaching for a Cause, which we are targeting to raise an additional $5 million in donations through March 31 of next year

This is part of a number of big initiatives for us over the past few months, including the launch of our new

ActionCOACH Franchise site … located here:

Actioncoachfranchise.com …

We’re also looking forward to new Entrepreneur rankings next quarter, and have recently announced our “official” expansion into 32 countries (listed below) …
1. Australia 
2. Brazil 
3. Canada 
4. Chile
5. China 
6. Columbia 
7. Dominican Republic
8. England 
9. France 
10. Hungary 
11. Indonesia 
12. Ireland 
13. Jamaica
14. Kenya 
15. Malaysia 
P16. Mexico
17. Netherlands Antilles 
18. New Zealand 
19. Nicaragua
20. Nigeria
21. Northern Ireland 
22. Puerto Rico 
23. Philippines
24. Portugal 
25. Scotland 
26. Singapore 
27. South Africa 
28. Spain 
29. Suriname
30. USA
31. Venezuela
32. Wales                  

There’s more to come … so “stay tuned” for all the great new tools ActionCOACH is working on … all designed to make our company the only resource business owners will ever need when it comes to finding help for their businesses.

Jodie Shaw

No credit … cash only! (Otherwise known as “Swipe Fees Part 2”) …

Here’s more on how “swipe fees” can really add up for a business, and how many companies (like high end restaurants) simply won’t take plastic anymore …

Swipe fees … (part 2) …

Note also how some of those fees can end up costing more for companies than health insurance, and you can see the importance of knowing all of your numbers, all of the time.

However …

Before you go and cancel out all of your merchant agreements with the credit card companies, you should also take into account the opportunity costs of your customers NOT having the ability to pay with plastic.

For some businesses, it might make sense to raise prices to cover the cost of the fees, instead of taking away from customers the ability to stretch their purchasing power literally at the point of purchase.

Again, your decisions should be based on your numbers AND the growth potential of your current business, customer base and resources.

It’s always better to find ways to grow your top line and bottom line versus cutting expenses.

So while it might make sense for certain companies to see how “swipe fees” may or may not be impacting their profits, it also makes sense to see how a few percentage points of growth in some key drivers in your business can make more difference than saving those points on the expense side.

And you can see for yourself how that can work for you and your business at this link right here …

5 Ways iPhone app

Jodie Shaw

A shocking stat, an invaluable skill …

Here’s an example of a stat our company would love to see reversed over the next generation of business owners:

“Fewer business owners said they plan to put off taking a vacation, according to a new survey. In the Discover Small Business Watch study, 51% said they would delay vacation plans, down from 58% a year ago. In addition, the number of small-business owners who say they work six days a week has fallen to 56% from 61% last year.”

There’s more here …

Entrepreneur.com/Daily Dose blog

… but it goes without saying more business owners are finding that the dream of business ownership sometimes doesn’t match the reality.

People go into business for any number of reasons, but most of the owners we work with at ActionCOACH cite more personal freedom and a better lifestyle as their two main reasons for striking out on their own.

Obviously, if you are part of the more than half of surveyed business owners saying you need to postpone your vacation, the “more personal freedom” side of the equation needs some work.

My solution for you, of course, is to get a Business Coach.

One of our “tests” for owners is to ask them “point blank” what would happen if they just up and left their company for the next three weeks.

Would the company survive?

From these numbers, the answer most owners have to that question is obvious.

Most owners simply don’t have the trust in their own abilities as business people, or have not been able to systemize or leverage their knowledge in any meaningful or significant way to leave their shop “unattended” for weeks (or even days) at a time.

The best way to get more time in your business?

Systemize and train your team so you can delegate tasks, or outsource those activities that you’re spending too much time on and could be handled more effectively by a professional (bookkeeping being one of them).

More importantly than that?

Learn once and for all “how to” run a better business.

How?

Find a mentor. Read a book. Get an ActionCOACH.

Look at it this way:  Once you really learn how to run a business, you can apply that knowledge over and over again, no matter what business you are in.

How powerful is that?

In fact, if one day a magical genie appeared and promised to show you how to consistently generate profit in any business … would you take up the offer?

How valuable would that skill be now, tomorrow and in the future … and how could that knowledge benefit your family and employees?

Well, that’s exactly what we teach at ActionCOACH.

I certainly don’t suffer from a lack of certainty or confidence, and a big part of that is from knowing that I could go anywhere in the world and in time, make any company profitable – or steer the owner of a losing business into a different, but more profitable one.

It’s not a boast … just a fact – based on the “test and measure” of our system over the last two decades.

So if you are in the majority of business owners who don’t want to take a vacation … learn how to get more time for yourself away from your business.

While you’re at it, learn how to get more money in your business as well.

It’s a skill that will reward you for years to come.

So … go get that skill (and some other valuable business building skills) here …

Your FREE business coaching session …

… with a free coaching session with an ActionCOACH Business Coach in your area.

It’s free. It’s easy. There’s no cost or obligation.

And it just may be the best hour you’ve spent on your business in a very long time.

One more thing I can guarantee!

Jodie Shaw