Parables for Entrepreneurs

Written for entrepreneurs, corporate management and investors, John D. Sanders expands on his philosophies of making companies attractive for outside capital - why to do it, how to do it, when to do it, how to promote it, and what to do with it. Produced by Heard Not Seen Media, Inc.

Ep. 24 The Carlsbad Flower Fields at the Chamber of Commerce Green Business EXPO and Happy Hour 05/03/2022

Ep. 23 “Hard of Hearing” is becoming mainstream 12/01/2021

Ep. 22 Elaine Swann’s School of Etiquette - Be well. Live well 08/31/2021

Ep. 21 Sanders Tech-Ed Foundation Community Impact 08/17/2021

Ep. 20 Advice from a Door-to-Door Salesman 06/15/2021

Ep. 19 Girls Were Also Tough a Hundred Years Ago 04/13/2021

Ep. 18 So Technically Moses is The First Man to Download Files From The Cloud using a Tablet 03/24/2021

Ep. 17 The Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss Statement - and what does it all mean? 02/23/2021

Ep. 16 Punting in Business is an Offensive Tool 01/20/2021

Ep. 15 Can You See a Bubble when you're Inside of It? 12/30/2020

Ep. 14 Parables for Entrepreneurs (2hrs 6mins) 11/17/2020

Ep. 13: The Top 3 Most Valuable Lessons I've Learned In Business 10/21/2020

Ep. 12 The World's First Operational Manual 10/14/2020

Ep. 11 Charities and Business 09/28/2020

Ep. 10 Digital Divide - Teamwork and Collaboration 09/08/2020

Ep. 9 Capital Gains and Management 08/27/2020

Ep. 8 Gems of Wisdom from Experience 07/28/2020

Ep. 7 Passion, Shoe Leather, and the Internet 07/13/2020

Ep. 6 Advice on Receiving Advice 07/03/2020

Ep. 6 Advice on Receiving Advice Today John Sanders is giving advice on receiving advice centered around his article “” published in October 1996, where you’ll find it below. For a couple of years I have had the honor of serving as an FLC National Advisor under the Chairmanship of Dr. David Swanson from NIST, and now under Dr. Jag Mathur from Tracor for next year. On the agenda has been the enhancement of value and effectiveness of advisors at the national, regional, and laboratory levels. In my professional experience, I've been an advisor for individuals, companies, and organizations; and, I've also been on the other side of the equation and hired advisors. I believe there are common threads for any successful arrangement between the parties: common goals and expectations, along with appropriate results and compensation. Let's explore these threads. We all need advice. It might be to help determine long term strategies or short term tactics. Advisors also serve as entries to marketplaces, with knowledge of a particular industry or technical area. Sometimes, having a "sounding board" for presenting conflicting ideas or exploring some far-out concepts can be extremely worthwhile. A committee of advisors can be used to put a "stamp of approval" on a controversial decision (if they agree). They also serve just for a "sanity check" so we don't do something really dumb. Management (the side hiring the advisor) should not expect advisors to make decisions. If they want decisions, the first one should be to change management. But, management should respect the role of the advisor and determine the level of importance to encompass the common threads. GOALS: Do you know what your long term goals are? Are they in stockholder profits, maximum utilization of technical resources, preserving employment levels, getting products to market as fast as possible, community outreachÑ or just to satisfy the boss? EXPECTATIONS: Management should expect the advisors to know their subjects and be prepared to actively participate. However, management must provide the tools for the advisor to adequately prepare. Define the issues. RESULTS: The first result that any advisor desires is that the advice is wanted. I've never really cared whether my advice was followed or not, just considered. Many circumstances surround decisions, and the person (or persons) with the responsibility must be free to decide at that level of responsibility. The advisor should get out of the way of the decision. However, the advisory role should be also set at the level for which results of the advice can be appreciated. If one wants the best advice, then recruit the best advisors and provide them with the best tools and background information availableÑ in sufficient advance time for the best preparation. COMPENSATION: This tends to be a touchy subject for some people. Remember, the equations should balance. If you expect, you should pay. If you have no expectations, you don't need to pay and you won't get any results. But, compensation takes many characteristics. Truly there can be psychic rewards by "being involved". Making contacts or receiving promotion in the business arena of importance can also be very substantial compensation. However, management should really summarize their side of this equation to real dollars. If you want a $2,000 per day consultant, then either pay $2,000 per day or figure how to equate at such a level. I assure you that, in the long run, you get no more than what you pay for. Set lofty goals, so you can raise your level of expectations and get results that are worthy of high compensation. Be sure to visit . Business Consultant, Investor, and Technology Advocate. In the provision of Management Consulting for Entrepreneurs, I design sound business plans I find worth investing In. With several decades of background in investment banking, strategic planning, and technology growth, whether you're handling one million or seventy million, I'm here to help. /episode/index/show/john-sanders/id/15077693

Ep. 5 Technology and Education 06/15/2020

Ep. 5 Technology and Education John Sanders offers his opinion on a recent article he read in the Wall Street Journal’s op-ed opinion piece by titled “.” John’s article on “Technology and Education” can be found on . Technology and Education I'm going to step on some toes in this article, and some people won't like it. My summary question is, "Can the education system as we know it adapts to the new technologies of learning, or must we invent around it?" Notice I say the technologies of learning. The kids of today have access to an exponential growth of methods for learning being brought forward by the new technologies of computer programs, on-demand television, interactive multimedia, and now the Internet. And the warning flags are being posted everywhere about the dangerous influences these technologies can foster. I'm not going to minimize these dangers- we should all be aware and cautious. But, previous generations learned the wrong things either "behind the barn" or "at the pool hall" or "at camp" or even "on television." Technology and mobility have just increased the options for learning- not increase the desire. If the "wrong things" are available through more interesting and exciting media than the "right things", why shouldn't we expect the learning desire to be fulfilled that way. I also would rather have fun than be bored or work hard. Here is an example I've used many times in discussing motivation in education. Give me the most underprivileged, demotivated, inner-city kid along with a roll of quarters, and let's do an experiment. I'll take that kid into the video game arcade and put him or her at the most complicated game. Before that roll of quarters is used up, he will understand the intricacies of winning, scoring, hand and eye coordination, concepts of angles and distance, and the psychology of the enemy or partner- such that he can run circles around the best college-educated professor in the country. That kid can learn the most complicated concepts and techniques if he's motivated and has the basic principles. Why do so many people only complain about kids learning the wrong things on television? Why are we already hearing the cry that kids should not be allowed alone on the Internet? Hello! Wake up! Commercial television has developed the capacity to make learning as much fun now as our grandparents had behind the barn. No wonder the kids that watch so much TV aren't motivated in school. However, get ready for the real problem. It is my prediction that the "worst" kids in junior high school 5 years from now are not going to be the "bad" kids. If you think those undermotivated kids are so disruptive now, wait until we see these motivated kids that have spent several years exploring computer software and the Internet as their baseline mode of learning. They are going to be "bored to death" in the regular classroom. They will also probably understand more information than most of their teachers. Computers and the Internet will be as natural to them as picking up a hammer. These opportunities present terrific challenges for the developers of technology, especially in information technology and telecommunications. These challenges are already here. Also, adults displaced by technology in their jobs need exciting, motivating methods of learning new skills- and they need them now. Don't let these modern tools rest in your laboratory, or gather dust at the local school because the educators don't really understand them, or be rejected because the wrong stuff can be leaned through them, or not be purchased because all the money must be used only for salaries. Don't let people stand in the way of good uses of technology. (And here's a real secret: There 's going to be big markets for good solutions!) prepared for the November 1995 Issue of the NewsLink Be sure to visit . Business Consultant, Investor, and Technology Advocate. In the provision of Management Consulting for Entrepreneurs, I design sound business plans I find worth investing In. With several decades of background in investment banking, strategic planning, and technology growth, whether you're handling one million or seventy million, I'm here to help. /episode/index/show/john-sanders/id/14814947

Ep. 4 Bacon and Eggs - The hen is involved. The pig is committed. 06/05/2020

Ep. 4 Bacon and Eggs - The hen is involved. The pig is committed. Bacon and Eggs Many times in business we deal with people who leave us cold at a certain point in a project or in driving a marketing deal to conclusion. They seem to have a strong involvement, but it begins to drift just when the tough aspect arrives. Some people are "involved" in a project or deal, and some are "committed." There’s a classic illustration that compares "involvement" with "commitment" as being like "bacon and eggs" where the hen is involved while the pig is committed. If you’re really counting on a project manager, a business partner, or a sales associate to produce results then you need to know the level of commitment to complete the deal. Sometimes it’s not possible to know those levels until the heat of battle arrives, and a necessary amount of time, energy or reputation must be applied. Will that person commit when it’s needed? In my career in sales and promotion, I’ve dealt with the whole spectrum of people. And, I’ve built up a cadre of trusted partners that are my preference with whom to work together. We all know what to expect from each other. We know the levels of commitment and production that can be expected at the critical times. This knowledge only comes from experience. I’ve heard that old cliché: he/she is a good person to do business with. My response is, "The world is full of good people. However, I don’t have to do business with all of them, and I sure don’t want to rely on just a good person." Of course, ability also counts. How many times have you observed that an extremely capable person just doesn’t perform? Further, you have to recognize that sometimes a committed person doesn’t have the ability to perform adequately. But I believe that capability is easier to determine than commitment. You can’t always know what the results will be when that critical time arrives, but you sure can have an understanding between you and that partner in advance about what must be done. Make your needs clear. Get a "commitment" to perform, and then test that person to know what to expect in the future. It’s the test that counts. As the level of responsibility increases, the testing continues to produce people who can be trusted to perform bigger and more critical functions. Therefore, be sure that you always have a "pipeline" of people who are being tested so that the various job functions can be performed by the person with the appropriate level of ability who will honor the completion commitment-- and then make sure that he is stretched beyond what you knew before. This is how the best managers produce their ultimate team. You can’t give every job to the "best" person; it should go to the "appropriate" person. If something "absolutely and positively" must be performed, then you need a capable partner who will commit to the results.. Involvement only is too risky. Oh yes, don’t forget to apply these concepts to test yourself! I would appreciate comments. prepared for the October 1997 Issue of the FLC NewsLink Be sure to visit . Business Consultant, Investor, and Technology Advocate. In the provision of Management Consulting for Entrepreneurs, I design sound business plans I find worth investing In. With several decades of background in investment banking, strategic planning, and technology growth, whether you're handling one million or seventy million, I'm here to help. /episode/index/show/john-sanders/id/14704709

Ep. 3 Being small. Thinking Big. 05/16/2020

Ep. 2 Golden Tongued Wisdom 04/28/2020

Ep. 1 The Music Man’s Lessons for Sales Professionals 12/06/2019

Ep. 1 The Music Man’s Lessons for Sales Professionals "" is a movie (videotape) produced first in 1966, after being a long-running Broadway Musical by . It's loaded with stars such as , , , , , and . Professor Harold Hill is a gilt-edged con artist who has more schemes than a hound dog has fleas. He hoodwinks the credulous townsfolk of River City, Iowa, into organizing a boys band so he can sell them nonexistent band instruments, then tries to skip town before his chicanery is unmasked by the suspicious and lovely Marian, the town librarian. In the end . . . Not only is this one of my all-time favorite movies with memorable music, but to me, the storyline contains most of the key sales principles for products and services: 1. The environment for selling anything is constantly changing-- in this case, credit versus cash sales. Most of the old-time salesmen are complaining in . 2. It's a big world out there and there are lots of customers for any product or service; and, you have to keep banging on doors until the right group of buyers for your product or service is found. 3. You "gotta' know the territory" into which you'll be selling and the psychology of the people who will be potential buyers. 4. There has to be a "hook". The customer must have a need. This is a critical aspect for any sales effort, and The Music Man recognizes that the new pool hall in town must have a counter-culture for the young boys, and thus is created the "River City Boys Band." 5. The customer must recognize the need, and that action is necessary to fulfill the need. Dramatic selling may be required in some cases to enforce this principle. 6. Find an advocate in an organization. Get someone who has influence (especially if they can be "converted" and thus become very zealous.) This is where The Music Man excels. 7. Locate the official who can veto the decision. Involve that person in a positive aspect of the decision, or convince the secretary, marketing person, federal sales manager or spouse. Defuse the doubter and support the advocate. 8. Don't be afraid to approach the customer directly for a decision. 9. Recognize that your past promises and actions will catch up with you. If there are some bad results, be prepared to deal with them to future customers. Know the negatives and the competition. 10. Ultimately, to be successful, the product has to do what you promise. Sooner or later, a flimflam will end your career. If promises or claims are made, the long term customer will have to be satisfied. There is no substitute for this. Yes, in the end . . . oh, why don’t you rent the movie and study your lessons? You’ll love it and learn from it. Get ready for "". I would appreciate comments. Please contact me on my Contact page. (1962 Film Soundtrack) /episode/index/show/john-sanders/id/12301091

Parables for Entrepreneurs

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