2009 - THE YEAR TO DO THAT ONE THING

In 1994, I stopped making New Year's Resolutions. I was a newly married 20-something and believed resolutions were just things people wished they could do, not things they actually did. I purchased a journal and devoted it exclusively to setting goals for the coming year.
Every year since, I have used that journal to set goals, grouping them together into what resulted in a long list of things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year. I set goals like "Be nicer to my husband." (I'm no longer married to that husband.) I also included the usual "Lose 5 pounds." (I've gained 20 since I started the journal in 1994.) Of course, I had some accomplishments along the way, BUT I decided to do something different this year.
I examined my professional life and determined ONE thing that I want to accomplish in 2009. Instead of making the usual list of things that make me feel like I've done my duty by thinking about them, I decided to make one big thing happen, REALLY happen.
To find your one BIG thing for 2009, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have I wanted to accomplish this for a long time? In my case, I have wanted to do my big thing for 4 years. I have outlines on scraps of paper. I have a notebook and reams of information to get started. Failure to focus and fear of wasting time always kept me from just starting somewhere.
2. Will it make a difference in my career? My big thing will likely change the focus of my career, help me reach a broader clientele and provide some professional validation, all good reasons to just try. For you, the one big thing may better organize your approach to your business, cause sales growth or give you an additional credential. It could even mean a career change.
3. Will it productively impact my overall life? Whether my big thing is ultimately successful commercially or not, I will have done something that, for me, will be a big positive. Choose that big thing that will provide personal happiness as well as professional fulfillment. The two are not the same.
4. Is it risky? My big thing risks my time and energy, which may or may not mean a loss of actual money. If your big thing requires an investment of capital, examine it carefully and come up with small steps you can take while still preserving your resources. Chances are, you can make several meaningful steps toward your BIG thing without significant capital investments.
5. Enlist help. By telling all of you about my one BIG thing, I am creating a huge accountability chain. Find people who will cheer you on, provide positive feedback and offer constructive criticism. My husband and a couple of girlfriends do this for me. Allowing people to hold you accountable might provide the impetus you've always needed to accomplish your BIG thing.
6. Be detailed about how you are going to achieve your BIG thing. I broke my approach down into small steps that are doable without becoming overwhelming for me. By attacking a small bit every day, you will be well on your way to completion before you know it.
7. Let some other things go. Look at the things that have historically made a difference for you both professionally and personally. Do not keep investing in things that do not provide a return. By jettisoning some previous expectations and forming new habits, you'll free up some time to focus on your BIG thing.
Approach 2009 with ferocity, ingenuity and persistence. I hope you have your best year yet.

POSITUS Article Published by Resource Nation

Andra L. Watkins, CPA, principal of POSITUS consulting llc, contributed an article to ResourceNation.com. Highlighting collection strategies for any economy, Watkins gives tips to small business owners for ensuring the collection of monies owed them.
Click here to view the full article.

POSITweet: What Businesses Are Thankful for NOW

This week's POSITweet posed the following question: What is your business thankful for? We got some interesting answers.
Amanda Bunting Comen of the Center for Women in Charleston, SC, a non-profit that helps women succeed in many aspects of work and life, commented that she is grateful for members and supporters of the Center. In a time when many non-profits are feeling an economic pinch, it is uplifting to focus on all of those people who care about the Center and continue to support it. We have been a business member of the Center since our early days and can vouch for its value and effectiveness. Check them out at www.c4women.org.
Reese McFaddin, owner of Workplace Benefits in Charleston, SC, tweeted that she was glad we still have health insurance options. With all of the many changes to that industry in recent years, it is comforting to know that someone can still find an affordable policy. Review their offerings at www.benefitwork.com.
Lyn Mettler, President of Step Ahead Web Strategies and Mettler Public Relations in Mt. Pleasant, SC, is grateful for her clients. With so many people cutting public relations dollars, having work to do is a blessing she doesn't take for granted. Because effective, well rounded public relations is important in any economy, visit her web sites at www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com and www.mettlerpr.com.
Terry Hoffman, owner of Digital Blade LLC in Charleston, SC, commented that he is grateful for referrals from friends. Most people find out about his computer support company via referrals. www.digitalblade.com.
Ginny Carson, owner of graphic design firm Decorum LLC in Charleston, SC, is thankful for opportunities to help her clients navigate the challenges of the current market. Because standing out from the crowd is more important than ever, she enjoys really getting creative to make her clients look awesome. www.decorumllc.com.
Michael T. Maher, director of the Charleston Civic Design Center (http://www.charlestoncity.info/dept/content.aspx?nid=345&cid=10744) in Charleston, SC, is glad that forward thinking urban design is needed, available and accessible in Charleston. (He's also grateful that he took the job and came here in the first place so that he could meet his wife - ME!)
Thanks to all of you who contributed to this Thanksgiving edition of POSITweets. We hope you have a remarkable Turkey Day!

POSITweet: Provide it for free? Depends.

The POSITweet question for this week was - should you provide goods/services for free as a loss leader or should you charge for everything?
The answer is - it depends on what industry you're in.
For service providers, it is extremely difficult to create value by providing free services. Clients tend to value services that they pay for. Period. Providing a service for free tends to communicate to others that you do not value your own work. Why should they, when you do not?
Also for services, clients who want freebies tend to be the worst clients. Because they have nothing invested in actually implementing your services/advice, they tend to question it or outright not take it. Then, they turn around and blame you for providing bad service.
Freebie service seekers also tend not to understand what they're getting for nothing. The charge comes from getting someone to give them something for free, not from actually receiving something of value.
For products (and this can include web applications), it is easier to build value by providing freebies. It may be the only way to get someone to try your great new thing.
Providing products for free does require a thoughtful strategy. Who are you targeting? How many loyal customers do you hope to generate? What are the budgetary limits for free items? How can your product gain advertising plugs for free products provided? With the right assistance, these questions can be answered quickly and easily.
Many people have become hooked on a new product they tried for free. Ever heard of Twitter?
Congratulations to Cheryl Smithem for tweeting in the answer that most resembles how we think. (We won't say the "right" answer.)

Make Economic Turbulence Work for You

Ever hear the adage about things seldom going according to plan? It is likely the story of my entire life in one cliche.

One thing I always wanted, though, was to own a small business. I didn't plan for it to be a small business advisory services firm until a few years ago. I'm grateful for the path, however it deviated from my "grand life plan."

Economic turbulence can quickly exhaust the best laid plans of any small business owner. More than ever, down turns are times for forceful, thoughtful, dynamic strategic planning. Use the tips below to help focus your growth planning for 2009.

Be positive. People want to be around positive thinkers and doers, especially when much of what they're bombarded with is negative. It is also invigorating to identify other small business people who are finding ways to grow and succeed regardless of the economy. Some of their good fortune and positive energy may rub off on your business, creating positive returns for you.

Reconnect with your network. During times of economic prosperity, it is easy to become overloaded and forget those sources of good leads in the past. Likewise, it is easy to focus on the most immediate thing. Over the next couple of months, make meaningful reconnections with five people. A person may not refer to you any more simply because you've fallen off their radar. Remind them that you're there.

Objectively evaluate all business opportunities that fit your small business' goals and targets. Now is not the time to make snap judgments or underestimate who is standing in front of you. Take the time, especially if things are slow, to focus on building new bridges and relationships that will continue to serve you, regardless of the economic environment to come. In the next sixty days, make a list of five people who could be effective mutual business partners and make forming a relationship with each of them a reality.

Focus on your profile. You may have more time to experiment with social networking tools for business. Be available to contribute to any reputable media outlet that can use you as a source. Submit for awards and recognition of your skills. If you identify one new means of raising your profile in the next sixty days, you will likely be an expert at it quickly. We have referral outlets who can help you.

Thank people for leads and new business. Sincere recognition of the help others contribute toward your own success is just another way to be positive. With the prevalent doom and gloom out there, personalized thank you's are welcome surprises in any in box or mail box. Wherever you are, adopt this little piece of Southern grace and charm immediately.

Thank you to all of you who help me succeed, who read my newsletter, who pass it along, who recommend me to others, and who value my services. POSITUS wishes you a remarkable Thanksgiving.

Announcing POSITweets

In an effort to continue to embrace the 21st century, POSITUS is rolling out POSITweets, a weekly business advisory question-and-answer community on Twitter. (If you don't already follow us on Twitter, you can do so here http://twitter.com/andrawatkins.) If you haven't fully embraced Twitter yet, that's ok. Our POSITweets will automatically feed into Facebook and onto our POSITUS Points blog (www.posituspoints.blogspot.com to subscribe) for commentary.
Here's how it works:

• We post a small business challenge or dilemma (for example, Is it better to do THIS or THAT?)
• You post your answer (i.e. It is definitely better to do THAT.)
• We recognize the weekly winner and award POSITUS swag.

That's it - Question, Answer, Swag. Look for POSITweets this week.

We Got a Face Lift (on our web site)

Visit our improved web site at http://www.positusonline.com/. We have new Web 2.0 tools, where you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more. We've also spiffed up our service offerings, added some new visuals, and have lots of new testimonials. You can easily subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter from any page. A link to our blog, http://www.posituspoints.blogspot.com/, is also available, where you can get additional free tips, learn more about what we do, find out why we're a different kind of consulting firm, and get regular updates on our awesome clients. You can subscribe to all of these cool tools right from our site. Let us know what you think!

Andra's Best Business Advice

If you follow Andra on Twitter (@andrawatkins), you likely noticed that I (Lyn Mettler, @webprgirl on Twitter) was "filling in" for her this week on Twitter. What does that mean exactly? Well, I'm not pretending to be Andra, but I've been "tweeting" Andra-type messages on her behalf to keep her presence alive in Cyberspace. Andra, smart business consultant that she is, decided to take a vacation (with her husband's prodding) Internet free to relax and revive, so she can come back and continue to give us all fab business advice.

So, I also offered to do a guest blog post for her as well, and I thought I would share some of the valuable tips Andra has offered my business that has helped me grow significantly. I hope they help you too:

1) Choose your clients wisely -- In the past, I made a few mistakes in choosing which clients I wanted to work with (sorry, no names :)), but it was mostly because I did not have a good vetting process in place. Andra helped me determine what a "good" client meant to me and showed me how ensure prospective clients fit these requirements. It's so tempting, especially in a slow economy, to take any business you can get, and I was always afraid to turn down any business. But, taking on bad clients is bad for everyone - you're unhappy, they're unhappy, you may not get paid and more. Not worth it. By choosing to surround myself with good clients, I continue to find that more good clients seem to find their way to me all on their own.

2) Network outside your industry -- The Public Relations Society of America and the American Marketing Association were my two most frequented haunts as a PR professional. It's fine to network with others who work in your profession, but you're likely to get more referrals from those outside your profession. Try Rotary, Women@Work, Mt Pleasant Business Association, Business Networking International, etc. that have a mix of professionals or organizations that are related to your industry but not in your industry.

3) Don't do anything for free (or trade) -- Andra's words of wisdom: People don't value a service or product that they don't pay for. Very true when you think about it. Do you value something that's free?

4) Don't underestimate your value -- Spend some time determing an appropriate fee structure and stick to it. If a client doesn't want to pay you what you're worth, they're not a good client (see No. 1) :)

5) Set clear expectations -- Communicate your processes and expectations early with prospective clients. This includes how you update clients, your invoicing procedure, when and how you expect payment, etc. If everyone understands in the beginning, you will have fewer problems down the road.

This is just the tip of the iceburg of the great tips Andra has given me that have made a huge difference to my business. Andra, I hope I didn't give away too much of the good stuff, but I promise there is much more in that brain of hers.

Lyn Mettler
Mettler Public Relations
lmettler@mettlerpr.com

Watkins Wins Rising Star in Influential Woman in Business Awards

Andra L. Watkins, owner of POSITUS consulting llc, won the Rising Star category at the 2008 Influential Women in Business Awards. Sponsored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal (http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/), the first annual awards recognized successful business women in the Charleston area in five categories. Darla Moore was the keynote speaker for the luncheon, which was a sell-out.

For information on all the winners, check out the October 27 issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

A Different Approach to a Challenging Economy

History repeats itself. It always does. Ever heard of Blacks Monday (October 28,1929 and 19,1987), Tuesday (October 29, 1929), or Thursday (October 24, 1929)? The Mini-Crash (October 27,1997)? In history, there are several other examples of the typical turmoil that is October in our markets. I’m not attempting to discount what is happening now. Several things have converged at the same time to cause a correction. Most market experts believe we will experience unrest for a while, and the days of “easy money” via easy credit are likely behind us. Markets are sometimes volatile. They just are. As small business people, we usually suffer the most during stressful economic times. Here are some tips to weather the storm that you’re not likely to see on TV or read in the newspaper. Have a POSITIVE attitude. I repeat, have a POSITIVE attitude. Business may be down for just about everyone, but business still exists to be captured. Those who proactively and positively go after new business, in spite of the economy, are likely to get more new business. A negative focus usually leads to negative behaviors that aren’t likely to bring in new business. Celebrate every new piece of business you win right now. Making a bigger deal of it than you normally would will lead to more POSITIVE thinking, a boost in morale around the workplace, and a likely snowball effect. Avoid reactive expense trimming. Cutting expenses right now without clearly evaluating which expenses are truly investments in business growth and success will guarantee revenue contraction. Take a more strategic approach. Determine which expenditures have truly paid off with increased business in the past. (If you can’t obtain from your data, you need POSITUS.) Cut expenses that are either not necessary or provide no return. Devote some of the savings to an increase in those expenditures that have led to solid business growth. Listen to your customers and provide them with creative alternatives. When the economy is great, most business people continue to do what they’ve always done. Now is the time to prove your business’ value by offering a more flexible product or service mix to existing customers, while showing how your business is different to potential new ones. Use this time to break bad business habits. When times are good, we can all afford to throw some money away, waste some time, or do things inefficiently. Focus on correcting one bad business habit, and keep it at bay when things turn back up. Consider accelerating a portion of your retirement contribution for 2008 now. Actually, Warren Buffett recommended this one, and I’m pilfering it. Your investment advisor can help you determine how much is reasonable to invest in the market right now to take advantage of the long-term growth that corrections historically bring to the market. Remember, history repeats itself. Taking a positive, pro-active approach to this downturn will make both you and your business better prepared for the next one.

POSITUS Featured by Center for Women

POSITUS consulting llc is a featured member of the Center for Women in Charleston, SC for October 2008. We are profiled in their October e-newsletter. You can view it by following this link: http://www.c4women.org/news/Newsletters/current.htm.
The Center for Women offers programs, services and support for women in the Charleston Metro area. They assist women in all walks of life and circumstances and truly live up to their motto: Helping Women Succeed Every Day. We are proud to be a member of this worthwhile organization and encourage you to consider supporting it.

Watkins an Influential Women in Business 2008 Finalist

Andra L. Watkins, principal of POSITUS consulting llc, has been selected as a finalist in the Rising Star category for Charleston's Influential Women in Business 2008. Co-sponsored by the Charleston Regional Business Journal (http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/) and the Center for Women (http://www.c4women.org/), the event recognizes Charleston area businesswomen in 5 categories: CEO, Volunteer, Philanthropist, Rising Star and Executive. We've attached the Business Journal announcement listing all the winners. If you know any of these women, please congratulate them!

CONQUER BUSINESS OBSTACLES WITH BUDGETING

On Saturday, I accidentally went rock climbing. I truly had no intention of clambering over rock after rock for 2,000 nearly vertical feet when I started out. I thought I was going on a hike to a panoramic vista. Well, the view was there, and it was breathtaking in more ways than one. Climbing the 2,000 feet back down was even worse. I hyperventilated. I cried. I fell several times. I plopped down on top of a rock at one point and announced to my husband, histrionically I admit, that he could just leave me there. I was done.
Obviously, I pulled myself together and made it down the mountain, thanks in large part to the infinite patience of my husband. My life was never really at stake, and my fears were largely unwarranted.
Astonishingly, many small business owners approach their budgeting decisions just like I approached that mountain. With so much more at stake, they charge up the hill, allocating resources to things that aren’t going to take them to the top and burn out long before they get anywhere. Without a budget as a map, they wander all over the mountain, with most never finding their ultimate destination.
Now is the optimal time of year to start seriously working on a 2009 budget for several reasons. First, it forces everyone to take a hard look at where the business actually is for 2008 to date, enabling corrections and adjustments between now and year end to achieve greater success this year. Second, it provides ample time to evaluate alternatives where they exist and truly determine the most efficient way to approach spending decisions for the coming year. Lastly, working on a budget now enables it to be completed before the holidays, more than a month before productivity suffers for most small businesses in general.
To help you get started, here are some tips for preparing and implementing a meaningful budget.
Work from the information you currently have. You can print year-to-date financials that can be easily annualized. To annualize a number, take an amount and divide it by the number of months in your year-to-date statement (say 9 if run through September 30). Then, multiply that by 12. The result provides a general idea of what your annual amount may be for that particular category. The annualized numbers provide an ideal starting point for a 2009 budget. Factor in any large planned expenses in the months you already know they will occur. It is easy to adjust an annualized number for firm amounts or general ranges that you know will be spent because those decisions have already been made and approved.
Be realistic. It is best to err on the side of lower income figures and higher expense numbers at first and then adjust expenses downward to balance a budget. Without a well articulated strategic growth plan, making revenue higher to enable more spending will result budgetary overruns almost every time.
Involve your team in the process. The more people you have in your organization, the more opportunities you have for budgetary straying. By making your key team members accountable for some portion of the budget, you give them buy-in and help them understand the nuts and bolts that make your company successful. People are usually much more excited about things when they feel a sense of ownership.
Be willing to compromise. Balancing a budget usually means everyone walks away from the table without something they wanted. In many small businesses, the owner gets too much at the expense of the business’ growth and vitality. Empowering a team and compromise help check that dangerous precedent.
Use these tools to plan now to successfully reach your monetary goals for 2009. A simple budget can make the mountain a cake walk. You may encounter some scary spots, but you’ll be prepared for them.
Call POSITUS. We’re here to help take you where you want to be.
Watch the video below to see one of the numerous rocks I climbed (and, yes, I know, it was more daunting to me than necessary.)

POSITUS Client Tim Tilley Appointed Ambassador

POSITUS client Tim Tilley, CEO of EnviroSep, has been appointed Economic Development Ambassador for the state of South Carolina. He is set to attend his appointment ceremony on September 15, 2008 in Columbia.

Governor Mark Sanford appointed Tilley because of his success with his company EnviroSep, which designs and manufactures highly engineered pumping systems in its facility in Georgetown, South Carolina. Employing over 40 skilled laborers and professionals in the Georgetown area, EnviroSep has designed systems for companies and developments all over the world, and their customers include Fortune 500 companies. Visit them on the web at http://www.envirosep.com/.

A little over 2 years ago, POSITUS began working with EnviroSep to formulate a strategic plan for smart growth. With less than a year to go in the planning cycle, EnviroSep has fulfilled our directives to seek larger, more lucrative projects and jettison unprofitable product lines. As a result, revenues through August 31, 2008 have already exceeded all of 2007. POSITUS has been tapped to formulate the next 3 year plan, a project we begin next week. We are excited to work closely with EnviroSep and congratulate them on their continued success.

Watkins Featured Speaker at CCPL

We've been tapped to do one of our favorite things - TALK.

We've been invited to give a program at the Fall Business Series at the Charleston County Public Library. We work with many small business owners who struggle with basic accounting concepts and cash flow management. We're going to compress our tips into an hour and a half presentation that you can have free for attending.

This presentation is for you if you struggle with any of the following:

1. Getting paid what you're worth;


2. Making people pay you on time;


3. Interpreting financial statements (or, you're now saying, "What's a financial statement?");


4. Evaluating client/customer relationships;


5. Definitions of bad clients/customers and ways to "fire" them;


6. Determining what real margins are for your products/services;


7. And as much more as we can cram into the time allotted.

Where: Charleston County Public Library, Main Branch Meeting Room

When: Monday, October 20, 2008, 7pm

Visit ccpl.org for more information.

Work in the Face of Disaster

We're all a-twitter (pun intended) here in Charleston now that hurricane season appears to be bearing down on us. Here are some reminders to get ready for a hit, (though Hanna is likely not it.)

1. Make a list of the things you must do in the event of an actual emergency and keep it handy this time of year. Some of the below may help.



2. Assemble a quick kit for your office, complete with plastic, blank DVD-R's, scissors, twine or string, tape, a Sharpie and any other items needed for quick security of your area. Keep it on hand throughout hurricane season.



3. Back up your computer either remotely or to portable disks/drives that you can take with you in the event you leave.



4. Store any important documents or other information in a location that is impervious to fire, flood and wind. As an alternative, you can make copies of these documents and/or scan them electronically. Then, you can assemble them in one place for easy transport.



5. Do not leave any sensitive items that could be damaged by water on the floor.



6. Take important information, like insurance policies and emergency contacts, with you.



7. Cover any items on your desk with plastic and secure it.



8. If you work with others, establish a contact tree with decision makers at the top. Provide detailed contact information, including mobile phone numbers, in case power and land line telephone service is interrupted. Once a decision about evacuation is made, information about work closures and return to work can be conveyed quickly with each person responsible for calling one or two co-workers with news.



9. Practice your hurricane routine with a hurricane drill.

It never hurts to be prepared. Take time now to prepare for an actual emergency before it is upon you. Without the stress, the process will be easy and will pave the way for less confusion when nature inevitably strikes out.

Be safe this hurricane season.

Watkins Appointed District 7770 Rotary Friendship Exchange Chair

We've working for the world here at POSITUS. Andra L. Watkins has been appointed District 7770 Friendship Exchange Chair for Rotary International. District Governor Anne Walker confirmed her appointment today.

Friendship Exchange is a Rotary program that enables Rotarians to visit other countries and learn about culture and business practices. Rotarians host visitors and then participate in a reciprocal exchange. Because Rotary is an international organization, exchange possibilities exist for almost every country in the world.

In her capacity as District Friendship Exchange Chair, Watkins will firmly establish the program. She will define its parameters and will coordinate both incoming and outgoing exchanges. An exchange is already scheduled to visit South Africa in the fall. Rotarians from Conway will visit AIDS orphanges in South Africa with an eye toward improving conditions for the residents.

POSITUS Points August 2008 e-news

HOW TO HANDLE THOSE PESKY BUSINESS IMITATORS

Hummingbirds are cute and amazing little creatures. They fly backwards and sideways and make chirping noises with their tail feathers. With heart rates of up to 1,280 beats per minute, they also need to eat. A lot.

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch hummingbirds in action at a feeder. What started as one lone little bird turned into a feeding frenzy of fourteen or so. It was incredible to watch them interact, fighting and sharing and vying for space and food.

In business, people are no different. An innovative business idea or proactive operating structure can be quickly copied, causing competition for customers and loss of market share that, over time, takes money away from your business. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, here are some tips to protect your business as your good ideas and practices make you successful.

Provide a better product/service than anyone else. Many imitators short-cut quality or service in an effort to streamline and make money. Once a quarter, evaluate your offerings to ensure that you have the best thing of its kind out there. You'll be forced to face those imitators head on and can stay a few steps ahead of them.

Play to your strengths. Imitators often do some part of the business better than you. Focus on what you do best. You can use an imitator as a mirror to shore up any obvious weaknesses in your product, service or business model, but your strengths got you where you are.

Protect your turf (or, watch your back.) In a softer economy, it is even more important to shore up relationships. By constantly working your network and expanding it strategically, you can protect the business you've built from invasive imitators.

Use the attention an imitator gets to your advantage. Rather than focusing on how many mentions a competitor may be getting around town, spin that into a publicity coup for your business within your own circle of influence. Overall mentions of your business niche can further validate what you do and can generate interest from the marketplace overall.

Be flexible and seize those openings. Sometimes, we focus so much of our business energies on things we desperately want to work, while an incredible opportunity is somewhere in our peripheral vision. Always be on the lookout for a new opening, be it a business relationship, a new customer, or a different approach to what your business does.

Don't worry. Worrying is akin to feeding your business imitators. It is a waste of time, and there are far too many other productive things on this list that deserve focus. Use these strategies to make your business "imitation-proof," regardless of how many people are copying you.

POSITUS Client EnviroSep Wins Award

POSITUS client Tim Tilley, President of EnviroSep, was awarded Small Business Person of the Year by the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce at their annual meeting. EnviroSep is a fully engineered fluids handling and heat transfer pump manufacturing facility in Georgetown, SC. They have been in business for more than 10 years and provide close to 40 highly technical jobs in Georgetown County. Their industrial pumps have been installed in manufacturing, commercial and multi-family residential facilities all over the world and are entirely designed and produced from their facility in Georgetown.

POSITUS worked with EnviroSep to develop a three-year strategic growth plan. We also helped them to identify ideal customers and markets for expansion, as well as to target current business that may be no longer desirable. With our assistance, the Company also hired its first Chief Financial Officer. We are certainly proud of Tim and his team at EnviroSep!

www.envirosep.com

Watkins Elected to Biltmore's Who's Who

Andra L. Watkins CPA, principal of POSITUS consulting llc, a business advisory services firm in Charleston, SC, was elected to Biltmore Who's Who in Business. This distinction is awarded to individuals who have proven track records and extensive business success. An in depth interview and panel approval is part of the acceptance process. We are excited to be able to announce that Watkins received this accolade.

POSITUS New Project Sampling

We're smokin' here at POSITUS! Here is a sampling of our newest work.
Better Image Group LLC, a clothing screenprinting company located on Johns Island, contacted POSITUS to assist them with completing required paperwork for collegiate licensing. We helped them set wholesale and retail prices for screenprinted merchandise, target trade shows, estimate reasonable sales targets, organize their client and potential client list, and complete all paperwork required by the collegiate licensing agency.
Cupcake LLC, Charleston's first cupcakery, has tapped POSITUS to follow up on the strategic plan we prepared last year. Cupcake first worked with us to prepare a strategic plan for growth, and things are going so well that we are now going to help the client accelerate that plan. We'll keep you posted on its progress and the additional locations where you may be able to get yummy Cupcake cupcakes very soon! (We will omit our own weight gain on this project......)

Client Handbag Works as Suitcase

So, I headed out of town over the weekend and didn't want to keep up with a lot of luggage. With the airline woes, extra fees and such, I wanted something roomy and easy to carry. I chose my Harley bag from In the Bag (http://www.inthebagshop.com/).

I fit everything for the entire weekend in this purse - change of clothes, products, wallet, passport, book, tickets, the works. With all that inside, it still fit under the seat in front of me, and it was comfortable to carry everywhere. I love this bag!

POSITUS worked with In the Bag to re-envision their strategic plan. We helped them to fine tune their business model, adjust their pricing structure and budget effectively. Additionally, we showed them how to set up their books to provide useful ongoing information to plan and to make those fun game-time decisions small business owners make every day.

NETWORKING TIPS FROM THE NAKED DUO

Meeting new people can be disconcerting for some. Hiking in the mountains last weekend gave it a whole new meaning for me.
My husband and I hiked to a familiar waterfall to picnic. When we arrived, two men were already there fishing along the top. They then proceeded to remove all of their clothing, jump off the top of the waterfall, and swim over to us. They introduced themselves and carried on a lengthy, unselfconscious conversation with us. Did I already mention that they were entirely naked?
While there are surely numerous applications I could draw from this episode, I couldn’t help but think about the awkwardness of networking. In business, we are flung into situations over and over again where we have to come up with engaging things to say to complete strangers. Use these points from the naked duo the next time you’re in a room full of the unknown.
Be genuinely interested in the other person. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and will respond to unfeigned interest from you. Instead of thinking about what you’re going to say next, follow the lead of the conversation and insert comments that pick up the thread.
Give all of your attention to the party in front of you. By maintaining eye contact and facing a person with your body, you convey that you are focused on the moment rather than scanning the room for someone else you may know.
Repeat the person’s name at the close of the conversation to cement it in your mind. While some people recommend saying a person’s name over and over again throughout the interaction, I suspect most people find that creepy and obvious. If your rule is that you must leave the conversation by saluting the other person by name, you will pay attention at the beginning and remember the name throughout.
Create a couple of interesting conversation starters. “So, what do you do?” is NOT one of them. Having a few questions that work for you takes the pressure off at a networking event. You can enter the event knowing how you’re going to start conversations and not freeze under fire.
Wait for an appropriate time to interrupt another conversation. When you see someone you know you’d like to chat with, stand off to the side and make eye contact with them. Wait for the existing conversation to come to a lull and give your party the opportunity to include you in the group.
Surprisingly, the naked duo used all of these tactics to some degree. If nothing else, remember them the next time you’re heading into a networking event. The chuckle alone should make you relax and enjoy.