My Man-tine #thinkkit

This post is inspired by today's ThinkKit prompt "How do you unwind?"

Too often we sacrifice our bodies to get ahead. I've come to think of my body as a bank where I need to keep a positive balance. If I dip into the negative- too little sleep, no exercise, bad food, too much caffeine or alcohol- then I have to take steps to get back in the positive. Recently I judged a Startup Weekend contest where the runner up had a great idea for an app that would help you know when you dipped into the negative. I thought it was a great idea and I hope they go forward with it. 

For years I neglected my body, almost willfully. I stopped participating in sports around the age of 13 and ran with a crowd in college that almost prided themselves on their lack of athletic ability, or physical activity of any sort. Exercise was limited to carrying guitar amps in and out of clubs or walking around Bloomington since almost no-one had cars. As I came into my 30s (I'm 41) I found that the wheels were starting to come off. Stress no longer disappeared with a beer, back pain became a constant and my stomach was rarely at peace. Something had to change. 

Almost exactly 3 years ago, just before Christmas, I began a regular exercise routine. I started with a Yoga DVD and have been adding and improvising on it ever since. A personal trainer worked with me to add some anaerobic strength building reps. The routine- I began calling it my "Man-tine" about a year or so ago- starts with restful breathing on my back and builds through stretches, stomach crunches, etc, with conscious breathing throughout and wraps up with 20-30 minutes on an elliptical machine. I get made fun of by my wife and friends calling it a man-tine. My buddy Dan Ripley once told me- "yeah, I wouldn't tell anybody else you call it that." He thought it was pretty hilarious. I think "branding" my workout routine gives me a greater sense of ownership.

I have never felt comfortable in a gym. This goes back to when I was young and my parents would drag me out of bed and take me to the YMCA for a morning workout before school. I appreciated the intent but not the experience. So I was excited when we moved into our "new" house 4 years ago and were able to set up an elliptical machine in our bedroom and still have room for a yoga mat. I think exercise should be something of a spiritual experience and having a private space to practice has proved critical for my commitment to it. 

Like most people, stress is something of a constant in my life. Although there are many effective ways to unwind, I have found that my man-tine is the most effective de-stresser. Also, as I unwind and relax my body I am always surprised by how many interesting ideas float into my mind, how many problems begin to untangle and how clarity is achieved across many areas of my life. It reminds me of something Richard Branson said when he was asked how to be more productive- "work out". I've found this to be true in my own life. If you take the time away from the activity of your life to take care of your body you will find you are also taking care of your mind.

What do you do to unwind?

Struggling With Vulnerability

I hate feeling vulnerable. It makes me feel weak and exposed. Everyone probably feels the same I guess. When I was in 2nd grade I had one of those harrowing choir experiences, you know, where the teacher makes everyone do a solo in front of the class. I was terrified and completely froze. I don't know if I've ever felt that intensity of horror since. So I've known early on that vulnerability isn't native to me in any way. 

When you start a business it can help to appear invulnerable. You want to look confident to potential clients and employees, give off the vibe that you are here to stay. But over time a business is actually better served by a vulnerable leader- one that can take input, ask for help, admit weaknesses. There are some companies that thrive under charismatic, invulnerable leaders but they rarely survive them. 

Personally, I do not want to build companies that exist to serve me. I want to build companies that serve a real purpose. A purpose that has a positive impact on the world and also inspires others to become employees and customers. And yes, a purpose that empowers the company to make money. But to serve a purpose I have to become vulnerable. You cannot serve something or someone without becoming vulnerable. 

Being vulnerable doesn't mean constantly doubting yourself. In fact it can sweep away the shadows of doubt- nudging a difficult topic into the open for honest assessment and proper assignment. Being vulnerable can create similar emotions to feeling weak but I've been surprised to see how much strength comes from displaying vulnerability. It's a paradoxical thing. 

Vulnerability is a first cousin to love, that touchy feely emotion we often try to keep out of the workplace. But we all know that love can do that magic math where 1+1=3. The same thing goes with vulnerability. It usually leads to a byproduct that is greater than its parts- whether it be a new level of understanding, deeper friendships, greater collaboration, etc. We tap into our super powers when we become vulnerable. Unfortunately we have spent most of our lives, and humankind's evolution, fighting vulnerability for survival's sake. There is much to unlearn.

So I continue to struggle with vulnerability. I know the more vulnerable I become the closer I will be to realizing my potential- personally and professionally. My fear of vulnerability is what is standing between me and that potential. I hope someday to become that fully realized person but for now I continue to struggle. 

Sunflower Seed Service

I heard a fascinating story yesterday that I want to share. I had lunch yesterday with one of my favorite clients- Dan Kahn who owns Floors To Your Home. He related a customer service story that really captures the contrast between a great and terrible customer experience. 

Dan loves sunflower seeds on his salads. He gets the same salad for lunch almost everyday. But the Marsh near his office was out of them. He decided he'd still have a salad but told the cashier when he was checking out that the sunflower seeds were out at the salad bar. She said- yes, our supplier is no longer stocking them but I can let the manager know. Dan said that he appreciated that since he has been coming for years to get the same sunflower seed salad.  

While Dan was just getting seated the cashier appeared with a little plastic cup filled with sunflower seeds. She let Dan know these were on the house and that they were sorry the seeds were not there when he wanted them. Shortly afterwards the store manager came up, again apologized and told Dan that they were going to re-stock the sunflower seeds themselves so Dan could always get the salad he wanted. 

Needless to say, Dan was one happy guy. But he had a much different experience when he went to the Marsh by his house. He also found sunflower seeds missing at the salad bar, same mischievous salad bar supplier, and again notified the cashier on check out- hey, no seeds, me like seeds, tell manager please, etc. But this time the cashier didn't appear to be listening so he repeated himself- no seeds, me want. When she finally gave him her attention she told him- yeah, they aren't stocking them anymore. So he asked that she mention his concern to her manager, I get this salad all the time, etc. She looked up at him and said "I'm sorry, to be honest, I don't think he'll care". Dan was speechless. He walked out with his seedless salad and began to consider the two experiences. 

Sunflower seeds are small things and small things are easy to overlook. They might not seem important, they might seem replaceable with another seed but for Dan they make the salad. He realized that this was true with every customer experience. Often there is something small that the customer really, really loves- it could be a person in your organization they really enjoy talking to, the annual holiday gift you send, the way your product is packaged or…sunflower seeds. 

Dan is using this experience to take his company's customer service to another level. He is working with his team to identify what their customers' "sunflower seeds" are. Experiences are rooted in the culture of the business. One manager had created a customer centered culture and the other a self centered culture. 

Building a culture that cares about "sunflower seeds" is more important than having the best price or location. Every business must work to create amazing experiences that build loyal customers who then tell stories like this one to everyone they meet. That's the core of culture powered marketing which is by far the most cost effective marketing around. 

How To Get A Job

I spoke to a group of Purdue students last night. They were taking an entrepreneurship class taught by my friend, and fellow Speak Easy co-founder, Andy Clark. Much of the Q&A focused on how to get a job. More specifically, how to get your foot in the door with a small company. I had some suggestions which I shared with the class as well as some additional thoughts. Here they are:

Build Your Army
Note that I didn't say "build your network". Network feels too passive for me. You need an army to get a job. People that are actively thinking of opportunities to send your way. This means you have to stay top of mind with these people, your army. Engage them on Twitter, check in via email, buy them lunch or drinks, attend events they attend. There is a line to walk between being persistent and being annoying. But most job seekers could error on the side of being annoying. They give up way too fast. 

Ask For Informational Interviews

A job interview is something of a formal thing. Most companies have processes around it- usually starting with an opening being announced. An informational interview is a much more casual but effective way of getting your foot in the door. Lead with your curiosity- why did you start the business? What kind of employees do you look for? What are your plans for the future? I've seen this approach work. Also, you get to build your army as you go. The companies you talk with might not hire you but, assuming you do an effective job, they will become part of your army and send opportunities your way.

Align Your Passions

Everyone has things they are passionate about. Figure out what your taget employer is passionate about- sports, music, hunting? Then align, authentically, with those passions. "Hey, I saw you were really into vinyl records, here's a link to a great vinyl review website I write for..." 

Simplify Your Emails

So many of the emails I receive from prospective hires border on being short novels. I don't have time to read them, no-one in my position does. Quantity does not equal quality when it comes to communication. Make your point and respect my time. That will leave a far greater impression than the well crafted 500-1000 word essay you were taught to write in college. Don't get me started on how colleges foster a quantity over quality mentality. If it takes more than 30 seconds to read then it's too long.

Any other business owners out there have some good tips on how to stand out and get hired?