Take a look at our December newsletter!
VOL. 7 · DECEMBER 2020
SUCCESS SECRETS
BRANDONCWHITE.COM · 320 CENTRAL AVENUE, HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019 · 415-429-1229
The Shutdown Your Business Actually Needs This Year DON’T GO INTO 2021 UNPREPARED!
“In the pre-COVID days, I’d suggest leaving your office entirely and heading to a coffee shop for this meeting, but let’s be real — you’re probably going to do this over Zoom.”
Some business coaches love to preach about the power of New Year's resolutions. Others are anti-resolution and claim that if you set January goals, you’re destined to fail. Personally, I have a unique resolution strategy, which I’ll share in next month’s newsletter. But before it's time for resolutions, I get a jump on the pack in December by conducting a business shutdown — and if you want to successfully grow your business in 2021, I’d suggest you do the same. The word “shutdown” has some negative connotations these days, but I’m not suggesting that you go out of business this month. Far from it! Instead, I propose that you pause the day-to-day business of your company for at least one day, potentially as much as a week, in order to meet with your team. Unplug from your constant stream of texts and emails, sit down with your partners or employees, and plan out the coming year. In the pre-COVID days, I’d suggest leaving your office entirely and heading to a coffee shop for this meeting, but let’s be real — you’re probably going to do this over Zoom. That’s okay! Where you meet is less important than giving yourself the time and space you need to update your business plan.
When you sit down to outline your company’s 2021, you should do more than just scribble your dreams on a piece of paper. Remember, these aren’t just goals; they’re plans. They should be very specific and preferably broken down into actionable steps. This might seem basic, but a lot of entrepreneurs get tripped up here. They write, “Reach $3 million in revenue in 2021,” for example, and think the box is checked. But they should be diving deeper and reverse-engineering those goals. “Reach $3 million in revenue” is the business equivalent of “lose 20 pounds” — it’s aspirational but not helpful. If raising your revenue is what you want, you focus on writing down ways to get there during your company shutdown — e.g., “land these five specific accounts,” or “expand our product line to these three new markets.” Ideally, at the end of your shutdown period, you’ll have a new 12-month business plan broken down by month. Then, you’ll stick to that plan unless you have an ironclad reason to deviate from it. I know all of this sounds painful. It takes time and energy to plan out a shutdown meeting, gather your materials and reports, and get your partners and/or
team on the same page. But I promise that in the end, it will be worth it. I learned that myself when I conducted my inaugural business shutdown. I was in my 20s at the time and running my very first business, but my board was experienced and they suggested the idea. It helped me grow Worldwide Angler into a thriving nationwide business. I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I got sloppy and forgot to do shutdowns for a few years. But recently, a partner of mine who excels in operations reminded me how valuable the practice is, and we started the ritual back up again. It’s proven to be non-negotiable for us. So, take it from a guy who knows: If you don’t do a shutdown this year, in 2021 you’ll probably find yourself blowing in the wind. But if you do shut down and plan, it just might be the kick in the butt you need to succeed whether you are a soloprener or you have co-founders. Rest assured, it will be the motivation you need to hold each other accountable through the months to come. Either way, you’ll get to roll right past the “What will we do this year?” talk in January and hit the ground running. Where’s the downside to that?
BRANDON C. WHITE, FOUNDER
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ARE YOU READY FOR RAPID GROWTH? HOW BRANDON HELPED ONE STUDENT INCREASE HER BUSINESS TENFOLD What do breathing exercises, cleansing/fasting/food, cold water plunges, sauna ozone therapy with a HOCATT, hiking, biking, and skiing have in common? It sounds like a random list, but those are all activities guests can enjoy at my student Amber Guzman’s wellness retreats in Park City, Utah. Amber blended her high-performance sales and investment background with her life passion as a certified breathwork practitioner and 14-plus years of experience in personal development and social cycles to create her business, Cielo. Through Cielo, she offers a wide range of one-on-one and group wellness services and events. She created coaching and training to support people in recognizing the blocks that hold them back, releasing those blocks and rewriting the life scripts, thus creating forward momentum and formulas of success in all areas of life through the senses and nature. We first met in 2018. “Brandon is awesome. I hit it off with him instantly,” Amber says. “He has a personality that wants to help people. My business was a dream that sat on the back burner for 8 years. He instantly saw all the elements I was missing." Amber truly took my lessons to heart. When we first started working together, she had just two regular clients and had done a handful of events with a total of 6–8 people. But she was determined to turn Cielo from a hobby into a successful business. My courses helped her do that. “I love Brandon’s Build a Business program,” Amber says. “It helped me map out my business plan and my elevator pitch. It helped me home in on my target audience. It helped me build my financials, and really more than anything, it gave me confidence. I understood the big picture of my business, that I can do this! That in itself is what has taken it to the next level, and I’ve seen a lot of results since.”
Tactics for Making the Best Business Choices As a business leader, you’re likely well-versed in making decisions, but in the midst of a global health crisis, a political minefield, and environmental disasters, planning for the upcoming year is different territory for even the most seasoned business professionals. So, how do you make the right decisions for your 2021 plans? Start with these three steps. Decisions, Decisions
No. 1: Look at the data.
Data has never steered you wrong before, so don’t stop using it now. However, you have to use the right data and contextualize it with today’s lenses. For example, when choosing a new marketing campaign or direction, continue looking at the cost, revenue, potential errors, and risk factors. Use those to make an informed decision about which step to take. For example, is the campaign empathetic to the needs of your clients, or will it come off as tone- deaf? ( Hint: Try split testing in 2020 before fully deploying a new campaign in 2021!)
No. 2: Don’t go with the status quo.
“This is how we’ve always done it” will kill your business. Nothing is the same as it was just one year ago. The entire world has transformed, and attempting to continue with what’s “normal” will only cause you to miss what could be . As you plan for 2021, consider the abnormal. Look at options you would have never considered doing and test their efficacy. If one fails, move on. But there’s a big chance that you may stumble into something that is totally unique and completely worth your time.
In 2020, Amber’s client base increased from two to 20; her monthly virtual events had great turnout, and her six in-person retreats brought in 25–35 attendees each. “That was during COVID-19, when people weren’t really getting together as much. So this next year with Brandon’s strategies and stepping onto the social media platform with the right support, I’m really looking at taking it to the next level,” she says.
No. 3: Embrace change.
You’ve set your course. You have your team in place. You’re excited to begin. Now, get ready to change everything. Sounds exhausting, right? But it can happen. Rather than being resistant to what isn’t working, admit defeat and move on. If there’s one benefit of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that we were all given a crash course on how to adapt quickly. Take those lessons and apply them to your 2021 plan. Be prepared to admit when your original plan isn’t working because staying on an ineffective course can do more harm than good.
I’m proud of how far Amber has come. Cielo’s rapid growth is impressive, and I’m looking forward to guiding Amber through its next phase! To learn more about Cielo, call Amber at 385‑227‑7670.
Don’t avoid it. Planning for 2021 is necessary — even if you need to change course quickly.
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5 SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN METHODS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN IN 2021 Want to Add More Than a Decade to Your Lifespan?
The acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) was created for a reason. Sometimes, when we have big goals like improving our health and longevity, it’s far too easy to get sidetracked by the latest wonder drug or exercise routine and leave “simple,” well-known solutions by the wayside. Not long ago, I came across an analysis in the American Heart Association Journal Circulation that reminded me of the power of K.I.S.S. This study uncovered five “secrets” to a longer life. It made waves not because of what the secrets were but because they boosted the lifespan of the people studied by a lot . We’re talking more than a decade of increase. On average, women who embraced these five “secrets” added an extra 14 years to their life expectancy, and men who did the same added 12.2 years . Is your curiosity piqued yet? I’ve been putting “secrets” in quotes because the methods the analysis revealed weren’t secrets at all. In fact, they’re pretty much the standard health advice we’ve been hearing our whole lives. The researchers analyzed data from two long-running health studies — the Nurse’s Health Study of 1980–2014 and the Health Professional’s
Follow-up Study of 1986–2014 — and discovered that participants’ life spans increased when they exhibited these five behaviors at age 50:
1. They didn’t smoke (and never had). 2. They had a “healthy” Body Mass Index (18.5-24.9 kg/m2). 3. They exercised for 30 minutes or more every day. 4. They drank alcohol only in moderation. 5. They ate a healthy diet. I’m willing to bet that you already knew those things were good for you. But did you know that they were good enough to add more than a decade to your life? For me, this study is a great reminder of how important the Mind/Body/Business philosophy is. If you take care of your mind and body, you’ll have an extra decade-plus to enjoy the fruits of your business. If you’re not doing one or more of the five things listed above, now is the time to get started. In next month’s newsletter, I’ll help you by sharing how I take K.I.S.S. to the extreme when making my New Year’s resolutions. It will be an information-packed edition — don’t miss it!
RECENT EPISODES
Nothing pulls together a salad quite like a delicious Caesar dressing. This easy vegan recipe takes just five minutes to make and keeps for 5–7 days in the fridge. SIMPLE VEGAN CAESAR DRESSING
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EP. #47
INGREDIENTS
EP. #46
• 1/4 cup hummus • 5 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tsp spicy mustard • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1/2 tsp lemon zest • 2 tsp capers, minced
• 3 tsp caper brining juice • 1 tbsp olive oil • Salt and pepper, to taste • Hot water, as needed
EP. #45
EP. #44
DIRECTIONS
EP. #43
1. In a small bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. 2. If needed, add a bit of hot water to thin the dressing until it will pour. 3. Serve with salad or refrigerate for later!
EP. #42
Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Breaker
Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com
415-429-1229 | 3
415-429-1229 BRANDONCWHITE.COM DEC 2020 320 CENTRAL AVENUE HALF MOON BAY, CA 94019
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SUCCESS SECRETS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Right Way to Plan for 2021
PAGE 1
Tactics for Making the Best Business Choices
PAGE 2
How Brandon Helped a Student Increase Her Business Tenfold
How to Add More Than a Decade to Your Lifespan
PAGE 3
Simple Vegan Caesar Dressing
PAGE 4
How to Be a Better Listener for Someone in Need
FOR SOMEONE WHO NEEDS TO ‘GET IT ALL OUT’ Be a Better Listener
It’s not always easy to share feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, or other strong emotions — but it’s healthy to share them. Sometimes, we need to vent and get it all out. Venting gives us an opportunity to release these emotions, which often leads to mental clarity. However, when someone comes to you to vent and share their heavy emotional burden, listening can be just as challenging as sharing. You want to be supportive, but you don’t want to interfere. Strong feelings and tough situations may be involved. What can you do to be the listener they really need? It starts with your body language. Open yourself to their emotional needs. Gregorio Billikopf, an interpersonal relationship expert at the University of California, Berkeley says if you begin the conversation standing, invite the person to have a seat with you. Another thing you can do as a listener is position yourself below their eye line. This puts the person venting in a more active “storyteller” position and you in a better “listener” position. While in this position, maintain eye contact. It’s okay to look down or away occasionally, but try to keep steady eye contact.
Billikopf also notes that, as a listener, it’s important to avoid interjecting. Don’t offer input, suggestions, or guidance to the person venting until after the person has had the chance to get it all out. “During this venting process, there is still too much pressure for a person to consider other perspectives,” Billikopf says. While you don’t want to interject, you do want to be an active listener. This means you don’t want to be completely silent. This is where “reflective listening” comes in. Occasionally repeat what the speaker says — but don’t use their exact phrasing. Reword slightly in a sympathetic manner. Don’t spin their words or mistakenly interject an opinion, as it may not be the opinion they’re interested in hearing. Alternatively, listening cues like “mm” or “hm” and nods are always welcome. One last thing to keep in mind: You do not need to offer a solution to the person’s problem or concerns. They may just be venting to get their negative emotions out, not looking for answers or explanations. If they are looking for answers or guidance, wait for them to ask. In the meantime, lend your ear and let them know you’re there for them going forward.
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