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KEYSTROKE MONTHLY THE
JULY 2021 BOOKS AND AUTHORS Guiding Me Through 26 Years of Business Ownership
As of July 1, we’re now officially in the second half of the year. With that milestone in mind, I figured now was a good time to evaluate our performance as a business and think of new ways to improve our performance. That means reviewing many of the materials and resources that have made Pop-A-Lock successful over the past 26 years. As I was doing so, it dawned on me: If you’re a business owner, or you’re an entrepreneur who would one day like to own a business, you might find some of the resources valuable for growing your own success. So, without further ado, here are some of the resources that have contributed greatly to Pop-A-Lock’s success. First up is the book “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber. I would say this is an essential read for anyone looking to start a business, since it outlines why so many businesses fail so quickly and explains how to fix that problem. Written over 20 years ago, Gerber released an updated version of this book called “The E-Myth Revisited” a little more recently, and he’s also posted quite a bit of valuable content about entrepreneurship on YouTube. The other essential read I would recommend is “The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster” by Darren Hardy. It follows a similar vein to “The E-Myth,” but the information in that book is just as valuable. Next, if you’re looking to get the most out of your marketing strategy, you can’t go wrong with any of Dan Kennedy’s materials. However, if I had to recommend one book of his in particular, I would go with “Magnetic Marketing,” which is framed as a no-nonsense guide for how to gain new clients who will stick with your business for the long run. For any questions that you may have about customer service, check out “The Fred Factor” by Mark Sanborn. Since learning about this book from another business owner at a Dan Kennedy event years ago, I’ve had all of my employees read it. In it, Sanborn recounts the passion of real-life mail carrier Fred, and how his passion for his work ultimately led him to go the extra mile. I guarantee reading it will reinvigorate the passion you have for your work as well!
For those of you who are interested in improving your personal finance habits, read Dave Ramsey’s “The Total Money Makeover.” In addition, I would also recommend taking Ramsey’s online Smart Dollar class. In doing so, you and your employees will expose any unwise financial habits you have so you can take steps to stop them. Along with “The Total Money Makeover,” you could also try the book that was the source for many of Ramsey’s ideas: “The Richest Man in Babylon,” by George Samuel Clason. Published in 1926, this book may be almost 100 years old, but its advice for financial prosperity is as relevant today as it was then! For words of wisdom on personal development, I don’t have a specific book to recommend, but rather a few authors whose books are all helpful. Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, and Darren Hardy all have incredible books that will help you develop as a person while also advancing your business. Now, after reading through this, you might think “Gee, Doug, is reading all you do?” Well, keep in mind that I read all of these over 26 years of running a business, and I’ve found ways to make time for books that will aid in my personal and professional growth. One of those ways lately has been Audible, which turns my car into a classroom helmed by some of the greatest entrepreneurs of all time. Through Audible, I’ve listened to books by Arthur Blank (founder of Home Depot), Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald’s), Sam Walton (founder of Walmart), and Jeff Bezos (you know who that is). For all of you who are looking to start, grow, and nurture a business, I hope you’ll find as much value in these resources as I have as a business owner. Happy Fourth of July! -Doug Barnes
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STAY COOL THIS SUMMER Educate Yourself on Heat-Related Illnesses
When thinking about extreme and deadly weather, most people conjure up images of massive tornadoes in the Midwest or hurricanes and flooding in the Southeast. But you might be surprised to learn that the deadliest extreme weather event is excessive heat. In fact, according to a study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), heat causes more deaths each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined . Since 2020 was the second warmest year on record and all the other years in the top 10 have occurred since 2005, it’s time to wise up about heat-related illnesses. HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES AND RISK FACTORS According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heat-related illnesses are caused by “exposure to extreme heat where the body becomes unable to properly cool, resulting in a rapid rise in body temperature.” There are several kinds of heat-related illnesses. The least severe are heat rashes, sunburn, and heat cramps, and the most serious are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. While anyone can experience these illnesses if they overexert themselves in hot weather, some groups are more at risk than others, including: • Children under the age of 4 and adults over the age of 65 • People with preexisting medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease As more and more people get vaccinated, people are becoming more comfortable with traveling again. That means travel services like Expedia, Orbitz, Airbnb and Vrbo, which give travelers a wide variety of lodging options, are seeing a resurgence in business. Before the pandemic and now, booking through Airbnb and Vrbo were particularly attractive options for travelers who wanted the comforts of a home in an unfamiliar city, state, or country. The only drawback, however, is that the owners of the individual properties are responsible for their marketing and maintenance. This sometimes means travelers are left with lackluster lodgings for their vacation. So, one company decided to combine the hominess of an Airbnb with the professional upkeep of a hotel or resort so travelers can be sure they’re getting the most luxurious, comfortable place to stay possible: Vacasa. Vacasa was founded in 2009 by Eric and Alia Breon after they tried to find a rental company that would also do the maintenance work needed on a cottage Alia had inherited. They discovered that no The Comfort of Home and the Luxury of a Resort
• People who are overweight • People taking certain kinds of medication • Individuals who are intoxicated or drink excessively
SYMPTOMS TO WATCH OUT FOR Both heat exhaustion and heat stroke have many of the same symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, and passing out. But other symptoms help differentiate the two. Heat stroke victims will have hot, red skin that may be dry or damp, and they’ll likely have a fast, strong pulse. By contrast, victims of heat exhaustion will have cold, pale, and clammy skin and a fast but weak pulse. Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring professional medical attention immediately. You should also seek medical help for anyone exhibiting the above symptoms who is also throwing up or whose symptoms are getting worse or last longer than one hour. For a complete list of symptoms and treatment for all heat-related illnesses, visit CDC.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html . Stay cool this summer and prevent heat-related illnesses by seeking shade or staying indoors on hot days, avoiding exerting yourself in the heat, and drinking plenty of water!
one could provide them the services they needed and inadvertently discovered a niche in the market, one that Vacasa now fills.
While Vacasa, much like Airbnb, doesn’t own the properties listed on its site, they do take responsibility for the marketing of those properties and the upkeep. That way, travelers can be sure of the quality of their lodgings before they leave home. At the same time, however, Vacasa has been successful because their niche doesn’t put them in direct competition with other vacation rental companies. They can advertise their properties on Airbnb and Vrbo as more luxurious options, taking advantage of their users without taking them away from other providers. Over a decade after Vacasa’s founding, they have rentals in 34 states and three different countries; over 2 million people use their site to book their vacation home every year. As the world continues to open back up, all those numbers will no doubt continue to grow.
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A CHILD OR PET LOCKED IN A HOT CAR
A Word From PAL Saves Kids
As the summer continues, so does the heat. Kentucky summers can make stepping outside nearly unbearable some days, but in a locked car, it’s probably a good 20 degrees hotter than the outside temp — and that’s when the summer heat becomes deadly. Every year, around 38 kids and countless pets die after being left in a locked car on a hot summer day. It’s a tragic occurrence, but the good news is that Pop-A-Lock can prevent it from happening through our PAL Saves Kids program. Since 1991, we’ve saved thousands of kids from locked cars during the summer, free of charge. However, you can take important steps to keep endangered children safe before we arrive. REMAIN CALM Before you do anything, remind yourself to stay calm. If you panic, it could affect your sound judgment as well as cause the child, if they’re lucid, to panic as well. In short, you won’t help anyone if you panic. CALL 911 If you come across a child or a pet locked in a hot car, the first thing you should always do is call emergency services. You don’t know how long they’ve been in the car, so you need someone on the scene as quickly as possible.
CALL US As quickly as the police normally arrive anywhere, sometimes our Pop-A-Lock Car Door Unlocking Techs arrive even before they do. We’ll drop whatever we’re doing to help get a child out of a locked car. NOTE THE TIME Whenever the police or the fire department arrive, they might ask you how long the child or pet has been in the car. You might not know exactly how long they were in the car before you found them, but noting the time you found them will allow you to give them some idea of the time. BLOCK SUNLIGHT If you have any towels or blankets in your car, use them to cover the windows of the car until emergency services arrive to offer the child or pet some sort of protection from the sun. It’s not a solution itself, but it’s a little thing you can do to offer them some relief.
Finding a child locked in a car can be scary, but don’t worry. With your help, the experts can get there in time to save their life.
TAKE A BREAK
THIS MONTH’S EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
JIMMIE CHILDERS
If you’ve called us before, you probably understand that unlocking a door without a key is a job for a professional, and it takes patience. Luckily, we have locksmiths like Jimmie Childers, whose patience enables them to unlock home and car doors when you’re locked out. Jimmie has been working at Pop-A- Lock for the past nine months, and his previous experience working for Triple A has ensured that he’s a perfect fit on the Pop-A-Lock team. We’re glad that he saw our job posting and was looking for a change of pace in his work. In his spare time, Jimmie goes fishing whenever he can, especially during the summer. In every season, though, he loves riding his motorcycle with his wife. Whether through the streets of Louisville or the surrounding countryside, Jimmie just can’t get enough of the peace that comes from the open road!
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE WANT TO SUCCEED AS A BUSINESS OWNER? CHECK OUT THESE RESOURCES! PAGE 1 WHAT ARE HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES? USING VACASA TO BOOK YOUR NEXT VACATION HOME PAGE 2 WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND A CHILD OR PET LOCKED IN A HOT CAR THIS MONTH’S EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: JIMMIE CHILDERS PAGE 3 THE MIRACULOUS MOUNTAIN CAT PAGE 4
THE MEOW AT 10,000 FEET
High on the slopes of Bristen, a mountain in the Glarus Alps in central Switzerland, a pair of skiers discovered something unexpected. At 4:30 a.m., the skiers climbed toward the summit of Bristen when they realized they weren’t alone. They were being followed by a cat — not a lynx or a wildcat, but a little mewling house cat. How does a house cat end up on the slopes of a snow-covered, 10,000-foot mountain? This was an answer the skiers wouldn’t get. They weren’t even sure what to do with a cat in general. It’s likely that it simply wandered away from one of the nearby towns or villages near the base of the mountain, but even for a human, that’s a major undertaking. Lost, the cat followed the only sign of civilization it could find: the skiers, Cyril and Erik Rohrer. “She started to shiver, and her paws began to bleed from the hard snow,” Cyril noted. “We picked her up and carried her when she was too exhausted to walk uphill anymore. We were definitely confused. I felt
really sorry for the cat. She was really exhausted on the ridge underneath the summit.”
The cat stayed with them for some time before they met up with another group of hikers who were headed down
the mountain. The cat joined them for what would hopefully be a journey back home. And it was! Remarkably, the cat’s owners were found. They revealed that their cat had vanished four days earlier and apparently followed yet another group of hikers up Bristen. “Animals do weird things. And they are way tougher than humans. They’ll never give up. Even though they are hurting really, really bad,” Cyril said of his feline hiking companion. Hopefully, that will be the little feline’s last trip up for some time!
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