Working From The Basement

I would like to share something that happened this past week with one of my clients.  I’m working with a local family.  The wife works for a large multi-national company and the husband works as a handyman.  They became my clients this past summer and they recently asked me to research the husband’s current business insurance.

Of course, I agreed and the first thing I noticed in their current policy was that the husband was classified as a carpenter.  So I asked him…are you a carpenter?  Well guess what he’s not, because in the course of his work week he does do some light carpentry, some electrical work, and minor home repairs, etc… In fact he is a handyman!

The commercial “class code” on his policy was wrong.  This means that if he had a claim while doing something un-carpenter like he ran the risk of having the claim being denied by his insurance company and having his policy cancelled.  On the other side of the coin, his current agent (no, not me…but a LARGE state-wide chain) has a possible errors and omissions exposure.

As a quick side note-a class code is the code for a type of business.  This code is in turn associated with a rate.  Each business type has a different code which means each code has a different rate.  For example a carpenter is generally a less expensive rate than a roofer.

Sometimes an agent might misclassify a business deliberately because the rates are more favorable.  An agent that does this might lose the ability to sell insurance for that company, especially if he/she does this often. While this may save you money on your insurance it could cost you a good deal more if your business is not classified correctly.  The point is; check with your insurance agent to make sure that you are correctly covered for what you do.  When you receive your commercial policy, please review the declaration page(s) carefully to make sure the information about your business and its operations are correct.   Commercial insurance policies are very specific about what they will NOT pay for.  If you see something there that either does not make sense, or you don’t understand…ASK.

When you receive your commercial policy and you have questions, your agent should be very willing to answer any and all your questions about it.  By the way, when shopping for commercial insurance, you may want to consider using an independent insurance agent (like me!).  They have more than one company they work with and if the rates go up with your current carrier, they can always “shop” your business with another company.

Charlie’s Info:
Hi my name is Charlie Schein and I’m an independent property/casualty insurance agent.  I’ve been in the insurance industry since 1988…but have been working “from the basement” since September.

Charlie can be reached via his contact information listed below:
(860) 513-1055
(860) 819-9810-Cell
(877) 513-6363-Fax
charlie@starschein.com
www.starschein.com

To keep up with Charlie follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cdschein
FaceBook Fan Page

WFTB – Charlie Schein

OK a lot of entrepreneurial related media talks about creating your own rules to be successful, but that’s not what this posts about.  What I am talking about are the rules that we need to keep ourselves motivated, organized and sane.  I have two sets of rules I use, one set is used every day the other for specific days of the week.  I’ll go over some of the ones I use every day.

1. COFFEE – This is the number one rule that must be obeyed for me to function, and I’ve seen Diana without coffee so I assume this rule to be universal.  I must have coffee before my brain even starts to work correctly. 
2. SHOWER, SHAVE etc… – OK this one usually happens at some point during the morning, but again it is not as important as rule #1 and sometimes goes un-followed.  This rule actually becomes rule #1 when leaving the basement though.
3. THE DAILY TASK LIST – This really should be rule #2, but #1 and #2 seemed to go together (am I confusing you enough yet?). I try and keep a short task list with only 3 or 4 things on it, enough to get completed during the day but not too daunting.  Yes I have a real task list that contains everything I need to do, but by moving only a small number into a daily list it makes it so I feel accomplished.  You can always add and remove things to the list and prioritize it as the day goes on.
4. LIMIT DISTRACTIONS – We talked about space here before and limiting environmental distractions is important, but keeping yourself focused is important as well.  If you are in the middle of something and the phone rings don’t take it unless you have to.  Close your email client, Chat, Facebook and any other Social Media outlet, plan to spend a set number of minutes an hour checking them if you use them to market your business.  I like to answer emails first thing in the morning, mid-morning, over lunch and mid-afternoon, unless it’s an emergency.
5. MUSIC – I don’t consider music a distraction, it helps me concentrate while working alone, One of the benefit about being self-employed is we can crank it when a good song comes on.

I actually have a few other rules I follow, but I just wanted to get you started writing your own list, although I think Rule #1 is universal please let me know if you have anything else to replace it.  I’ll post my weekly list if anyone is interested, but that is going to vary greatly depending what you do for a living.  Having guidelines even if we don’t follow them exactly helps us get through those really tough days, and I think also keeps us more focused.  One nice thing is your rules can be anything you want them to be; after all you are the boss.

WFTB – Michael Lawson

Error Message's can be so cryptic?

A lot of people just don’t get Twitter and if you’re one of those people I would like to introduce you to the concept of using Twitter as a Search Engine.  Most of us have our favorite Search Engine’s Toolbar and home page somewhere nestled in our Internet Browser, but sometimes it fails us.  Recently I was greeted to the Error message that opens this post when trying to launch Microsoft Outlook, as you can see it wasn’t very informative. So I rebooted the PC and the Error still persisted even after running a repair on Microsoft Office.

I then turned to the Internet and Microsoft’s Bing search engine figuring that since this was a Microsoft program it might have an advantage over Google, but nothing specific came up.  Well that makes some sense since the error wasn’t very specific either.  I then figured out that this happened after one of the dreaded Tuesday Microsoft updates, so on a hunch I fired up TweetDeck (The Application I use to make sense of Twitter) and searched the exact message.  Well I may have been lucky, but I got a few hits and solved the problem fairly quickly.

This is what is known in the Industry as crowdsourcing which is defined as using the general public to do research or other work.  This was a relevant search considering that if my suspicion was correct and this error was caused by a Microsoft update other people would be having the same issue.  Search Engines take time to index lesser known sites, but Twitter is instantaneous, so if it is something common you can find it right away.

You don’t need a Twitter client like TweetDeck to search Twitter, just go to the website and type in your search and it will show results similar to a standard Search Engine. So even if you aren’t interested in Tweeting about your daily life you can still use Twitter to help you find quick answers to an immediate problem.  So when you can’t find the answer with a Search Engine give Twitter a shot and let us know if you were able to find it.

We are always looking for time saving tips so let us know what gets you through your day when Working From the Basement.

WFTB- Michael Lawson

If you are starting a new home business, one of the most important decisions will be where to put your home office.  Over the years mine has moved and ended up in the basement, but depending on your situation that may not work for you. Most people at first end up using a table in the kitchen, dining room or simply working from the couch and floor, when nobody is home.  It is very important though that you find a quiet place to work, especially if you need to think, write and make private phone calls.

While a corner in a room can work,  I would recommend finding a whole room or using a partition, and make sure that you keep it somewhat organized.  If you have a whole room, make sure it is big enough for some expansion, my latest space even has a spare desk.  Also consider going paperless, this one decision alone can free up a lot of space, scan what you can and keep up with your filing and shredding.

Having a space doesn’t mean you are tied to it for 8-16 hours a day either. Break up the monotony by working from  the deck, going to a coffee shop or even the library.  After all, if you are self-employed, setting your own rules is one of the benefits. I usually take a long lunch when I begin to feel cooped up and bring a laptop with me to get some work done.  This helps clear my head and get motivated. Make sure that when you do this, though, that it is something you can do while being distracted.  Don’t take a project with you that requires a lot of concentration. Your office or shared space should feel comfortable enough for you to escape to and get serious work done.  If you dread it because it is disorganized or in the wrong spot, you may want to consider other options.

In the past I have always thought that clients didn’t take you seriously if you worked from home, but with more people telecommuting I think that this perception has changed.  While this does depend on what you do for a living, and having an office outside the house can motivate you to get going in the morning.  One of the best consulting jobs I had was for GE in Avon where I was able to bike into work on nice days using the Farmington Valley Greenway.  I am just pointing this out because if you don’t pick a spot in your house or apartment on where to setup shop it may impact your work. If you really can’t work in the house or coffee shops, another option is month-to-month office facilities where they rent you a small office and a shared conference room.  This can be a great stop-gap measure, before committing to an office lease.  Other options include adding an addition on to your house, but if you plan to have employees you should check your towns zoning regulations.

The IRS used to frown on the home office and it was a big red flag, but now the rules have relaxed, and as long as you have a legitimate office, preferably one with walls it can be a great benefit.  I have always had a home office and over the years have made it a home within a home – my commute is 16 stairs in the morning.  It may take you awhile to make it comfortable, and make sure that if you don’t like something you change it as quickly as possible.  Don’t buy a lot of furniture either – people tend to crowd out their home offices – and make sure anything you buy is light-weight and can be moved easily.  Considering that I live off RT 4 in Farmington I save about 2 hours a day, so for me working from the basement works.  Make sure you name your space accordingly whether it’s a corner, a basement or a fortress of solitude make it your own and make it work for your business.

We are looking for people to Interview about how they work from home so please feel free to contact either Diana or myself if you are interested.  If you have any suggestions on what makes your home office work please feel free to comment on this post.

WFTB – Michael Lawson

This is just a quick post to end the week with on our great new website.  If you haven’t heard about Google Wave this is a quick and funny video explaining a couple of features.

From what I can tell this is very much like the way a lot of Internal Intranet sites work and similar to Facebook.  This is just one of the more easier to understand aspects of Google Wave.  New Collaborative technology products like this should be of great interest to Micro-Business and solo entrepreneurs.  Products like this when used in new and thoughtful ways can greatly increase efficiency.  Google Wave is currently in beta and it is hard to foresee if it will change the World and become a tsunami or just be another ripple in the vast Internet ocean.

Well if your working this weekend get out of the basement for some sun and to stretch your legs, otherwise go and have fun, you deserve it.

WFTB – Michael Lawson

Last week, I attended the Middlesex Businesswomen’s Alliance monthly event.  The presentation that evening was “LinkedIn 101,” by Gateway Financial Group’s President and resident social media expert, David Wood.

First, let me tell you what Little Dave got right:

1.  Put a picture on your LinkedIn profile. His reason – take the profile seriously.  My reason – what does your face look like?  Have we met before?  It creates a personal connection, which is what internet connections are supposed to facilitate.

2.  Groups, groups, groups. Little Dave hit this on the head.  In fact, he said this in a presentation a year ago and, honestly, this was the first time it had occurred to me.  Groups can be your greatest way of connecting with those who need your services.   Join groups whose mission and values appeal to you, develop real connections, and then when those people need services of the professional nature you offer, you will be the first name that comes to mind.

3.  Don’t advertise.  It annoys people. That’s why it’s called “spam.”  Create valuable content with real benefit to the end user, and that person will seek out your services.  Don’t come right out and say “Buy my 3bed/2bath ranch in West Hartford.”  Instead, provide the people following you with useful information, such as, “The tax credit ends on November 30.  Did you realize that’s on the Monday right after the five-day bank vacation of Thanksgiving?  Better aim for the beginning of the month.”

Now, let me tell you what Little Dave got wrong:

1.  His advice, “Connect with people whose connections are valuable to you, pick up the phone, and call them.”

He missed the whole point of Web 2.0 (soon to be Web 3.0).  He advised to apply traditional methods of networking – figure out who people know, whether you can use them or who they know, pick up the phone, and start a dialogue.

Don’t call me.  Email me if you’re really brave (caveat emptor), but definitely don’t call me.  Connect with me online – follow me on Twitter, connect with me on LinkedIn, and join my fanpage on Facebook.  But don’t call me.  When I need you, I’ll find you.  If you call me, you’re getting yourself blacklisted for cold-calling me.  When you need my help, find me and tell me you need my help.  You’ll already know what I do, because we’ve legitimately connected, shared resources, and discussed ideas.  But definitely don’t call me.

2.  Judge people by their connections.

I disagree completely.  LinkedIn, to me, is like a virtual exchange of business cards – in one direction only, in my viewpoint.  If someone invites me to connect, I connect.

Caveat – I am NOT an open networker.  I do not follow people on Twitter, simply because they follow me, and I don’t connect with everyone who wants to connect with me.

But why is he wrong?  Three points:

a.  LinkedIn profiles are dynamic.  Just because someone is not valuable today does not mean they might not be valuable in the future.

b.  When someone invites me to connect, that person is allowing me to pump their head full of my propogand…..er, marketing materials.  That, by itself, is a value.  And once I spread my prop…er, marketing materials to that person, the viral nature of the internet means that it’ll end up exactly in the hands  of the right person.  So, the more, the merrier.

c.  Database.  By connecting with the person, I can see the details of his/her connections when I’m using the database feature of LinkedIn.  (A hidden secret, for later discussion.)  So, we all know people who are Division 3 in the world of business.  But, since we all know them, then they all know us, right?  When I need another Division 1 or 2, I can find them through the database feature, which gives me much better information than a simple Google search.  I can figure out quality, education, background – everything – by using the person I don’t want to connect with as a filter.  (Thank you, LinkedIn, because I know that wasn’t intentional.)

3.  I do really have 300 friends.  They’re Facebook friends.  It’s a different category.  Facebook friends are, again, people with similar interests, with whom you have crossed paths at some point in your life.  They are people whose kids’ photos you actually do want to see, whose ham sandwich you do know about (because she’s vegan and shouldn’t be eating ham), and whose thoughts and interests you are genuinely interested in.

I want to see pictures of my college roommate’s kids, because when am I going to get back to Pittsburgh again anytime soon.  I want to hear Jochen’s adventures in whatever crazy European country he is now.  I want to hear about Isaac’s adventures teaching English in Korea.  Because that is interesting to me.

I don’t want to be Facebook friends with the Governor, because I don’t think she’s giving me the cow I need for FarmVille, and she’s probably not going to challenge me to a game of Farkle or Bejeweled.  That’s not a Facebook friend; that’s a LinkedIn colleague.

Facebook friends are the ones you would sit and chat with, laugh with, and play with, if time and geography were not limiting you.

The future of business:  Real relationships with people you like

I say – this is the dialogue, connecting online is the dialogue, the relationship.  Business is no longer about who you know and how powerful you are.  Business is about who you are. Be yourself, and the people who want to do business with a person just like you will find you.

Connect with people you like.  Do business with people who like you, just the way you are.  With the advent of social networking technologies, you can now locate and develop relationships with people just like you.  Under traditional networking approaches, you were limited in scope to those you could connect with physically.  Now, remove those boundaries and use the internet as a network to connect with those most like you.

Do business with people you like.  Enjoy life.  Because life can be amazing, if you just let it.

So, I’m dying to attend Dreamforce this year.  A trip to San Francisco, however, is not exactly in the budget.  And even if it were, right before our down season…..?  Not going to happen.

In any case, I thought I’d throw it out there for those of you who can attend.

First, let me tell you why I want to attend:

1.  Cloud computing is the wave of the future (no pun intended).

2.  San Francisco holds so many great minds.

3.  People who are embracing cloud computing are embracing other, cutting-edge things that I haven’t even yet thought of.

4.  It would be so cool.

Second,…I’ve got nothing.

Here’s the link:  http://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/DF09/site/

What more do you need?

Original post here:  http://www.michaellawson.com/?p=218

by Michael Lawson

Here in the northeast it has seemed like we haven’t had a summer yet so this is probably as close as it gets.  Podcamp this year focused on the use of social media and how it was being used.  Being focused on the business aspects, I learned a few things that I think will help my clients and customers which are reinforced by my own experiences.  The number one lesson is that while companies are recognizing social media as a buzz word they need help utilizing it.   Just twittering the special of the day may work for one business but not another.  A game plan for using Social Media has to be developed for companies based on their individual goals and expectations.   The value and pricing of these services by both parties seem to be all over the map.  Leveraging your existing relationships and skill sets may help you in setting up a model that works for you.

Social Media currently seems to be a generalized area where specialization hasn’t occurred yet, this became obvious in the discussion on the future of work session.  The early adopters are just beginning to get rewarded for their pioneering efforts in educating businesses in the use of a more developed community based online presence.   It is still clear that no experts really exist in this field but a lot of bright people are making different aspects work.  Companies are looking for people with Social Media skills but assuming this to be a single person.

Tracking your social engagements still seems to be in its infancy, much like tracking Internet metrics was 10 years ago.  The difference is that the industry has grown up and a lot of what we learned in the past should be able to be transitioned.

Video is playing an increasingly important role and should not be ignored;  webinars and short information messages are replacing older voice only podcasting.  The Hubspot people did a great presentation on how to produce videos without much editing.  Keeping videos short and less than 2 minutes seems to keep people’s interest longer.

On a latter note I will say that Apple IPhones and Macbooks seemed to be required appendages.  While hyper local got redefined for me when somebody tweeted for toilet paper while in the first stall of the ladies room.

Most of my insight as advertised did come for the interactions in the hallways and impromptu sessions on the lawn.  I’m already missing podcamp and all my new friends…

WFTB – Michael Lawson