Just knocked out a 45min trot on my treadmill (trot = s-l-o-w). I'm ready for the new year and 2010 looks like it's going to be a DOOSIE!!

Just made a yummy 4th Qtr snack of dates stuffed with slivered almonds wrapped in warm semi-crispy bacon. The diet can wait for now.

Maybe in 2010

I'm reading Skinny Bitch again. January 1st "lose 10 pounds" is right around the corner AGAIN. Maybe the "10" in 2010 will be the ticket!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

I think Santa is bringing me a bundle of business wishes tonight...I'll send him to your house too!!! Merry, merry, merry Twitter Friends :)

Good advice Bob! RT @BestSellerBob: When making choices, listen to the voice inside of you that says, "This is what you were born for."

"The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine."~ Mike Murdock

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Berkeley's Finest

Celebrating Berkeley's finest at brunch today. Thank you BPD!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

PriceMax Pointer: Don't waste this economy. Eliminate unnecessary expenses now. Plump business profits equal a plump business valuation!

Colors of Christmas at Davie's Symphony Hall

Peabo Bryson sings every Christmas with the Symphony and friends. Tonight with Jennifer Holliday and Sheena Easton!!
Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Exactly!! RT @SusanFinco: RT @Keith_Brown: Focus - If you have too many irons in the fire, some will cool.

Hedgehog or Fox?

Read Good to Great by Jim Collins again. I think that mastering your Hedgehog (pg. 90) is the most important business concept ever. Really.

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

All in due time <3 RT @tonyrobbins: "As soon as you truly commit to making something happen, the "how" will reveal itself."

We should all be so lucky! RT @IncMagazine: Jack LaLanne, age 95: The secret to my business success--and longevity. http://bit.ly/7U8wC0

HoHoHo from BlueKey at the Brickyard Cove Marina!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Happy Holidays from BlueKey at Brickyard Cove

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

KISS

RT @BestSellerBob: Simplicity: a complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.
-John Gall

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Lake Tahoe? No, Mt. Diablo...TODAY!!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Comments?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

RT @fastcompany: Twitter works! (Tworks?) Earns Dell $6.5M in sales. Make checks payable to Fast Company, please: http://bit.ly/5caCFY

Hear us roar (so "70's" of me!)!! RT @WomenPresidents: The Impact of Women-Owned Firms on the US Economy http://ow.ly/167j1N

Best running songs today: I'm Yours, Jason Mraz; Lovely Day, Bill Withers and Unwritten, Natasha Bedingield... Delish!

Stick with it!

Stick with it! How well you follow through with your plan determines your success. You make things happen only by seeing them through to the end.

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Happy Holidays with my Beloved ExecNet Friends!!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

THX!@upsideofmoney @pinkbizbroker Julie, glad to have you on SF-MoneyHoneys list! via @CurtisFinancial @susanfinco! My tweets r back on now!

Seth is great again today... "

Is it too late to catch up? What if your organization or your client has done nothing?What if they've just watched the last fourteen years go by? No real website, no social media, no permission assets. What if now they're ready and they ask your advice? And, by the way, they have no real cash to spend...Here's a list of my top ten things to consider doing:

• Use gmail to give every person in the organization that can read English an email address.
• Use a free website creating tool or even Squidoo to build a page about your company. Nothing fancy, but list your locations, your people (with addresses) and make it clear you want to hear from people.
• Start an email newsletter using Mad Mimi or Mail Chimp. Give the responsibility for the newsletter's creation and performance to one person and offer them a bonus if they exceed metrics in sign ups and in reducing churn.
• Start a book group for your top executives and every person who answers the phone, designs a product or interacts with customers. Read a great online media book a week and discuss. It'll take you about a year to catch up.
• Offer a small bonus to anyone in the company who starts and runs a blog on any topic. Have them link to your company site, with an explanation that while they work there, they don't speak for you.• Have the president post her (real) email address in every invoice and other communication the company sends out, asking people to write to her with comments or questions.
• Start a newsletter for your vendors. Email them regular updates about what you're doing, what's selling and what problems are going on internally that they might be able to help you with.• Do not approve any project that isn't run on Basecamp.
• Get a white board and put it in the break room. On it, have someone update: how many people subscribe to the newsletter, how many people visit the website, how many inbound requests come in by phone, how long it takes customer service to answer an email and how often your brand names are showing up on Twitter every day.
• Don't have any meetings about your web strategy. Just do stuff. First you have to fail, then you can improve.
• Refuse to cede the work to consultants. You don't outsource your drill press or your bookkeeping or your product design. If you're going to catch up, you must (all of you) get good at this, and you only accomplish that by doing it.

The problem is no longer budget. The problem is no longer access to tools. The problem is the will to get good at it.

www.sethgodin.com

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

One completed, important priority outweighs ten unimportant ones.

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Stress-Free Relationship Building by Keith Ferrazzi

Top 10 Personal Rituals for Stress-Free Relationship Building
Posted on December 1st, 2009 by Keith Ferrazzi

In a recent post on time management, I asked for your favorite rituals for stress-free relationship building. They were all great! Here are my ten favorites:

10. Dog walking. That's prime pinging time for me, working from a home office. The dog doesn't mind. - John Kerr

9. Network at the gym. - Elizabeth Rhody

8. Every 3-4 months, organize informal drinks as a way to connect with people - but in a very time efficient manner. You buy appetizers, everyone buys their own drinks. - Sital

7. Split your lunch hour in two: Eat with one person and go for a walk with another. It gets in a little extra exercise and many people are happy to move around in the middle of the day. - Alizabeth Van Wieren

6. Make time to pray, worship, and listen to music often to help keep yourself energized. - Evie Denis

5. Create a blog to use as a reference library. In that blog I collect links and articles that I want to save for future reference. I also share the blog content with other artists. Not having to dig for links saves a lot of time. - Marie Kazalia

4. Give up TV! - Maria

3. Identify one "most important task" each day, and then devote the first hour of the day to that task -- before checking email or doing anything else. - Matt Perman

2. Sports junkies: use TV game time to follow up on e-mails, and schedule calls/mtgs with people. - SCOR

1. Get to appointments at least 15 minutes early and use those minutes for pinging, returning emails and social media. You can get a lot done with focus! - Juli Monroe

Success leaves clues... Look for your "Inner Winner"...

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Where can you eliminate activities in your day that hold little value?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

"Thought is the original source of all wealth, all success, all material gain, all great discoveries and inventions, and of all achievement." ~Claude M. Bristol

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving :)

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

I don't know what's more difficult- negotiating the sale of a biz or cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 15. I think I'll stick with business ;)

Dressing Chronicles

Good news: Corn bread for dressing is in the oven. Bad news: Made the pancake recipe instead of the bread one. Oh well, just add more corn meal stuff and stir. Right?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Turkey Chronicles

Good news: Turkey is in the Chez Panisse brine. Bad news: I spilled 2 quarts of brine on the kitchen floor. Da*#! Oh well, less brine!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right!"~ Henry Ford

Thought of the day... Patience Pays.

Economy, USP or Both?

If your revenues are down it's probably the economy, but look a bit closer. It might be the economy AND your strategy. Is your USP really U?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

"If you wait to see the robin, Spring is probably over." -Warren Buffet tonight with Bill Gates on CNBC.

www.juliegordonwhite.com

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

TGIF from "Fabulous" Seth

"Fabulous
This is so cool: because we only look at things we want to look at, only talk about things worth talking about, the amount of fabulous in the world continues to rise exponentially.

Even though we're at the tail end of the great recession, think about all the cool stuff in your life. Not just stuff you can buy, but experiences, works of art, innovations of all kinds... the bar has been raised for what you need to do to be noticed, and the market is responding.

Not only do I notice more fabulous, but it sure seems as though the creators of it are more engaged, dedicated and yes, joyful, than I can remember. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do work that matters, this is it. You can't say, "but I need to make a fortune instead," because that's not happening right now. So you might as well join the people who can say, "I love doing this." -Seth Godin"

Starbucks oatmeal with raisins and nuts is a great reward after a hard 2 mile run on the treadmill... Now, off to sell a business or two!

100th Post! OMG!

Wow! I am excited and grateful for being able to share 100 bits of my business self, my mom self and my dreamer self with you... Thank you for listening and I hope you have been touched in at least a teeny, tiny way. With gratitude... Julie

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Exit Your Business When You Start Your Business

I was booked to speak to a start up group of women today but it was cancelled because several attendees were sick. The title of my presentation is "How to Exit Your Business When You Start Your Business".  Like it? Mark Victor Hansen actually named it for me... jgw

P.S. The presentation is perfect for start-ups as it gets them thinking about preparing for an exit from day one. Let me know if your group is interested in hearing the key note or workshop version.


Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

The Farm at Carneros Inn

Stopped at the fabulous Carneros Inn for a cocktail on the way...very romantic outdoor fireplace!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

www.montanamatters.com

On our way to Sonoma for www.montanamatters.com. Great cause and great people (and great wine!). Thanks to Ron Clausen and www.clausenlawgroup.com for your passion!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

RT@unmarketing: Most common advice if a blogger could start over? Use Wordpress hosted on own site. Also: engage, build a list

Watch this NOW- you will love it!! RT@tonyrobbins: 40 Inspirational movie speeches in 2 minutes! Enjoy! ;-) http://bit.ly/jNub

Team 5 of the Amazing Race prevailed tonight because just as in business, they NEVER gave up!

Church: Amazing View

This is the amazing view on a sunny Sunday morning from the www.lawrencehallofscience.org. Visit often!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Not sexy but oh so critical... RT@IncMagazine: Year-end tax planning for SMBs & owners: http://bit.ly/2pGuDX

"Kate Minus John Plus 3 Driving to School"

Happy Halloween!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

LOVE this! :). RT@kimkiyosaki: Take small steps and keep going. Don't ever quit. Trust yourself and your intuition.

Do you have a plan? RT@IncMagazine: Entrepreneur vs. Flu What's Plan B? http://bit.ly/2MLvvG

Selling vs. Negotiating

More great tools from the trusted advisors that I work with...enjoy!

Selling vs. Negotiating
Reading Time: 50 seconds

Tim Dayonot from the Haas School of Business gave an excellent talk last week on negotiation. We had a chance to speak briefly before his presentation and we quickly agreed that selling is done before negotiation begins and that the two processes are essentially separate. Of course, proper selling done up-front reduces the need for extensive gut-wrenching negotiation later. I've experienced this first hand with my construction clients that sell designs or pre-construction contracts before embarking on the actual construction. They come to me when they are having problems in the final negotiation stages to start construction with the client but the problems occurred in their earlier selling efforts. This same issue occurs over and over in a variety of industries. The sales team may indeed obtain a new client but it seems impossible to keep the client around for very long or manage their unrealistic expectations leading to unprofitable revenue. What really struck me about Dayonot's talk was his emphasis on the attitudes and personality of the negotiator. In fact, much of his talk discussed the importance of styles in negotiation, not so much the tactics employed. Now that is where selling and negotiating have many similarities. Unwillingness to ask tough questions, discomfort with discussing money issues at the proper time, fear of walking away for lack of better sales opportunities and a tendency to draw incorrect assumptions contribute to both sales and negotiating challenges. If you want to improve your sales and negotiating techniques, look first at the attitudes or beliefs that may be undermining your efforts to close new business.

Good Selling!

Chip Doyle
Sandler Training, Inc.
chip@train2improvesales.com

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

My Church: Sunday Long Run

@IncMag tweets this running tweet for road warriors.

"IncMagazine: On the road for business? Check out these great guided-running tours to help you stay in shape http://bit.ly/3zgyCd"

I'm at home today but getting in my Sunday run in the Berkeley hills gets me centered and calm for the week ahead... What's your church?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

"When you are your authentic self, you have no competition". -@unmarketing

This is simple but oh so awesome...

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Told ya so! @IncMagazine: Whether you've been in business for two years or twenty, it's good to have an exit strategy: http://bit.ly/26XpVb.

John Rooney, Financier, Banker, Overall Great Money Guy...

If you need help with financing ($5MM+) for your company, investing in an acquisition, financial consulting or due diligence support...John Rooney is your guy. Email John at jrooney2@gonzaga.edu.
Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

More ideas on laser focusing

"Typically, people overwhelm themselves with tasks in their eagerness to make a change successfully. Instead, they should take the time up front to figure out the one and only thing that will have the highest impact and then focus 100% of their effort on that one thing.". -Peter Bregman

I am pondering this more and more. I have always prided myself on my ability to get a lot of things done in a relatively short amount of time. However lately, I have been asking myself if it's time to reduce the number of tasks or "to do's", and only focus on my high-payoff activities. I always rank my activities as As, Bs and Cs, but maybe now I should only worry about getting the As done? Less is more? What do you think?

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Great mtg today with amazing pinkCEOs @PBSBookkeeping, @curtisfinancial and @JAMerri! Great women with great companies- to be continued!

Good Advice on a Sunday Rev

RevRunWisdom: The KEY is to only keep company with those who uplift you. Those who call forth the best out of you...

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

www.bluekeybma.com

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Business owners don't fear! ALL businesses are sellable at the right price and terms. Ask me anything. www.juliegordonwhite.com.

RT@Rieva: RT@LegalZoom: RT@BusinessDotGov: Dream Big-US Chmbr of Cmmrce #smallbiz of the Year Award. Enter/ nominate at http://cli.gs/QDd38d

Do you have the right people doing the right things and holding them accountable and measuring their results?

Thank you Tony! RT@tonyrobbins: Life is nothing but a mirror of your consistent thoughts. So Focus & act on you're greatest passions.

Me and my bike- I'm too scared to clip in so I still wear my running shoes! I'm working on it... :)

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

25 Mile SF Bay Bike Ride with my Hubby!

Dave and I had a great time today sneaking in a 25 mile bike ride along the SF Bay Trail from Berkeley to the Point Richmond Marina. That's the beauty of a Blackberry- exercise, spend time with my hubby of 18 years while the kids are tucked in school AND make quality email, voicemail and call back stops along the scenic route. Now that's living! TGIF!!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Welcome Q4, fall and all of the wonderful family holidays to come- life is looking up!

Congrats Marty! RT@Rieva @MartyHeebner: Rebagz receives "Small Business of the Year" from California Senator Carol Liu: http://bit.ly/H0r1G

"Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust." -Zig Zigler

LOL! RT @sandygrason: BITCH: "Babe In Total Control of HerSelf" LOL via @BarbaraStanny

Breath

My dad just sent me this text: have U taken a deep breath 2 day? love U.

He is so cool! Mom too. They watched the Dr. Oz Show about stress and how it really effects women in their 40's (bad stuff- yikes) and Dr. Oz suggests that deep breathing is a simple way to relax and center your whole body. My cute dad was just reminding me that selling businesses, consulting, writing a book, mommying 3 kids and wifing 1 husband is A LOT so don't forget to BREATH!!

Plus, I just love the fact that at 70 years young he texts!! Rock on dad!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

RT@Intuit: @quickbooks: QuickBooks 2010 is here! QuickBooks Sr. Product Mgr @ljmesser provides an overview of what's new http://bit.ly/bKMlQ

Hey strangers. I've had my head down all day. Starting chapter 8. Making progress. I did watch a bit the @49ers game- so close- good work guys!

Go Erika! RT @IncMagazine: Female CEOs: Being Strategic: http://bit.ly/2Wmc40

So me... RT@Rieva: Great article RT@FranchiseKing: Run a biz with your mobile device-http://cli.gs/tvTnB2 #smbmobility http://bit.ly/AvXKO

Thanks @IntuitInc's Kiran Patel, EVP and GM of Intuit's small business group for the great presentation. QB continues to add BIG value!!

Business sellers, when the time is right, I'm here for you with expert information and a shoulder to lean on. Cashing out is still possible!

I just saved $60 by giving my Tibetan Terrier a bath at home with $6 shampoo- what a concept! AND I know he loves me more for doing it :)

I so get this @RT zappos Supposed to run 12 miles today. The time spent thinking about it has officially surpassed the time to actually run.

James' entrepreneurial dream came true!

Congratulations to my client and friend James Moore for the birth of his entrepreneurial dream, the Big Easy Car Wash. This has been a 5-year-long labor of love for James and worth every minute. MEGA congrats James and followers, please get your car expertly washed at the Big Easy Car Wash on Highway 29 at the gateway to the beautiful Napa Valley wine country. Well done James!


Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

What's Your Wallah?

Seth struck a nerve with me this morning. I pride myself of being able to multi-task like a mad woman (literally), but there is something to be said for going deep versus wide. In fact, I believe that going vertical is the key to success in small business, but applying to other areas of my life? Hmmm...I don't know. More contemplation required, but for now, ponder Seth's thought...

[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]

Chai Wallah It's so tempting to do a little bit of everything. All the tools are there, a click away. You can be the designer, the copywriter, the head of customer service. Hey, you can even do the manufacturing or easily outsource it to a commodity producer. One benefit of diversification is that you can average out your risk. Or you can be a wallah. Someone who does only that one thing. An old colleague of mine calls himself a chai wallah. Perhaps he loves spiced tea, but I'd prefer to believe it's a reminder that his success lives and dies on the performance of just one task. When you go all in, it focuses your attention and effort, doesn't it?


Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

RT@8secrets: Another Good Reason to Create a FaceBook Fan Page for Your Small Business. Read the article - http://8scrts.com/url/FKStGzjL

This is what a day of working on my book does to me! No glamour shot here people (proceed with caution)!!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Fw: Seth's Blog : The hierarchy of success

Great food for thought to kick off your Monday morning! J

From: Seth Godin
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:15:41 -0400
To: jegwhite<jegwhite@bluekeybma.com>
Subject: [SPAM] Seth's Blog : The hierarchy of success

[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]

The hierarchy of success

I think it looks like this:

1. Attitude
2. Approach
3. Goals
4. Strategy
5. Tactics
6. Execution

We spend all our time on execution. Use this word instead of that one. This web host. That color. This material or that frequency of mailing.

Big news: No one ever succeeded because of execution tactics learned from a Dummies book.

Tactics tell you what to execute. They're important, but dwarfed by strategy. Strategy determines which tactics might work.

But what's the point of a strategy if your goals aren't clear, or contradict?

Which leads the first two, the two we almost never hear about.

Approach determines how you look at the project (or your career). Do you read a lot of books? Ask a lot of questions? Use science and testing or go with your hunches? Are you imperious? A lifehacker? When was the last time you admitted an error and made a dramatic course correction? Most everyone has a style, and if you pick the wrong one, then all the strategy, tactics and execution in the world won't work nearly as well.

As far as I'm concerned, the most important of all, the top of the hierarchy is attitude. Why are you doing this at all? What's your bias in dealing with people and problems?

Some more questions:

• How do you deal with failure?
• When will you quit?
• How do you treat competitors?
• What personality are you looking for in the people you hire?
• What's it like to work for you? Why? Is that a deliberate choice?
• What sort of decisions do you you make when no one is looking?

Sure, you can start at the bottom by focusing on execution and credentials. Reading a typical blog (or going to a typical school for 16 years), it seems like that's what you're supposed to do. What a waste.

Isn't it odd that these six questions are so important and yet we almost never talk or write about them?

If the top of the hierarchy is messed up, no amount of brilliant tactics or execution is going to help you at all.

• Email to a friend • Related • •

More Recent Articles

• The end of dumb software
• Flipping abundance and scarcity
• Taking the time to teach
• The big drop off
• Righteous indignation

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Rain is perfect for opening day of fall soccer!! Go G! Go B! Play BIG!!

Plan Your Exit or Exit Without a Plan (and probably no ca$h either)

The life of a business owner is both rewarding and exhausting. All business owners know that to run a successful company you need to be a great marketer, control your costs and deliver unbelievable customer service. However, when it comes time to exit your business, lack of preplanning and strategizing leave even the best owners hostage to poor financials and bottom-feeding buyers. Creating and implementing an exit strategy for your business can be the difference between taking a long vacation or retiring in the lap of luxury after the closing! As a business owner, you deserve to achieve the highest market price for your company. Begin planning your exit strategy with the same amount of thought and detail that you plan your customer service strategy or craft your marketing plan. In doing so, you will be able to walk away from your company knowing that you created something bigger than yourself, and have the financial stability to provide for the next stage of your life.

But what if you don't plan? What might your fate be? Instead of a planned exit, you may be forced to exit your business by one of the following scenarios:

1. Closing the business due to declining revenues

2. Being unprepared for an unsolicited offer from a competitor

3. Succession without adequate tax planning

4. Losing the business due to an accident, grave illness, or even death of a partner or owner

There are a other exit scenarios in addition to the four listed above, such as a merger, private equity investor and an Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) and a management buyout, however, the expertise I bring to you is a planned sale to a third party buyer (ka-ching!).

Next time... Closing the business versus a sale...



Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell
www.bluekeybma.com www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Great news! The New York Times 9.8.09 Kraft Foods' hostile bid for Cadbury was only the latest potential blockbuster deal in recent days...

Necklace Made By Fellow WPO Member Nina Cooper- Love it!

Nina's dove with pearl on a green silk chord brings me peace, love and wisdom. Perfect for a long day of writing! Visit www.ninadesigns.com.
Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

PriceMax Pointer: Is "Lease to Own" the new promissory note? With the right background, possibly no downpayment required? Food for thought!

Interesting ladies...RT @cindypond: 43M women using social media networks...66.4% use Facebook, MySpace 16.3%, Twitter 3.1%, LinkedIn 1.4%.

Just keep typing girlfriend :)

Beautiful day to...write my book! My view of the SF bay is fab, I'm 33 pages in (3rd re-write) and kids are w/Dad. Now focus, focus, focus.

As a mom of 3, Great stuff! RT@acags: 10 way to get better grades w/o studying harder. From a letter I wrote in '03. http://tworld.com/blog

Fw: Seth's Blog : The problem with positive thinking

As we say in Facebook "I like this". Read below... TGIF. J.

---

From: Seth Godin
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:15:04 -0400

The problem with positive thinking

All the evidence I've seen shows that positive thinking and confidence improves performance. In anything.

Give someone an easy math problem, watch them get it right and then they'll do better on the ensuing standardized test than someone who just failed a difficult practice test.

No, positive thinking doesn't allow you to do anything, but it's been shown over and over again that it improves performance over negative thinking.

Key question then: why do smart people engage in negative thinking? Are they actually stupid?

The reason, I think, is that negative thinking feels good. In its own way, we believe that negative thinking works. Negative thinking feels realistic, or soothes our pain, or eases our embarrassment. Negative thinking protects us and lowers expectations.

In many ways, negative thinking is a lot more fun than positive thinking. So we do it.

If positive thinking was easy, we'd do it all the time. Compounding this difficulty is our belief that the easy thing (negative thinking) is actually appropriate, it actually works for us. The data is irrelevant. We're the exception, so we say.

Positive thinking is hard. Worth it, though.

This is the view from my office deck. Can you see San Francisco? Come visit soon!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

PriceMax Pointer: Are you a C Corp or an S Corp? The difference can be worth thousands in the event of a sale. Ask your CPA ASAP.

LOVE THIS: RT @MarkVHansen: For the next thirty days, think, talk, act, walk, smell and feel like business is booming and it will.

Me either... RT@unmarketing: http://bit.ly/ethhF Warning: graphic video/PSA about texting and driving. No more tweet and drive for me.

Work & WorkOut! Just finished a 75 min walk while listening to a 60 min webinar on business valuation trends (down duh!). Feeling fab!

My New Driver... Help Me!!!

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Oh my. Riding in the passenger seat while my 16 year old drives home from soccer practice on the FREEWAY!! Oh my oh my..Please send me Tums.

Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen Launched Their New BOOK Today (and my name is in it!!)

The book is called Cash in a Flash. I went to their 3 day intensified course (with the same title) focused on changing your mindset and redefining your personal and financial goals- NOW (no time for years of therapy!). Let me tell you- this was no fluffy, touchy feely, kum-by-ya seminar (well, maybe a little bit- but that was probably the most important part!). But EVERYONE left there (about 40 of us) fully charged and buzzing with life and financial goals to be achieved in 90 days. As a gift from Mark and Bob, we received 100 copies of the new book and I will have a few left after I gift them to my inner circle. Just email me at jegwhite@bluekeybma.com and we'll figure out how to get you one of my free copies. In case you're wondering what my 90 day Cash in a Flash goal was- you will just have to wait until it's published- soon!!! :) Read their book, watch the free videos at www.cashinaflashsecrets.com, and I promise you will be moved to ACTION!!! J.
Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

PriceMax Pointer: Time + Trust + Profit can = an UNBELIEVEABLE deal for the Seller and the Buyer. Ask me for details jgwhite@bluekebma.com.

68 & 70 and Still Running 26.2!

Congrats to my parents Ron and Joyce who finished their last training run today before the Portland Marathon next month. Mom walks (she's only 68) and Dad runs- both are amazing! They started running and walking when they turned 50, so no knee or hip issues that plague runners who ran in their early years. Did I also mention that he runs an 8 minute mile? Rock star!!! I've completed 3 half marathons at a turtle's pace when I was 40, 41, and 42. I fell off the wagon last year and don't think I'll be half marathon ready this year either, but as John "the Penguin" Bingham says, "If you run, you're a runner." So I guess I'm still a runner and aways will be... at least until I'm 70. Thanks for the inspiration Mom and Dad :)

Love this from my wise friend @MarkVHansen: "When you know clearly what you want, you'll wake up every morning excited about life." So true.

Interesting thought in this angry business environment: RT @MarkVHansen: Anger is always fear manifesting.

PriceMax Pointer: In a tight financial market, competitors may be your best buyers- they are already professionally pre-qualified. NDA, NDA!

I'm still all a buzz (and a twitter!) from yesterday's meeting...

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

A picture is worth a thousand words...Thanks a million Bob! :)

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Want to buy a biz? Insurance Co. $2.3MM, Winery $34MM and an upscale Framing Shop for $19K (yes K!). Email jgwhite@bluekeyma.com for an NDA

Going to meet with Robert G. Allen tomorrow at his MEGA mansion to discuss MEGA projects!! More tomorrow- maybe even 12 second videos!

More Wisdom from One of My Favorite Gurus

Four Key Questions from Verne Harnish at Gazelles (register for one of the BEST business growth newsletters at www.gazelles.com):

1. Are you getting an extra 40% discretionary effort from your People -- a critical competitive edge?

2. Can you state your Strategy in a sentence -- and is it a viable strategy driving revenue that utilizes your inside advantage?

3. Are you spending too much time and getting too little results from your Execution habits i.e. are your profits three times industry average with little effort?

4. Is your business generating boat loads of Cash to fuel your growth and fund opportunities? And will your competitors figure this out before you? Now is not the time to mess around -- it's the strongest companies that will always prevail as we've witnessed over the past 24 months since the global economy began to stumble.



Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell www.twitter.com/pinkbizbroker
www.pinkbizbroker.blogspot.com

Passion + Work Ethic + Determination... Advice from NFL QB Matt Leinert on how to make it all the way... I bet this works for business too.

We were having am coffee on Solano and guess who came to have coffee too- Jerry Brown! I guess politicking is cool on Sunday too...Game ON!

People get obsessed about tactical detail before they embrace a strategy. When tactics fail, they begin to question the strategy. -S. Godin

Click to Watch The PinkBizBroker Hawking Products on You Tube!

Ok, it's finally ready... what do you think?

How to Become a $ix-Figure Business Broker
Downloadable Audio MP3 Workshop and Companion Transcript

(By the way… we are NOT recruiting! I simply want to share information that has enabled me to go from a $60,000 hotel sales director to a Second Career $ix-Figure Business Broker making over the industry average of $250,000 year-after-year!)

Looking for a Lucrative Second Career that Rewards Maturity and Experience? Consider a great second career helping small business owners and business buyers meet, negotiate and close deals as a professional Second Career $ix-Figure Business Broker!

Business brokerage is an exciting, rewarding, flexible and prestigious profession! It provides the opportunity to help entrepreneurs (sellers) receive a cash benefit for the business that they have worked very hard to build, as well as allowing you to help entrepreneurs (buyers) achieve the dream of owning their own business. While a college degree is helpful, there is no specific background or educational achievement that ensures success in business brokerage. In general, people who have sales experience, management experience, have owned their own business, or come from families who have owned their own businesses make good business brokers. If I had to narrow it down, a strong desire to succeed financially, a willingness to learn, and enjoyment of working with people in a business environment are the primary traits that will probably take you all the way to the top! Also, a career in business brokerage will give you the freedom and flexibility to direct your own work schedule by either starting your own business brokerage practice or by joining an established firm.

If this sounds exciting and you’re ready to learn more, then click www.bluekeybma.com/lyl.cfm to instantly download:

"How to Become a $ix-Figure Business Broker "
Downloadable Audio Workshop and Companion Transcript

This segmented 3-hour audio is presented in a fun and easy-to-understand manner by
Julie Gordon White, broker and owner of BlueKey Business Brokerage M&A (http://www.bluekeybma.com/), one California's most recognized and sought after business brokerage professionals (in fact, Julie has been quoted in Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times, East Bay Business Times, New York Times, Enterprising Woman and SBTV.com to name a few!). Click www.bluekeybma.com/lyl.cfm to watch a 2 minute video and meet me personally.

The step-by-step fundamentals that I presented personally for this San Francisco Learning Annex course is now available for you as an instantly downloadable MP3 audio recording of the 3-hour workshop or an instantly downloadable 84 page transcript of the workshop or BOTH (if you enjoy listening AND read like I do).

This course was originally presented to real estate licensees because you will need a real estate license to sell companies in California. But don’t let that stop you from downloading the audio and transcript immediately because it’s faster than ever to get your CA real estate license, so get an understanding of the ins and outs of six-figure business brokerage today!

The cost for transcript of the course is only $9, the cost for the audio file is $12 and for both the audio file and the transcript (PDF format instantly downloadable too), the cost is only $15. By the way, attendees paid 5 times more than the price of the audio to learn from me in person! This is a no-risk offer - if you're not entirely satisfied with these products, we will promptly return 100% of your money, so click to buy now.

In closing, I’m confident that you will find the How to Become a $ix-Figure Business Broker Audio and Audio Transcript to be both valuable and timely, and will deliver an exponential return on your minimal investment (most business brokers have a minimum fee of at least $10,000)! So if this resembles the lucrative, flexible and prestigious second career you were looking for, don’t delay and click www.bluekeybma.com/lyl.cfm the audio and transcript NOW, and take a great step towards the exciting next phase of your life!

Click www.bluekeybma.com/lyl.cfm to Buy Now!

RT @Rieva: There's good news for small business. Insight from SBA Chief Karen Mills . New at AllBusiness.com http://bit.ly/k03SL

Execution

My profound friend/mastermind group member/retired helicopter pilot/amazing guy writes:

Execution is hard because that one little word represents thousands of things that are done together. Figuring out what needs to be done, getting resources to do that, learning new lessons at each step, prioritizing because we can only do a few of the thousands of things that need to get done. It makes me tired just thinking about it, but it also gets me up every day ready to do a little more.

Steve
--
Steven Hilferty, CEO
<http://www.8secrets.biz/>
8 SECRETS GROUP
Shilferty@8secrets.biz


Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

Fw: Bond Girl

Meg writes back...

------Original Message------

From: Meg Hirshberg
To: Julie Gordon White
Sent: Jul 29, 2009 8:47 AM

Subject: RE: Bond Girl

Hi Julie,

Thanks for your note! I'm glad the piece was useful for you. There's no
right and wrong here--everyone's doing the best they can. But as I say in
the colum these devices are so seductive that we are lulled into constant
use, and we lose awareness of the effect they have on our relationships
with the people around us. I think the key is to make sure that they work for
us, and not vice versa. Sounds like you're on a good path...and if you
break the rules sometimes...well, none of us is perfect.

Kind regards,

Meg

Bond Girl

Hello Meg-

I just finished your article "Sharing Gary" in the July/Aug issue of Inc. and I was both laughing out loud AND cringing because I am the Gary at my house!!

As the owner of a boutique business brokerage firm, wife of 18 years and mom of 3, I too am guilty of thinking that my beloved BBerry allows me to have it all. I have even negotiated deals with six-figure fees at stake from the soccer field!

You will be happy to know that after my kids staged a BlackBerry intervention with me over the Christmas holiday, I agreed to surrender my "business partner" from 6p-9p (and now actually turn it off from 10p to 6am- breakthrough!).

So Meg, thanks for the friendly reminder that business isn't everything and that being present for my family will ultimately bring me the success I desire (most of it anyway!). Thanks again for sharing your story.

Most sincerely,

Julie

P.S. Just realized that I am writing this after 6p, but we're on vacation- uh oh, double oops...


Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

PriceMax Pointer: Sellers be prepared to provide transition training for 3 weeks to 30 days at no cost after the sale.

Great social media tip! Download qik.com to your phone to stream live video using your phone's vcamera- cool and free!!

Great WPO SF/East Bay regional meeting on social media by jlindsay@eastwick.com. Check her out!

It works! Close 2 doors and watch 4 doors open! Trust yourself and the process. TGIF!

PriceMax Pointer: Time kills deals! Keep the process moving along on both sides.

WPO and ExecNet Take-Aways from Today

I always look forward to the second Tuesday of the month because it is my CEO mastermind groups day. I am a member of ExecNet (formerly TEC) and Women Presidents Organization. I try not to ever miss a meeting because I always walk away with at least one valuable nugget that I can use to improve my business and today, there were several. Without breaching member confidentiality, I will share them with you so you too can ponder at least one nugget to improve your company. Enjoy!

1) Our weaknesses are over extensions of our strengths.

2) Don't just be a searcher, be a doer.

3) Forget the mile long goal list. Chose 2 or 3 key things and do them very, very well.
4) Focus on alignment and synchronicity.

5) Don't waste a good recession.

6) If you look back 20 years from now, what will you be most proud of?



Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

Gas to the soccer match $25, triple cheeseberger meal after the win $6.95, meaningful talk with your teenager-priceless!

PriceMax Pointer: Sellers, remain open. A buyer doesn't need to "look" like you to be as successful as you.

Live Hard to Easy. Do the HARD part first so you can live the rest of your life EASY. -Jack Cantfield.

PriceMax Pointer: Keep your financials current during the sale. It can be the difference between a done deal and no deal.

My WPO (Women Presidents Org) Friends at our Annual Conference in San Diego

Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

RT@MarkVHansen: Self worth is doing what you're good at and working excitedly and with ecstasy until you become GREAT at it.

Run's House- Modern Day Cosby's?

Hmmm... Well maybe a hip hop version. None the less, Rev Run and his brood of 6 (including adopted baby Miley after the tragic loss of a baby girl) offer modern messages of family (parenting and marriage), entrepreneurship (music, clothing and a tennis shoe empire with mega entrepreneur brother Russell Simmons) and spirituality (he's a Rev!). These topics are tops on my list as a wife of 18 years, mom of three ages 16, 10 and 8 and the Broker/Principal of BlueKey Business Brokerage M&A (www.bluekeybma.com). Trying to raise grounded kids, taking time to stay connected to my hubby and pursuing my entrepreneurial dreams can sometimes seem unrealistic and overwhelming. That's where spirituality comes in- remembering that my purpose is to share my knowledge, gifts and talents with as many people who want to receive them. Service. It's really why we are all here. The thing that I really like about Run's House (on MTV) is seeing that like the Cosby's, we all struggle with the same issues regardless of economics or race. Good marriage, happy kids, fulfilling careers. Today, I love my life (my mom always says to say it when you feel it because the moment can be fleeting!). Happy Independence Day... J.





Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

PriceMax Pointer: Buyers must be highly qualified... Sellers must have the patience of a Saint. The two together = Deal!

CheckIn: Getting ready to launch our new newsletter "PriceMax Pointers". Get on the list at www.bluekeybma.com.

CheckOut: Great blend of brokerage and equity search today...Campers must be having fun because they are exhausted!

Can I tweet and blog at the same time? Fingers crossed!!!

Tweeting, Blogging, Facebooking

Whew! Trying to find an efficient way to do all 3. Blogging from my BBerry seems the best- now, if I can just get into the habit...
Julie Gordon White, Broker BlueKey Business Brokerage 510.812.2233 cell @pinkbizbroker twitter

Ode to BlueBerry

Being the BlackBerry addict that I am, it only seems fitting that my first post on my new blog should be written and sent from my favorite business/life tool ever- my BlackBerry (or blueberry as my mom calls it). If it weren't for my BBerry, I wouldn't be able to simultaneously negotiate offers for businesses while watching my son execute a perfect Superman dive in the goal box. Doing deals, being there for my kids, making dreams happen- now that's MY definition of having it all. More later...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry