Buzzword - Ch, ch, you know.

Well that was something! History made via millions of Americans voting for a new leader.  Now what? We are going to watch closely, participate, openly criticize, debate amongst ourselves and watch our stature in the world community shift.  No, I don't know which way it will head, but the fact that many see the selection of a new president as an opportunity to look to a brighter day is good. No, it's great!

  

Over sixty two million people who chose the winner can now say all is good. More than fifty five million people who voted the other way can slide over and accept where we are, pitch in and help or lament for four years and try to elect their next chosen favorite. All this because we can. We are so fortunate to be able to choose, alter, bend, and shape our future it is amazing. I'm anxious to see what comes of the new administration as they tackle economic issues, military involvement overseas, campaign promises and the unforseen.  Fortunately we have had great leaders with the right mix of courage, temperment and brainpower throughout our history.  As US Presidents go, it seems as if the right person rises to the top just when we need them too.  I'm hoping this is the case, repeated. We'll switch from "Yes We Can" to "Now We Must" in a few short weeks. I'm ready to see the plan unfold. We were told about the changes. We pooled our resources and pared the choices down to one.

Ch, ch, changes?  Bring it!

-dm

I can see for miles...

50% of the article's content. About two years into working for SIGNARAMA, (like 1989) I noticed my eyesight changing.  I was slowly getting nearsighted, meaning I could see close perfectly, but far away became a challenge.  I guess it was from computer programming and staring at monochrome amber & green screens all day. This inevitably strengthened the muscles in my eyes that focus close, but weakened my ability to use the eye muscles necessary to focus at a distance.  It was so weird, I discovered it by accident, I put someone else's glasses on as a joke and WHAM! I could see signs & license plate numbers across the street that unaided, were just a blur.

To clarify, it never really was that bad.  Prescription-wise, I had a mild nearsightedness, like 0.75 in each eye. I didn't really wear contacts or glasses, unless I wanted razor sharp definition at a distance.  Like when I played hockey, trying to find the little puck from a rink away demanded contacts. I also noticed the problem being more pronounced later in the day, like my eyes were getting "tired". Bottom line is, my vision wasn't perfect, and I wished it was. Hmm, age was setting in...

Fast forward to today, late in 2008.  If I put on the glasses for 0.75 nearsightedness, they are too strong.  They help, but I don't need that much.  Guess what's happening?  Apparently, at approximately age 40, your eyes can decay for close distance viewing. This explains people needing reading glasses.  I think my eyes are actually curing themselves!  They've gotten better at distances. The aging effect of people gradually becoming farsightedness is helping me see better at distances.  My wish of great eyesight (minus Lasik) is coming true! But for how long and at what price?  I hope things just pause, stall, cure or stay where they are.  This is better than 20 years ago!  They may.  Or they could swing in the other direction, soon I could have problems seeing the web, books, the fingernails I still bite (another story), and small print in the SPAM mails I get.  Eeeek, I could be experiencing the other side of warped eyesight issues.  I guess if it happens, I could get the newfangled corrective surgery, it's better every year.  Even though it toys with my chances of climbing Everest or other high peaks, (article) I might go for it.  Besides, I've never climbed a mountain before, why would that rate now?

Can we learn to enjoy what we have, when we have it? Should we be cautious of what we keep wishing for, more of this, less of that, always something else to chase?  If I were to loose my eyesight tomorrow, I'd beg for 0.75 eyes everyday.  I have them today.  I should realize all that I have and use the talents, physical and mental gifts and ideas to make today a great day.  You too. If you're one of our franchisees, you have already broken the curve and started your own business.  Most won't dare stretch this far. Keep going, growing and improving. Look around at the products and services you deliver & produce, the jobs you've made for others in your community and the good you've done. It's ok to be satisfied and happy.  Let this stir you to bigger & better things. The chase for more & more can happen with a different perspective.  If you'll open your eyes and see what you already have.

Told 'ya so!

Each day I read information from a good number of websites. The ones I choose have subject matter that covers different topics and categories.  I've done this for many years.  In our office, we have some very committed readers, readers of books and listeners of audiobooks, podcasts or books-on-tape.  Our Senior Executive Council encourages reading good business related or self improvement books each month.  To say I'm hooked on reading wouldn't be accurate, because I'm not hooked on reading books. I don't set aside "quiet time" for myself to sit and look at a book.  I do scour the Internet each week and learn a tremendous amount from websites, links and blogs.  I don't know in the grand scheme of our company, if this "counts" as far our reading initiative goes.  But I like it, I learn, I grow, so I keep doing it.  Here's what I came across this morning on arstechnica.com, a cool site I frequent:

http://tinyurl.com/5nyuq8

If this isn't exactly what we've told our franchisees to do at Australasian Expo and Euro Expo, then tuck me back in my corner!  LinkedIn is a fantastic site for you to get to know others and leverage the business relationships you already have.  That's what the article discusses.  If you're a US or Canadian franchisee, you'll see my explanation of this in the next issue of your franchisee magazine.  I will explain what we've done and how you can & should be involved.  Don't worry, this is FREE! Have a look at what's being said, check out my LinkedIn page if you'd like, and dive in.  It just might help!

-dm

Update on Friday, October 31, 2008 at 8:56AM by Dave Masterson

More insight and input on joining the LinkedIn community - there will be new features available! (Article)

It worked!

CEO Ray delivers more than just English!Our Euro Expo was a success. The attendees left refreshed and renewed, the suppliers gained potential new clients, and I saw a plan come together.  This idea of having an expo for the franchisees of Master Partners that have possibly never met our senior staff or been through our training was a stretch in my mind.  Usually, we can advise and inspire franchisees at these events because we know them and they know us.  We have proven ourselves in the early stages of their business and as they have matured.  This was different.  Or so I thought...

Our best idea came in supplying the Master Partners from each country attending with our presentation slides and materials before the event.  They in turn, translated the words and brought laptops with them to the conference.  As our speakers delivered material from the stage, attendees could listen and watch in English or follow along in their language courtesy of their Master Partner, who did the slide translation as well as spoken translation at each of the tables.  I have included two pictures of this underway in our sessions.  I think and heard from the franchisees that this worked very well.

Translations were provided by the Master Partners

The Awards Ceremony was done in a unique fashion, each Master Partner was given the opportunity to come to the stage and give their country's respective awards, in the language of their choice.  This was very well done by our Masters, they enjoyed being on the stage in front of their people at such an important event.  It helped us, too, because we aren't experts at the proper pronounciation of the names of all of the franchisees that hail from other countries.  We may be close, but there's nothing like a native tongue to say it correctly, especially when it counts for a nice award or recognition.  This was also a highlight for me...

Some portions of the expo did not need translation - our dress up "Rock to the Top" dinner was a good deal of fun, and with excellent participation!  Whoever said (and I definitely heard it...) that the European franchisees wouldn't get "dressed up" was way off on their guess - we saw some great costumes and had many requests for a similar event at Las Vegas World Expo next July.  We'll see how that fits into the planning.

Our next Euro Expo heads to Paris, the announcement was made by Jim Tatem on the final night.  That will bring even more franchisees in attendance, partially because of its proximity and ease of getting into.  More importantly, the news of the success of this past event in Zurich will spread.  Our franchisees from South Africa came.  Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, UK, Romania, Albania were all represented and joined us. It was a good push for some franchisees in a new direction, for others a nudge back on track. And for me a chance to visit with great folks, meet new people, and help them in their stores. See why this works for everyone?

-dm

Parlez vous anything 4 me?

Roughly, and I mean WAY roughly, the above title translates into "Do you speak anything that I know or can use?"  Some French, some English, some "txt speak".  Which is how I'm feeling heading into our company's first Euro Expo on mainland European soil.  All previous conferences have been in the UK, where our stores have been concentrated.  Today, we have more stores with our two brands, SIGNARAMA and EmbroidMe outside of the UK than within, so our expo will be in Zurich.  I've never been to Switzerland before, so I'll be my usual tourist self and have a bunch of video (via Flip Cam) and pictures of it all. This I'm excited about.

For the first time, we'll be presenting and holding a conference for franchisees that may not speak English.  We have prepared by sending our Master Franchisors all of our presentations with designs on having them translate them into the mother tongue of their country, and have them available at their tables for viewing live as we speak.  We did this in a limited manner at our last World Expo in Orlando, but this time we are expecting 17 countries to attend.  There will be franchisees in the audience that never came to our US training center prior to starting their business. They might not know who our CEO Ray is, who our Brand Presidents Jim & Mark are, or who I am - other than seeing our photos in brochures or our quarterly magazines.  It's odd to think that I have to convey the same message as I did in Australia, at the same type of conference with the same theme, to an audience that meets me for the first time.  In Australia, I have been to all 10 of their expos since 1998.  They get me.  I've done all UK and Euro Expos to date - always with our franchisees as attendees. People who though their experiences had seen me before, heard me before, and came with some confidence that what I deliver I am qualified to deliver.  Is this making sense?

I have really good information for the franchisees this year, I've put a good deal of time doing research to bring new concepts to them that I believe can impact their businesses. I will do the same presentations as in Brisbane.  I will share the same experiences at breakfasts, lunches and dinners with our franchisees.  I may tone down the jokes, I only know English punch lines!  I'll even wear a similar costume for dress up night - a party themed dinner where we have fun and appreciate our suppliers.  We have a long history of doing franchisee conferences and meetings.  This will add to that history, knowing there's only one "first ever".  And I'll report back how it goes...

-dm

Zurich, Switzerland