EffortlessHR Blog » HR

Building Your Own “Field of Dreams”

Lola Kakes — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:49:37 +0000

When I first started my own consulting business, in 2001, I was a sole owner/worker and thought I was on top of the world! I was really ready to have people knocking on my door, ready to use my incredible services. As any first time business owner will tell you, this is not an uncommon phenomenon, but it is most likely not reality.

That passion to be my own “boss” and to have my own business is still there. The difference is that now I understand how to build my specific “field of dreams”. In the movie, “Field of Dreams”, the famous line is, “If you build it they will come.” Many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of merely putting their business together (building it) and expecting customers to flock to them.

Most entrepreneurs come from a corporate environment, where if they need specific assistance on a project, they pick up the phone and call that department or division and get the help they need. When they start their own business, the reality is they are the total business. They are expected to do all the various functions that make a business viable – logistics, scheduling, customer service, sales, marketing, hiring, writing, calling, — you name it and it has your name on it!

I remember that wake up call when I had been in business for 6 months and did not have a customer. I didn’t know how to market my services, how to explain my concept, or how to close the deal or how to price anything. I did know how to meet people and talk to people – so I involved my self with ASBA (Arizona Small Business Association) and NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners).

I discovered that the way to build my dream was to surround myself with men and especially women, smarter than I am in areas that I did not have expertise. I discovered that by forming alliances and partnerships with other businesses, I had the ability to develop customer service techniques, sales and marketing processes, writing newsletters and presentations, and how to tell others what I do. I may have been able to reach these areas of expertise on my own, but it would have taken a lot longer and would not have been as much fun.

So, what type of partnerships am I talking about? There are (in my mind) two types of partnerships:

Formal with written agreements and clauses
Informal with a handshake and an agreement to work on a specific area

Formal agreements usually come with a fee, and that is okay if that is what you need. I have used formal, paid partnerships and they have proven to be very helpful in my business growth.

The informal partnerships may or may not be paid, but are usually of a short duration and may reoccur throughout the course of your business.

Let me give you an example of these partnerships:

When I first started my business, I realized I needed a website. At a networking function I met Joey Ambrose and I hired him to put together my first website. It was a paid partnership with specific guidelines in place. I was excited and Joey was excited too as he was just starting his dream building. That partnership has developed over the past 7 years to a strong friendship, where we both trust and respect one another. So, when I dreamed about my own Internet HR program, the first person I spoke to was Joey, who helped my through the process and has been a strong supporter.

An informal partnership is developed over time and relationship building. My example of this type of partnership included my friendship with Ellen Kirton, who started out as my business coach and so believed in my dream that she asked to be able to share that dream. She brings knowledge to the business that I do not have but that is needed. We started with a formal agreement, moved to an informal arrangement and she is now an integral part of EffortlessHR.

You develop these partnerships/alliances through your involvement with organizations. I have been able to build a strong base through NAWBO and I consider my circle of influence to have grown over the past 7 years. Women, especially, need to develop the networking and building of relationships in their businesses. This is most easily accomplished through the participation in women business organizations where you can look for similar values among the women. Men have long ago established the “good old boy” network and women are now learning the value of these relationships. Our relationships are based more on nurturing and relationships but are long lasting and very, very effective.

So, my advice is to dream your dream, but surround yourself with smart women who have the experience you need to make the dream a reality. As you surround yourself with them, they are also surrounding their businesses with their supporters. Don’t be afraid to tap into these wonderful resources – we are really all in this together!

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Building Your Own “Field of Dreams”

EffortlessHR launches “Effortless Forms” for Business and HR

Aaron Queen — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Well.. We finished up our programming and design ahead of schedule and are proud to introduce Effortless Forms.

http://www.EffortlessForms.com has 325 business and HR forms (many of which are free!) , templates, and spreadsheets available at the time of launch. We will be rapidly expanding our database and would love your feedback on what other types and categories of forms you would like to see on this site.

That’s it.. short and sweet! Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think of the site.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | EffortlessHR launches “Effortless Forms” for Business and HR

Starting a New Business in a Recession

Ellen Kirton — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:54 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Is this the time to start a new business?

Having been a banker for over 35 years, I can tell you that some of the best companies were started during a recession because they addressed a need during an economic downturn that continued to be successful even as the economy rebounded. One such type company is the employee placement companies. When companies have to downsize and cannot keep on skilled individuals on a full time basis or pay them benefits, then employment agencies are an ideal answer to meeting the needs of completing a job without their having to have a full time employee. When the job is done, the temporary employee is returned to the agency until needed again.

When I would lend money to businesses, one of the areas I would review is the company’s ability to withstand a recession. What was especially effective was a company’s ability to expand and contract according to impending business. Another would be if they were in a commodity market where they sold a high priced product that was discretionary and therefore would have difficult times during an economic crisis.

If you are starting a new business like Lola Kakes did with EffortlessHR, have you considered it’s relevance in a recessionary market Is your product affordable, does it fill an important niche such as being an alternative to a higher priced product or service out there. In the case of EffortlessHR, timing works because it is an affordable product, internet based, starting at as little as $24.95 a month.

Why does this work Because it helps small business owners to replace what some business owners are spending hundreds of dollars for in HR processing and employment management and retention. That makes sense.

A very good example of an existing company taking advantage of the difficulties of one of the kind of companies that has a high priced product, is McDonalds coming out with a premium coffee that is half the price of Starbucks. Brilliant timing! Many are saying, I’ll have McDonalds during the week and treat myself on the weekend to Starbucks so I can put gas in my tank.

What is your idea?

Considering how much you’re spending for gas and food right now, would you spend money on what you’re proposing to sell?

Would it work now and when we have an upward turn?

It is especially compelling if you were in corporate America and was laid off and said to yourself, this is the time to go out on my own. While that is true and the majority of businesses being started today are small businesses, be sure you have the right ingredients for success in this economic environment.

Also see our friend Chris Brogan’s article on how being a small business is a weapon and Seth Godin’s great article on why small businesses should not whine.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Starting a New Business in a Recession

Understanding HR Recordkeeping

Lola Kakes — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:22:39 +0000

Recordkeeping has been a major obstacle for many companies who don’t know what to save, where to save the files, how long they need to save them, or what to do with them once they are created. More importantly, they don’t know who has access to them or how to destroy them.

While there is no federal or state requirement that an employer maintain personnel files, employers are required to keep certain records to comply with various laws and regulations. The overriding concern is to balance employee privacy and the employer’s need to know while still managing to keep good records.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) standard operating procedures, the following items should be kept in separate files:

• Medical Records—the Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to keep all medical records separate. Many states have privacy laws to protect employees. All medical records including physical examinations, medical leaves, workers’ compensation claims, and drug and alcohol testing must be kept separate. (See Glossary for a detailed definition of this act.)

• Equal Employment Opportunity—to minimize claims of discrimination, it is important to keep source documents that identify an individual’s race and sex in a separate file. Additionally, if internal/external charges are investigated, it is also recommended that these files be maintained separately.

• Immigration (I-9) Forms—it is recommended that these forms be maintained chronologically by year. Keeping this information in a separate file reduces the opportunity for an auditor to pursue and investigate unrelated information. (See Glossary for more information and a definition of I-9.)

• Invitation to Self-Identify Disability or Veterans Status—this information is required to be maintained by federal contractors. Laws prohibit employment decisions based on certain protected classes; however, managers have the right to access an employee’s file for a number of operational issues. Unless there is a need to know for accommodation purposes, these files should be maintained separately to reduce a potential source of bias.

• Safety Training Records—Occupational, Safety & Health Administration (“OSHA”) may audit a company’s training records; keeping this information separate will protect the employer from an auditor pursuing and investigating other information in the personnel file.

Remind all employees that personnel records contain information that is very confidential and/or sensitive and should be handled very carefully.

Penalties for not following record retention guidelines can vary, depending upon the law or regulation they cover as well as the information they protect.

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Source: Effortless HR Software's HR Blog | Understanding HR Recordkeeping

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Building Your Own “Field of Dreams”

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