Change of Plans

It's been an eventful month - from evacuation and family happenings, to the successful completion of two Get Your Year In Gear events and much more…

If you weren't able to take in the previous online or live GYYIG events you can now register for the final Get Your Year In Gear event of 2005. All the same content and tools will be part of this live one-day event. You'll find all the details in the Showcase section of this newsletter.

I hope you've had a great month and that your Fall is turning out to be just what you had hoped it would be.

Ann Griffiths
ann@smartstrategiesinc.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
Part 1 - Change of Plans
Part 2 - Showcase
Part 3 - Personal Reflections
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Part 1 - Change of Plans
The incessant ringing of the doorbell jolted us from our warm beds and sound sleep. Outside, two men stood at our door dressed in bright yellow. If the color didn’t get our attention, the bold black letters on their jackets certainly did – “SR” – Search and Rescue.

This was not Louisiana or Texas. This was little ol’ Abbotsford (in case you’re wondering, that’s just outside Vancouver, Canada).

These guys looked serious and their voices were urgent. “If you have kids, grab them and get out now! We’re evacuating the area. A tanker truck has flipped, is leaking fuel and could explode anytime.”

How would you react? What would you grab – besides your family? What thoughts would run through your mind as you throw on some clothes and run out the door?

You may never experience this kind of crisis situation but you do face decisions everyday. Your schedule is set with appointments and your to-do list is full. Then it happens. Interruptions and unexpected events pull you away from carefully made plans. Now what?

You have two choices. One – anticipate. Two – adapt. And in some cases you may have to do both.

Four days before our evacuation, my girl friend and I asked each other, “What would you take if you had to leave your home immediately?” We’ve been friends for almost 30 years and, while we’ve talked about almost everything, I don’t think we ever broached that topic. But as soon as my family were told to evacuate, the first thing that came to my mind was that list – my 16 year old cat, my laptop, my Bible, my day planner which holds everything including my id and cell phone, and my reading glasses.

That’s anticipating. But then I had to adapt.

After we temporarily settled at a nearby coffee shop www.cupofsunshine.com where we know the owners (thanks Debbie & Kelly), we talked about our next steps. My planner told me I had intended to write most of the day except for a conference call with people taking my Get Your Year In Gear online program. When the time came for the call, I got the number from my laptop, found a quiet corner in the coffee shop, and called in on my cell phone. That’s adapting.

No matter how well we plan, the unexpected is part of business and life in general. How do you respond to unanticipated events or interruptions? Do you see them as an inconvenience? An opportunity for creativity? An adventure in the making?

If we are to anticipate, we must face our fears and plan well. What are you avoiding that could hurt your business or some other area of your personal life?

If we are to adapt, our attitude comes into play. What attitudes keep you from adapting to change? What attitudes could stunt your business or personal growth and dreams?

Part 2 - Showcase
By request, Get Your Year In Gear LIVE is running again. This time it will be in Burnaby (near the freeway for easy access from Vancouver or the Valley) on Saturday, November 5th from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. This is an event that I guarantee will give you the best start to a year you’ve ever had. Details and how to register are at Get Your Year In Gear LIVE

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While I appreciate my lawyer and have friends who are lawyers, I thought I’d pass on the experience that one of my readers sent me.

“I guess I was lucky. Being in business for nearly 10 years and getting by without a lawyer. Sure, there were times when it would have been nice to pick up the phone and call "my lawyer" and ask a question, get some advice, review a legal agreement or whatever but I did what most middle class people do, I took risks and just got by without it for both my personal life and my small business.

“Then one day a customer of mine sent me a legal agreement they wanted me to sign. With a sigh I realized that I needed a lawyer to deal with this one. I contacted a friend who recommended a lawyer. We had a couple of phone conversations, exchanged a few emails, she reviewed the agreement, made a few changes and talked to my client's lawyer. Then the first bill came. I felt sick thinking of the many things I would rather have spent $1100 on and decided it was time to get out before I spent $10,000 (or more) to resolve the issue at hand.

“I struggled with what to do next when, during a meeting with a prospective client the following week, she mentioned a service she used called Pre-Paid Legal. Because of my current situation I naturally jumped on it. I couldn't believe it when I found out that for $26 per month and a $10 registration fee (on a month by month basis only) I would have access to expert lawyers at a downtown law firm for unlimited questions, documents reviewed, legal advice and, as a bonus, get my Will done every year.

“I know that as a small business owner I had put myself and my company in a compromised position by not having a lawyer on hand but I was not aware of this type of affordable option. Even though the $26 per month plan is more geared toward individuals than a business I have found so far that it works quite well for a small business like mine and I feel a level of protection and security that I have not felt before, knowing that any question I might have will be answered without a corresponding huge bill in the mail.

“I can always upgrade to the Business protection plan at any time as my company grows and there are a host of other options like Identification Protection. For now I am happy to know that I am more protected than before for such a small monthly fee.

“I wanted to share this personal experience with you…If you are interested in finding out more or know anyone who is, let me know.”

Kerri Groves
kerri@maxintegration.com
www.maxintegration.com
www.lookoutCRM.com

Part 3 - Personal Reflections
When we returned home after being evacuated, we learned that a close family member had unexpectedly passed away in her sleep. Bev was only 64 years old and an integral part of my husband’s family. At her funeral this week, many relatives and friends came together out of love and respect and to support each other in our loss. For Jim and me, this was the fourth friend or relative in as many months.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because, as important as business/career is in our lives, it is only part of life. Business can easily become all-consuming. And yet, at the end of the day, what’s really important?

Bev’s memorial service was an hour and a half of people paying tribute to a life well lived and a life given for others. Her children and grandchildren honored her as they sang songs, recited poetry they had written, and spoke about her life. She would have been very proud of them all.

As we drove home, I thought about the range of people who had paid tribute to a woman who raised four children, was intimately involved in the lives of her nine grandchildren, had been a businesswoman, had a great sense of humor, was a loyal friend, and loved to travel and write poetry. From the oldest (93 year old Aunt Mary) to the youngest children in arms, we laughed, cried, and remembered together.

In Part I of this newsletter, I asked, "What would you take with you if you had to unexpectedly evacuate your home?" Going a little further, here's a thought - what legacy will you leave behind when you evacuate this earth permanently?