Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com August 10, 2015 • Hartford Business Journal 21 BIZ BOOKS Top entrepreneurs' tips for success "G etting There — A Book of Mentors" by Gillian Zoe Segal (Abrams Image, $24.95). In these autobiographical essays by 30 highly-successful people, we find out that becoming successful wasn't easy for any of them. They faced obstacles, setbacks and had defining moments — and learned from them. Warren Buffet (Berkshire Hathaway): Communications skills can be learned. Buf- fett doesn't have his college diplomas on the walls of his office; but he does have the Dale Carnegie certificate proudly displayed. Why? Until he took that course, he was unable to speak in public ("It made me physically ill.") Message: If you can't commu- nicate well, no one will listen to your ideas. "Who you choose to asso- ciate with matters." The right role models jumpstart success. Positive people propel you; negative people hold you back. Matthew Weiner (creator of the Emmy- award winning series "Mad Men"): An inspired writer can make things happen. Weiner spent three years writing scripts in the hope that someone would buy them. No sale. Defining moment: He decided to make his own film; he played a failing screen writer. While it didn't sell, the process showed him he could take a project from idea to completion. He also learned that "if you alter your work for every rejection or negative comment, you'll end up running in all different directions." Evaluate input from others but stay focused. Sara Blakely (Spanx): She wanted to be a lawyer like her father, but failed the LSAT exam twice. She worked as a ride guide at Disney World. She sold fax machines for seven years. Everything changed thanks to a pair of sandals; she cut the legs off a pair of pantyhose so she could wear those sandals and slim her figure. She kept her idea on a need-to-know basis until the business plan (e.g. demography, finances, production, distribution, advertising, etc.) was fleshed out. She visited production mills and heard "No." Rejections energized her commitment. Blakely credits listening to Wayne Dyer's "How to Be a No-Limits Person" with her ability to look for the upside. The book's message: Success always depends upon choices you make. • • • "Think to Win: Unleashing the Power of Strategic Thinking" by Paul Butler, John Manfredi and Peter Klein (McGraw Hill, $30). Occam's Razor, often called the law of econ- omy, favors simplicity. It shaves off concepts and variables not needed to explain a situation. Think to win (TTW) applies that simplicity to business issues with a five-principle template: 1. Challenge assumptions — Forget how you've done things; the tried-and-true keeps you from exploring other paths. Rein- vent how you do things — that's real con- tinuous improvement. There are risks; but consider the risk of doing the same old, same old in a change-is-the-new-normal business environment. 2. Scope the issue — Symptoms mask root causes. The inability to clearly define an issue wastes time and leads to ineffective solutions, and often more problems. Two-way communication helps scale issues because it merges the view from the top with that in the trenches. 3. Rely on facts and data — Opinion, trust your gut and common knowledge "do not provide accurate support for decision making." Facts and data hone focus. They provide a foundation for next-step action, which should include execution measurables. 4. Focus on the vital few — TTW research shows that 10 percent of the issues affect 90 percent of the whole. Narrow down the issues by linking them into patterns. Grouping the patterns identifies commonality, which make alternatives easier to identify and implement. 5. Connect the dots — Literally con- nect the dots. Use large sheets of paper and multi- colored markers to con- nect color-coded issues with possible actions. When potential actions are linked to a number of issues, you have a starting point for problem-solving. Takeaway: If it's tried and true, it's also old and tired. n Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer. Jim Pawlak TALKING POINTS Making out-of-school programs a priority By Samuel S. Gray, Jr. A merica's kids are in crisis. Consider these alarming facts about the state of our country: The U.S. ranks 22nd in high school completion among 28 countries; three out of 10 kids are obese or overweight; and one in five youth lives in poverty. The consequences of these staggering statistics are felt not just by our next gener- ation, but also across our nation. The issues facing kids today also impact our nation's economy, costing as much as $209 billion in lost taxes and higher gov- ernment expenditures over the lifetimes of those who fail to graduate. Nationally, health- care costs to treat health issues related to child- hood obesity are $14.1 billion annually. Addition- ally, states spend an average of $7.1 million a day locking youth up in juvenile justice facilities. How do we reverse the most negative trends facing young people today? One way is by recognizing the importance of out-of- school time. The out-of-school environment — after school and summer — plays an essential, yet often overlooked role in trans- forming kids' lives and America's future. What happens during the hours between school and home can have a dramatic impact on a child's future, especially in the areas of education, health and character develop- ment. By providing access to positive, pro- ductive programs and caring adult mentors after school and during summer, we can help change the future for our youth, our commu- nity and our country. For example, Sam Galarza-Ortiz, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford 2015 Youth of the Year and a nine year club member, was raised in a single-parent household. His mother worked over 50 hours a week and needed a safe environment for Sam and his sister. Sam states that "The best gift I ever received from my mother was my membership to the local Boys & Girls Club. I give thanks every day to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford for what they have done for me, and continue to do for youth like myself. They have always been by my side and supported me through hardships. I am proud to say that I will be entering Hawaii Pacific University in the fall with a major in marine biology." Each young person in the city of Hartford deserves the same opportunities and safe, nurturing environment. The need has never been greater, with a spike in gun violence this year that has left 20 dead and many more wounded. While police presence and resources are being increased, this can't be the only solution offered. Despite the transformational impact of out-of-school programs, every day 15 million kids nationwide leave school with no place to go, putting them at risk of being unsuper- vised, unguided and unsafe during these crit- ical afterschool hours. Furthermore, during the summer an alarming 43 million kids in America lack access to expanded learning opportunities, increasing their risk of learn- ing loss and falling behind before the next school year begins. If the next generation and our nation are to succeed, it is imperative we redefine the opportunity equation for all kids by elevat- ing the critical role that out-of-school time plays in a child's future success. Through the Great Futures Campaign, the Campaign for America's kids, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hart- ford is asking our community to make out-of- school programs a priority and empower the next generation to achieve a great future. We are advocating on behalf of kids and convening public, private and nonprofit partners around our goal of ensuring every child and teen has access to a safe, engaging and productive environment during the out-of-school time. Together, we can provide access to life-chang- ing programs after school and during the sum- mer that enable kids to be successful in school and in adulthood, to be healthy and active, and to develop the strong character skills needed become America's future leaders. Together, we can transform lives as well as the future of our community and our country. n Samuel S. Gray, Jr. is the president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford. Samuel S. Gray, Jr. ▶ ▶ ' If you alter your work for every rejection or negative comment, you'll end up running in all different directions.' ▶ ▶ By providing access to positive, productive programs and caring adult mentors after school and during summer, we can help change the future for our youth, our community and our country.

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