Your 60 Seconds

Can you tell me what you do and how I can benefit from it in 60 seconds or less?  If not, you might not hold my attention.

My friend, Jess Wood has a great way of explaining how most business owners are tired from the marching band of salespeople and their constant badgering for new promotions that can increase sales, lower costs, etc.  At most, the tired business owner will give you 60 seconds to make your pitch.  Can you do it?  Can you prove your worth in that time?

We, as business owners, should have the same pitch for ourselves.  How am I going to go out and gain business if I can’t explain myself succinctly and informatively on a moment’s notice.  Nobody want’s to hear me fumble for words when I explain what I do.

Here’s my 60 second sales pitch for WildWood Catering:

“My name is Jonathan Kaufman and I own WildWood Catering.  WildWood is a boutique full-service catering company headquartered in South County who uses the freshest seasonal ingredients to make simply delicious food, highlighting the natural flavors of what grows and is cultivated all around us and in our backyards.

Our services include weddings, large parties, cocktail parties, plattered and individually wrapped lunch deliveries, dinner parties, private dinners, and of course custom events.  We specialize in all things farm to table.

We’re a scratch kitchen who sources all our ingredients as local as we can.  We strive to be the innovative leader in Rhode Island catering to deliver a creative twist on your everyday favorites, while remaining true to the natural ingredients we use.

We travel the entire state of Rhode Island as well as Eastern Connecticut and South Eastern Massachusetts.  We have a reputation of ‘wowing’ our clients and their guests.  Let Wildwood Catering wow you and your guests at your next event.”

Building Your Sphere

Everyone should have a close network of professionals in his or her group of friends whom you can refer people to.  They should be industry specific and good at what they do.  They should be related to your industry, but do something that you don’t.  Someone in my networking group this morning called it his “sphere”.  The larger our sphere the better.

A contractor should know an electrician, a plumber, a mason, etc.  A realtor should know a mortgage broker, a real estate lawyer, a building inspector.

As a caterer, I’ve made relationships with cake decorators, florists, bartenders, rental companies, photographers, a distillery, and a handful of venues among other related professionals.

Don’t dilute your sphere with those who don’t deserve being a member.  Make sure they’re willing to pay it forward.  They should appreciate the business you give them and be willing to reciprocate.

Most importantly, make yourself a powerful resource for the members of your sphere.  The more you do for them and their clients, the more your sphere and its clients will do for you.

And the larger your sphere is, the more business opportunity you can have.

Goals and Personal Growth

Dude, setting goals is seriously important.  It sets benchmarks and something to strive for.  But be prudent!  It’s important to think about these goals.  Don’t let yourself set random “New Year’s Resolutions”.

Goals must be realistic, attainable, and make you work to achieve.  Set a plan to achieve them.  Dave Ramsey is right when he says, “A goal without a plan is just a dream.”  How do you expect to reach a goal if you have no plans on how to do it?  Even a simple plan is fine.  It doesn’t need to be too complex, as long as it’s thought out and logical.  And make sure to revisit your goals regularly.  I revisit mine every month and adjust them if I need to.

Push your friends, family, and colleagues to set goals too.  Sharing them with each other will help push you to succeed.  I want to succeed in the eyes of my peers.  And I want to see my peers succeed too.  I’m going to push them and hold them accountable for their goals as I hope they will for me.

As a company, we set goals for ourselves, both personal and professional.  We’re completely open about them share them so we can be held accountable.

My 2013 personal goals are:
Start saving $$ this year
Back to a healthy diet
Lift 3-4 times/week
Be able to run 4 miles without stopping all year round
Read 4 cookbooks
Read 2 leadership books
Read 2 novels
Visit Seattle
Blog 2x/week
Revisit goals monthly

My 2013 professional goals are:
Open up a second store
Find a potential spot for UMelt in Providence
Expand Wildwood Catering
Work more on the line in the kitchen
Volunteer regularly at a non profit
Revisit goals monthly


What are your 2013 goals?