Matt to Teach Business & Real Estate Classes

Posted on | June 11, 2009 | No Comments

Here are several classes being taught by Matthew A. Griffith, Esq. this summer-fall.  For more details click here or go to Rainmakers University.

 Essential Real Estate Investing & Management

Friday, June 26 and Friday, July 31
Sponsored by National Tenant Network

“What Your Lawyer Never Told You”- A Series of Practical Business Classes

Sponsored by Rainmakers University-

Legal Landmines.  Grow Your Business Without Stepping In It.

August 28, 2009, at 9:30 a.m.

 Making the Money Engine- How to Build Systems That Build Business & Avoid Lawsuits.

Co-Instructor, Nicole Bickett, Owner of Organize To Optimize

September 28, 2009, at 3:30 a.m.

Critical Contracts That Drive Critical Relationships With Customers and Clients

October 28, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Matt to Teach at Rainmakers University

Posted on | June 8, 2009 | No Comments

Rainmakers University has announced that Matthew A. Griffith, Esq. has joined as an Educator-Facilitator and will teach a series of Legal & Business classes this Summer and Fall.  For details or to register for any of the three classes visit the Rainmakers University website.

“What Your Lawyer Never Told You” – A Series of Practical Business Classes

Legal Landmines.  Grow Your Business Without Stepping In It.

August 28, 2009, at 9:30 a.m.

Bar Louie’s- Carmel, Indiana

100% of new business owners make critical mistakes in starting a new venture. The lucky ones survive their mistakes. The rest fail quickly, eventually go bust, get sued or struggle for months or years without ever realizing the full potential of the business concept or talent in the company.

In this class, we will outline the key steps to forming a new business. We’ll outline legal liability threats and practical solutions. We’ll also discuss how to minimize income taxes. And, we will outline the advantages, dangers and opportunities of having partners.

Even if you’ve already started and are operating your business, you’ll benefit from the lessons offered in this class.

Making the Money Engine- How to Build Systems That Build Business & Avoid Lawsuits.

Co-Instructor, Nicole Bickett, Owner of Organize To Optimize

September 28, 2009, at 3:30 a.m.

Market Square Conference Center- 7^th Floor, 151 N. Delaware Street, Indianapolis

Ever been involved in a business lawsuit? If not, you’re one of the lucky few.

There are three keys to protecting your business from liability risks:

1. Use a corporation or LLC;

2. Formulate and implement a proper insurance plan; AND

3. Develop and implement good business practices.

The only smart way to operate your business is by systematizing those operations. It’s the key to increasing profits, reducing inefficiencies and reducing liability risks. If you don’t understand this concept, you’re running the risk of business failure. We’ll help in this class.

Critical Contracts That Drive Critical Relationships With Customers and Clients

October 28, 2009, at 12:30 pm

Fishers Office Suites- Fishers, Indiana

What’s the best way to increase gross revenue and avoid losses and waste?

Have lots of happy customers, vendors and strategic partners.

Like all relationships, business relationships are based on good communication and setting expectations. Contracts, forms and customer service are critical to setting these expectations and managing business relationships. In this class, we will discuss how to use contracts and customer relations programs to avoid lawsuits, make happy customers return and turn angry customers less angry. . . and may be even happy with your product, service or company. Contracts are key!

What is the message of your visual vocabulary?

Posted on | May 15, 2009 | No Comments

Introduction by Matthew A. Griffith, J.D.

I had the pleasure of meeting Annie Sever-Dimitri at a Rainmakers’ Main Event recently.  We had a great conversation about the importance of image in developing brands.  Image doesn’t mean dressing very well, having clean shoes and combing your hair (for those of you with hair).  Annie and I agree that image can be “dressing down” at times.  It means there is a matching of your client’s expectations and how you meet those expectations.  Your image plays a huge part in your brand development.  That is especially true for small businesses and professional services companies.  So, this is a topic that I hope you’ll start to learn and understand.

Please enjoy Annie’s post.

Guest Blog by Annie Sever-Dimitri

As an image consultant, my job is to help my clients create the best first impression possible. Actually, I think we should revise the term “first impression” to be “first and last impression” because what others think of you when you first meet generally sticks for the long run. It takes only 3 – 7 seconds for the visual information we send to be picked up by others. I know—you haven’t even opened your mouth at that point. That is because experts state that roughly 90% of our language is received visually; only 10% of any message we send is derived from the movement of our mouths.

I bet you are now pondering your image, meaning your clothing, grooming, and body language. And your wallet. In today’s restrictive economic climate, business owners are only spending what is absolutely necessary. What you wear, the style of your hair, or how you stand when conversing may seem quite trivial when compared to other aspects of your marketing. But it isn’t when you really let it sink in that your appearance is doing the vast majority of your marketing for you.

Another point to consider is the fierce competition these days. How many marketing companies, ghost bloggers, and web designers do you know? What sets them apart from each other? I love this line from the inside cover of a marketing book called “Differentiate or Die” by Jack Trout : “The only way to truly differentiate yourself is by marketing the product’s uniquely valuable qualities.” When I network, I don’t see many people displaying anything unique with their appearance. Lots of khaki pants with beige shirts for the men; too much black; very few people providing a succinct message about their business because they just fade into the crowd.

We all need that extra edge over the competition. Image consulting provides that. Just like you have honed your message on the web and on paper using the expertise of marketing professionals, you must provide that same attention to your most valuable advertising asset of all: you.

Annie Sever-Dimitri

www.funcoach.biz

317-440-8783

Recession -vs- Opportunity to increase market share- PART II

Posted on | April 10, 2009 | 2 Comments

This post is about OPPORTUNITY.  The opportunity we all have today is to grab more market share, because of two important business realities:

1.  Your competitors are scared and aren’t fighting for market share these days.  They are not spending money on marketing, advertising, sales, creating efficiencies or their human resources.

2.  You can establish strategic partnerships today that were not available six months ago.  Today, other players in your industry will form relationships, do joint ventures and co-develop or co-market with you.  They did not need you as bad last year, but they’ll talk to you about a deal today.

Last week, I wrote a post about OPPORTUNITY.  I suggested that you should not be listening to all the negativity about the economy and should look for opportunities.  I got a lot of positive reaction to my post, which was encouraging.

Later, I appeared on the Internet show, The Buzz, with Tony Scelzo of Rainmakers.  That video will be at the Rainmaker’s website soon.  Tony and I talked about OPPORTUNITY in a down market.  Although the media does not talk about it, more than ever, there are huge business OPPORTUNITIES today.  Also last week, I was interviewed by the Indianapolis Business Journal and was quoted as saying that more millionaires will be made over the next few years than in decades past. (The IBJ spelled my first name wrong!  It’s MATT.  Not Mike.  Amazing!) 

Why am I so confident that now is the time to be aggressive in your strategic planning?

My confidence comes from history.  After every recession or depression, there is a recovery.  And in every recovery, a few get very, very rich.  Some of these “recovery millionaires” simply see growth in their existing business operations, but many others create new opportunities through discovery, invention or innovation.  Bad times cause people to become innovative.  Good times make people lazy.  

What our federal government does not understand is that recessions weed out the weak and stimulate innovation that generates new and long-term growth.  Great ideas that benefit society are generated during hard times.  Fat, bloated and inefficient businesses die or get trim during recessions.  Recessions are painful in the short term and healthy in the long term.  Recessions are a natural cycle that is disrupted by government bailouts.

The question for you is this:  Do you see opportunities to increase the market share for your current product or service?  Or, do you see a need that you can fill in a new or more creative way than the current competition?  If so, you too could be a “recovery millionaire.”

Think about the opportunity to increase market share through this analogy.  Your business is like a small boat at low tide.  Low tide represents the current recession.  If you can find a way to buy or build a bigger boat today, while labor and materials are cheap, you’ll have a larger boat when the tide returns.  And guess what-  the tide lifts large boats at the same rate that it lifts small boats.  It takes no additional effort to lift a large boat as the tide rolls in, because the returning tide (economic recovery) does it for you.  You just have to have a bigger boat in place in time for the tide to return.  A larger boat represents more sales, more profits and easier operations.

So, what’s it going to be:  a dingy or an ocean freighter?  Are you going to seize this opportunity or match or exceed your competition’s withdrawal from the market?  Do you really want to become a “recovery millionaire?”  Or, are you satisfied with the status quo?  How truly strong is your spirit as an entrepreneur?

 Have you thought about your market positioning?  Are you taking any steps to maximize your opportunities when the economy grows stronger?  Will you be ready?  Or will you be left behind?

Let me hear your thoughts.  Send me your comments.