We believe everyone should have their own hustle, sideline or personal business. Although starting or running a business requires some familiar fundamentals; today's successful businesses have to adapt to an environment that is under constant change. We submit that today it is more important than ever to align, participate and transition our perspective and approach to doing business. Like our modern cell phones and computers we must constantly embrace updates to remain viable and current. Any business startup is like a baby. As such they require around the clock attention and protection. Even after they mature and grow up, we must manage them with scrutiny. In many ways we can become prisoners to the demands our business places upon us. "Prisoners Of Work (P.O.W.'s) are at work in their businesses so hard that they rarely have a chance to work on their business. We all need fresh and objective perspectives to make our best decisions. No one can see their own eyeball without a mirror. The best mirror we have are the comments and critique from our competitors and customers. It is important to connect to a form of feedback that uses both praise & criticism as vehicles of expression. Complaints are an important tool in our arsenal that we can weaponize to turn us around. initially most of us start a business for the purpose of making money. However, once the business expands, we come to realize that it is an extension of us personally and a representation of our community, culture and ideals. Its purpose takes on a life of its own.

Expanding our business acumen beyond our own expertise or chosen career may be uncomfortable but it is becoming very important. We should apply business principles conceptually, even if we only work in our business recreation-ally. Life itself is as much about balance as it is about our interests in business and pleasure. Normally we do what we have to do now, in order to do what we want to do later. The ultimate situation is doing what we love to do both now and later. Entrepreneurs that run a business doing what they love to do must discipline themselves to operate efficiently. On the other hand, if running a business becomes a burden consider having enough pride in its existence to permit those that love growing businesses to run it. Think outside of the box; an idea has no life till we give it one. Many of us see our businesses strictly through the lens of it being our main livelihood or primary stream of income. Yet beyond this purpose our businesses are so much more. We are now a part of a distributed knowledge-based block-chain technology source for goods and services. We can become a resource and authority for multiple criteria if we choose to be. We need not know it all, control it all or do it all ourselves. A business that adopts and deploys "Metcalfe's Law" expands exponentially as opposed to growing traditionally. Sometimes growing a business begins with growing the personnel associated with the business. This does not necessarily mean adding paid employees. It may simply involves expanding perception, policies and "outside" input. The competence to monetize a skill or apply a niche across multiple disciplines is a talent often overlooked. People with this ability have a type of x-ray vision that can see through the many cloaks and disguises opportunity hides behind. Placing such individuals in environments where they can apply those principles and skills allows them to find answers and solutions others might miss. These types of individuals can play multiple roles in a partnership but thrive on discovering "out of the box" solutions and innovations.

​Creativity must be a part of the operating culture and expressly written into the business plan. It is up to the mindfulness of management to reflect it. Our new business models must be built around the spirit of creative transition and inclusion. Every business should be built around a slogan and a mission statement that is recited to every contact, written on every correspondence and quoted on every business card. The history of business has always gone from single markets to supermarkets. Market share drives the forces and efforts behind the grouping and packaging of goods and services. Diversity, a cause and social affiliations are becoming two of the strongest forces driving both business and consumer choices. Marketing's digital applications are being developed and are expanding far beyond traditional methods. Static coupons, notices and signage is gradually becoming obsolete. Paper is being replaced electronically. Internet and social media strategies have affected business practices just as much as the three-point shot has changed basketball. Without adding new advancements to our arsenal it is difficult to win. Business marketing must have an appeal that advertises values and ideals associated with the products or services. This association is passed down and assimilated by clientele. We should adopt slogans like "Powered By (nick name)" or whatever matches our style of business. This is a precursor to trademarks and branding long term retention strategies. Along with an idea or plan, the form which follows our functions must attract and retain clientele. We need W.I.N.'s. W.I.N. is the acronym for Women Inclusion Necessary. The input and perspective from the female gender is as important as their participation in the process. A broad appeal results from a broad perspective. This approach is as much about P.R. as it is about our targeting practices (the methods we use to attract and maintain clients). 
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The newest generation of influencers are changing the game. Adopting some of their strategies goes hand in hand with our goals. People want to belong and be a part of something greater than themselves. We can offer that! "Membership has its privileges." We simply have to create and offer it. The perks don't necessarily have to be our own. They may come from other affiliates in the form of goods services or information, but they start through our initial association. Any solutions linked to the original source, intuitively credits that source for success. "Tools of retention" are designed to bring customers back to us so that their reliance flows through us. "Association breeds assimilation." These concepts work when properly presented and applied. Small businesses can no longer carve out their own small niche. Without being affiliated with a larger entity, overly independent businesses jeopardize their longevity through isolation. The age-old idea of independence must be updated to a new strategy of interdependence. Partnering or at minimum associating and connecting with other businesses might appear to be risky, but that is far from the truth. Although we know that opposites attract, it must also be acknowledged that likes attract too. The idea that starting and running a business makes us a boss who doesn't have to answer to anyone is a misnomer. In reality running a business exposes us to our dependence on supply chains, consumer confidence, customer approval and economic conditions. The truth is that everything from insurance to payroll falls under our scrutiny and responsibility.  Our liability increases in step with the goods and services we offer. One misstep can be fatal to a business. We are tasked with both working and managing an adventure that never ends. The traditional small businesses we once knew are the next creatures on the endangered species list. There are many agencies and companies like the S.B.A. that assist small businesses with everything from management, marketing payroll and other compliance issues. This is why we advocate "partnering principles," multiple streams of income and an openly inclusive vision for growth. No one is an island, united we stand divided we fall. We all need to enroll outside support! 

There are (12) performance principles to practice that will assist in maximizing your business IQ. Perform these P's and reap the results. (1) Passion (No one should have more zeal about or express energy towards our goals then ourselves.) But passion fades. Although it is a good motivator it may not last. Like any marriage, provide for and plan different ways to periodically get infusions of enthusiasm. (2) Plan (By now most people are familiar with the fact that proper preparation prevents piss poor performance.) A plan provides and takes into account that passion may fade. A plan ensures that progress will continue through following the process. (3) Plant (A.B.C. - Always Be Conversing; talking about what we do should find its way into every conversation.)  After all we are what we eat. Talk is cheap so why not spend it lavishly? It costs so little to create leverage with conversation as long as we have something to offer. (4) Protect (legal matters like insurance, laws, licensing and permits are important considerations.) Vigilance is the first step of prevention. Like any baby our businesses require careful attention initially and guidance once they mature. (5) Profit (We calculate costs to eliminate loss.) Dividends, Gains or yields are not simply a function of spending versus earnings. Time energy and effort occur way before any real business is done but is usually not calculated into our costs. Pay the boss, even if it's ourselves, a good salary that reflects the value of the time the boss puts in. It's alright for the company to owe the boss in order to stay afloat. (6) Prospects (An old trick for adding new patrons is to award them a free membership and congratulate them for getting it.) Business like fishing is not a huge spectator sport. although there's always something going on beneath the surface, we only see the catch. To remain current, we must keep creating content consistent with current trends. We must plant seeds in faith that we water in trust and harvest in hope. (7) Participate (Observe and absorb everything.) Being a local company enables personal contact, direct communication and the opportunity to build comradely. It is easy to create a Tennessee Tuxedo type of reputation which assures clients that we are all in this together. How about Tennessee's slogan that he "will not fail!" (8) Peruse (focus on solutions not problems.) Identifying predictable future issues and potential solutions before problems emerge is a free value-added service that leverages future income. Clients will appreciate the concern and generally will give such critique thankful consideration. (9) People (Behind every chain of operation are real links.) These are the people who depend on the products or services associated with us. Make the product or service shine! To them, in reality, we are our products. (10) Processes (Most people become accustomed to repetitive procedures even if complexities are involved.) As is the trend, these tasks are being automated, replaced or updated. The feel and style of the logic is transitioning from analytical to intuitive (similar to going from literal to figurative). Even though much of our coding and instructions are inherently masculine we are deliberately infusing this new style of language into our modern prompts and queues. Create a support division, consider future scenarios from all angles. Old logic is being replaced by new instincts. (11) Practice (Doctors and lawyers practice.) Distinguished tasks of repeat performances or systematic exercises fall under this category. On the other hand, a "practitioner" has specialized training. Today we must adopt that same attitude in the sense that we endeavor to keep current with the changes of our profession. We should try to be the first to introduce advancements and upgrades to our customer base. Make sure they get the news, good or bad, from us first. (12) Set a standard and stick to it! Remember that quality is a better insurance policy than quantity. Maintain a high standard in appearance, ethics and expectations. Business as we once knew it will never be the same. Commerce has taken on a new level of expression, and we have to learn its language and nuances. We can make money without integrity but making it with integrity is actually Godly!

Addiction can be defined as a continuous or repeated involvement with a thought, substance or activity regardless of the harm it may cause to self or society. The motive to maintain "the relationship" with an addiction is generally centered around pleasure, profit or power. There are spirits operating behind every addiction that overwhelms the addict. There is a difference between an irresistible urge and an urge not resisted. Obsessive behavior is something most of us have some experience with. Eating too much sweet candy can cause a sour stomach. Many of us are able to recall some occasion in life where the temporary gratification of overindulgence destroyed some present or future aspect of normality. These experiences do not make us addicts, but it should teach us a lesson. It is our everyday consistent practices that prepare us for and see us through our daily performances in life. Although we will be touching on physical drug addiction, the main focus of this writing will be on the culture behind interrelated mental maladies and spiritual wickedness. Today's Interventions are not vast or inclusive enough to cover the many aspects of addiction. Our permissive society along with many of its practices are the primary contributors to many addictions. Our lifestyles represent the things we believe, and they are clearly depicted within our practices. The practice of discipline cannot always be imposed from an external source. It is best to first be embraced internally.

"For too long, preventable deaths and injuries have been called 'accidents,' implying unavoidable acts of God or fate that we are powerless to stop. This is simply not true." Examining a variety of federal and state data, the NSC found the lifetime odds of dying from an accidental opioid overdose were 1 in 96. For motor vehicle accidents the odds were 1 in 103 and 1 in 114 for falls. The lifetime odds of suicide were greater, at 1 in 88.

LET'S FACE IT, WE LIVE IN AN ADDICTIVE CULTURE! Addictions to foods, drugs, video games, pornography, sex, alcohol, tobacco, internet, texting, posting, gambling and many other habits are overwhelming our society. Although some of these addictions are chemically or physiologically symptomatic, they all have a psychological and spiritual component. Addictions always carry a component for repetitive compulsive and exploitative expression. They express the energy of their existence invisibly though spirit and visibly in behaviors. Addictions establish and reinforce their dominance through repeatedly exercising their will competitively in the priorities of those it infects. Addictions seek not only to survive but to thrive as the primary concern in the life of the addict, even at the cost of life itself. The behavior is similar to a virus.

An addictive thinking habit affects our physiological and psychological behaviors. Whether we are aware of or alarmed about it is questionable.  It seems that we are growing dumb or becoming numb to these multiple subtle influences. It appears that ads, posters, media, text, mail, phones, channels, games, blogs, sites, feeds and other technologies are overwhelming us. We must not be so naive about the effects content makers are having on society. The creation will always bear some attribute of its creator.  Whether it be content, characteristics or code some attribute will be inherited by design or default. Yes, even computer code has gender!

"Greed is not good."  Regardless of what Micheal Douglas proclaimed in the movie "Wall Street,"  greed will remain one of the seven DEADLY sins. Some people in sports have said, "if you aint cheatin you aint tryin."  The desire for that edge or advantage has developed into a "corner cutting culture."  Using terms like "bending the rules" to  justify our actions, processes and procedures is commonplace. The corruption of our core values is infectious and all of creation is suffering from it. Cheating to beat has become ok as long as no one gets hurt or caught. Our society is now accepting that "getting over" is alright as long as we "get by." Advertising deception has now become a mainstream method to make profit. Scams, just like cigarettes and opiates, are a normal part of our culture. What is a scam and where did this word come from?  Scammers, formerly known as con artists are the latest breed of deceptive cheats. The labels for dishonesty generally describe the method of deceit. Most scams are "so called" business deals with fraudulent intentions. Duplicity infers double sided dealings in speech or conduct and chicanery involves a scheme to create a false belief.

Integrity, honesty and morality walk hand in hand. We cannot posses one of those characteristics without having some portion of the others. Society sets the standards for integrity and honesty but each of us must maintain our individual moral standard internally.  Morality, regardless of the values it defines gives us a standard, a point or a line to measure behavior by. Without it we would be able to justify any action through logic. Cheating on an insurance claim, playing cards or during board games seems harmless. "We're not hurting anybody," is the lie we choose to tell ourselves when we cheat just to win. Although we may not recognize all of the effects, a morally bankrupt society spawns all types of manifestations at multiple levels. This births aberrant behavior within various aspects of society in much the same way that extreme weather and earthquakes coincide with the way we are treating our planet. The bar has been set so low now that athletics and entertainment garner more attention then disease or hunger. Cheating in any form is unacceptable and dishonesty at any level is wrong. If we find a suitcase full of money, even if no one else knows, it does not belong to us; we can spend it but it is not ours.  The price of integrity has a cost but can't be bought! To buy the truth we must be willing to sell our soul. While in fact we purchase a lie resembling truth.

Negligence is one of the manipulative forces behind societies self deception. Corruption exercised from the core of our culture can influence even the most conscientious among us to make compromises. Imagine segregating crime by color! We call financial crimes "white collar crimes." Just like "white lies," we lessen the gravity of such actions to acceptable levels. The person, persons or organization that steals a wallet is the same as the one that empties a retirement account. Corruption is like a disease. Like cancer it spreads and infiltrates parts that are seemingly unrelated to the original infection. It's not just in politics! Look around! It's in our every day dealings and business practices. The drug and medical care industries prioritize profits in front of helping and healing. We endorse shortcuts and tricks within our teaching  and training methods; perhaps to offer an easy way out. The addicts of our society are the first victims of such negligence. While the second victim is society itself. Enabling aberrant behavior fosters abusive relationships. Recovery or resolution takes place when both parties are honest with themselves, one another and the process. Practice does not make perfect, but it does make improvement if practiced properly. Integrity like money radiates and trickles down only if directly practiced and equitably applied. When we practice calling "a spade a spade" regardless of who's holding the hand we raise the bar, standard, values for all. This begins at the individual level and expands in all directions. We are not powerless!  We all posses the power of practice when we choose to exercise it.