I've interviewed a lot of people lately.
It is very interesting to observe the similarities and differences among the applicants. One question I always ask brings this out like no other – the question about the future and what is important to them. As a potential employer, I really want to know where each applicant wants to be in a few years.
 
So different, and yet so much the same.
Almost every applicant responds the same way to the "future" question. Virtually all of them talk about "room for growth". They want to know whether there is an opportunity for them to grow and advance within the company and move up the corporate ladder. My answer to this question isn't always what they want to hear, because I have a fundamental problem with the theory of advancement within an organization.
 
Why do I think differently?*
It's not that I don't think we should all want to improve and better ourselves – in fact, my whole life is focused on that.  I just happen to disagree with the way advancement is handled in corporate America today. In the old days, climbing the corporate ladder meant starting out sweeping floors, moving up to the mailroom, and then being promoted up through various levels culminating eventually in SVP or C-level Executive positions. This is the practice and reference point for virtually all of my applicants. They all want to know if they can be hired as my assistant and one day be the President of the company.

My answer? "Probably not".
My response to these applicants during interviews is a discussion of each person's "Unique Ability," and how I see personal career growth occurring. You see, Michael Jordan didn't start by being the water boy, then advance to the stat keeper and eventually earn the right to play. No, he was probably shooting baskets almost before he could walk. MJ had a Unique Ability to play basketball, and that's exactly what he did. He found his Unique Ability and stuck to it. The more he played the better he got, and his career advanced steadily.

How I see growth for my employees.
My theory is that the people I hire will work very diligently for MCC, and in doing so, together, we will discover their Unique Ability. Once we do, they usually stay in the capacity best suited to them personally and to the growth of the company. But what about personal growth? My vision for my employees is that as they work within their Unique Abilities, they will become better and better. As they improve, I give them more responsibility. They will respond to me by producing greater results, and I will reward that with increased compensation – all in a repeating cycle.

Labor of love.
Your Unique Ability is something that you love to do. When you do it, it doesn't feel like work. It doesn't make you tired, but exhilarates you. The more you do it, the better you get at it, and the more you want to do it. Unique Ability is not a stepping stone - it's more a sharpening stone that hones great careers. This is why I said "no" to the lovely young woman who applied to be my assistant but really wants to be President. My feeling is, if her Unique Ability is to be a great assistant, then that's where I'd need her the most.
 
So, a quick note to all MCC applicants: If you want to work for me, do what you love, and love what you do. I'll look forward to watching and being part of your professional growth cycle. And even if you don't come to work for me, if you don't already have a solid idea about your "Unique Ability," I encourage you to look for it. :)

___________________________________
NOTES:
 
*Full Disclosure: This theory was originated by @JasonFreid of 37signals but I have expanded on it to include something that is very, very important to me, Dan Sullivan's principle of Unique Ability.

**My adaptation of Dan Sullivan's principle of Unique Ability

Observations at the halfway point.

In 2010, I wrote an entry entitled, "How I work, Part I." I described my work day in detail from 4:30 am on, identified my most valuable asset as "time," and discussed how I manage it. I wrote about how I organize, sort and prioritize my projects. I also discussed my dedication to working at peak efficiency by hiring trusted managers, and delegating assignments to them. While I left that blog post promising to devote my next "Work" to "Creative Thinking During Drive Time," I want to first address a more central lynchpin of "How I Work," and with your permission, return to "drive time creativity" in the future.

Focus and Re-focus.

From the very start, focus has been a critical ingredient for me. In this article, I am taking the "focus" discussion to the next level. In general, the word "focus" connotes extraordinary levels of attention, effort, concentration, single-mindedness and motivation. "Focus" is the center of business, for me and for most successful entrepreneurs. It's critical, and yet there is one level higher.

Once the foundations of my business were focused and set in motion, the key for me became to "re-focus," every single day. That's right. Every day, based on what happened the day before, I ask myself, "What can I do today to move the plan forward, and how can I learn from the mistakes that I made yesterday?"

General Mills: Timing and planning are everything.

Forgive the pun, but I view my role as being similar to that of an Army General. Every entity within my command is filed in a notebook I carry with me all the time. It contains my privately held missions for my companies and for myself, and has one tabbed section for MCC, one for MRR, one for a "Top Secret Project", and one personal section.

For each entity, the first page reads: "What is the mission?" and "What is the plan?" These simple questions force me to re-focus every day on what MCC and the other entities will do that day, that week, or that month to complete tasks that will lead us to achieving our mission.

Numbers talk. Count on it.

Once I have a plan in mind for each entity, I include a set of metrics on the next pages, as I believe firmly that "That which is measured, improves. That which is measured and tracked improves exponentially." I have developed a series of metrics that resemble pilots' gauges, and I watch them carefully to determine whether we are on track to achieve our mission in each entity.

Pushing the envelope.

Finally, I end each entity's page with a question to myself, "What can I do today to move the plan forward?" This is a very powerful question as it removes excuses and procrastination from the workday. It allows me to be proactive with my time and ensure that I am staying both focused and re-focused.

A final word on entities.

The most important entity file I have is for myself and my family. The mission statement includes a picture of health and happiness. Without first achieving this, nothing else matters.

How it works in real life.

I "re-focus" every morning at 4:30 am. After re-focusing for about an hour I exercise for about a half hour. By 6:00 am I am prepared for the day, full of confidence and stress-free. To some it may appear to be a grueling schedule, but it works for me, and I have no plans to change it anytime soon.

My story of success at sea.
Entrepreneurs are often driven by passion, not just for business, but for their pastimes as well. I am a sport fisherman, driven by a love for the ocean, the spirit of adventure, and the potentially great rewards for my efforts. Unlike golf or tennis, the physical demands of sport fishing are huge, the rewards are elusive, and the financial costs are extreme. But ask anyone about me and they'll tell you – I live for this level of challenge.
 
It's kind of like going to the moon.
You can prepare all you want, but you can't practice going to the moon. I plan for my sport fishing adventures all year long. I prepare physically and emotionally. I account for safety and contingencies. Then, I stand by and watch for reasonably favorable weather and ocean conditions. When all is said and done, saltwater sport fishing in New Jersey is almost entirely in the hands of fate, as the fish are found about 100 miles east of the coastline. Once you're launched out to sea, there are no guarantees of any kind.
 
A small fish in a big time marina.
My Brielle Marina offers a side of the Jersey Shore you've probably never seen. Contrary to what the media might have you believe, the real Jersey Shore is filled with natural beauty, spectacular beaches, quiet sophistication, and innovative, educated people. When I enter the Marina, I look around and see CEOs of Fortune companies, owners of multimillion dollar yachts...and me, a young leader of a still-growing company.
 
But in Brielle, we all have one giant passion in common - we love sport fishing, and we'll do anything to do it when we can. None of us really have much time for it. It's extremely time-consuming and tiring, and, completely throws off one's daily routine. For most, one trip a month is a very big deal. But once on these trips, we're at a handicap to the professional fisherman - most of us don't fish enough to find where the game fish really are. The odds of a "Big Catch" are elusive.
 
Speaking of the odds.
I went out 4 times this summer and came home with nothing. Nada. Zip! I felt defeated and each time asked myself "Why do I do this?" It costs a ton of money. It's very demanding. Plus, each time it happened, it got increasingly hard for me to drag myself home and face my wife's hopeful question: "What did you catch today, Michael?" It's hard to describe how that made me feel.
 
Surprise! Synergy at last.
And then it happened one day in October. One more trip. I couldn't resist. Everything came together effortlessly. It was my time. Everything went smoothly. There was no drama. No problems with the boat. The ancient sea gods were smiling that day, because we caught 2 tunas, and came in early, while the sun was shining. A big crowd of onlookers waited to see what we had caught – a tuna catch by an amateur is a very big deal. I felt like a hero that day, and everyone celebrated. To the charter guys, it's just a little tuna – to me it was HUGE!
 
Heartbreak can lead to "Aha" any day.
When I look at the photo below, I feel like a fisherman. But when I write this blog, I write as an entrepreneur. In fishing there are no magic poles or strategies, just a lot of planning, hoping, watching and waiting. Just like in business. You plant the seeds. You do all you can to help your company grow. Then you hope, pray and never stop trying...until that "Aha Moment" arrives, and you begin to reap the rewards of your adventure.

Guess again. No, guess again.
I like to think MCC Recycling is one of the most unique companies on the planet. We definitely have our own ideas about how to succeed in business, and who we want to hire to help us do that. Our hiring practices are like no other. And it's true, there are literally only two things you must do to work with us:
 
1. Show up every day on time
2. Have a great attitude
 
You read it right, so pull your jaw back up off the floor.
I know you think I might be kidding, but I am as serious as can be. At MCC Recycling, we don't stick to traditional job descriptions – we might start out with one, but after that, positions evolve around the "Unique Ability" of each staff member. We hire people we feel will succeed, and then let them run with it. Salespeople sometimes become desk people, and outside people sometimes become inside people – as long as they are good people, we have a place for them.  
 
MCC is like a box of chocolates. You never do quite know what you're gonna get.
I hired an assistant who turned out to be a dynamite sales rep. I hired a foreman who became a terrific operations manager. Every day, I take stock of who's doing what and why. I ask questions. Are they happy with what they're doing? Are they as productive as they'd like to be? What would their ideal situation in the company be?
 
Listening for the Unique Abilities yields results.
From their answers to my questions, I move people around in the company to positions in which I know they'll be happy and succeed. How do I know where to place people to maximize their Unique Abilities? They actually tell me - and I consider every person and every factor. Why? Because I know that a happy worker is a fulfilled worker. A fulfilled worker is a productive worker. A productive worker makes MCC Recycling successful, every day. 
 
More than just good luck.
We are succeeding in an economy in which so many are failing. This is not a fluke or sudden stroke of good luck. It's because my partner and I really pay attention to our staff, to our customers and to our marketplace. We have installed programs, systems – and people – whose job it is just to listen and really hear how the environment is affecting our business – and let that guide us in strengthening our company.
 
We're hiring. In a recession. And for all the right reasons.
The more we grow, the more jobs open up. This week, we are hiring a Customer Satisfaction Representative. Not to be confused with a traditional customer service rep, MCC's Customer Satisfaction Representative will have only one function: Visit our current customers, find out whether they are happy with our service, and discover how we can make them even more happy!
 
Come in and apply for the job of Customer Satisfaction Representative or Sales Manager – you never know - a month later you might end up running a whole division!
 
Competency aside, all you have to do is show up and smile.

Before you criticize, walk a mile in their shoes.
There is not a single job at MCC that I have not done. From approving the weekly payroll to answering phones, from sales calls to truck-cleaning – I have done every job in this company, and then some.
 
This is how I know that every job has a great deal of merit and worth, and I am slow to criticize, and quick to praise.
 
I've walked the walk. I've talked the talk.
Now I live the life as an owner and manager. It took me some time to be able to let go and delegate responsibility. I went out in the field. I learned how to sell, how to listen and how to react. After years of success doing this, I have learned how to teach others to sell MCC services as I would. I let them learn for themselves without being overly critical – and without demanding the impossible.
 
I am a better manager because I was a salesperson for 5 years.
 
I did it. Now I delegate it.
A little bit of trust is a wonderful thing. I like to think of car cleaning experience as an example. I like my SUV to be sparkling clean, and so every once in awhile, used to take 3 hours of my own time to get it beautifully, perfectly clean.
 
Yes, it always looked great when I was done, but the time investment seemed extraordinary to me. One day recently, I picked up the phone and hired a professional to come clean my car for me, inside and out.  Since I have done this job many times before, I was a little nervous. Would he do as good a job as I did? How long would it take? How much would he charge?
 
I decided to leave the guy with my car and pray for the best. When I returned, the car was incredibly, spotlessly shiny. For a very reasonable amount, he did a better job than I could have done myself. What an incredible value and lesson for me. My time is worth so much – it only makes sense to delegate this activity to someone who may actually do BETTER at it than me.
 
I choose to apply this lesson on every level of my company, from now on. 

MyRecyclingReports.com launches!

May 12 is here and MyRecyclingReports.com is live online!  Before I invite you to check out the site and learn more, I want to thank my fellow recycling professionals for your interest and feedback, and every member of my development team for your hard work and creativity over the past two years.

A few quick thoughts.

I am proud to be at the forefront of a revolution in tonnage reporting for our industry. MyRecyclingReports.com completely changes and replaces old, traditional, time-consuming reporting methods, makes us all more efficient, helps build brand image, and removes the hassles and detail work we once viewed as "part of the territory."

A serial entrepreneur, I have always been dedicated to enhancing business communications, both internally and in relationship to customers. More than simply a reporting tool, MyRecyclingReports.com enhances customer communications, encourages loyalty, promotes trust, adds value to your business, invites higher profit margins, and strategically brands your company as never before.

Your signature. Your data. Your look. In real time.

MyRecyclingReports.com provides unprecedented, instant, easy, affordable access to tonnage and pricing data, online, in real time. With all of your customers' data in one place at your fingertips, MyRecyclingReports.com saves you and your customers hours of time and money – with no software to buy or install.

MyRecyclingReports.com is yours. You can customize it with your own logo, your corporate imprimatur, and make it consistent with your own brand.   It is also extremely affordable.  Our most popular plan allows you to manage up to 30 customers and costs less than $3.26 per day!

A great sales tool.
 
MyRecyclingReports.com opens up new avenues for marketing for your company and helps sell your services to new potential clients. Incorporate a live demo of MyRecyclingReports.com into your next new business presentation as we do – using your laptop or iPad. Watch as your prospects become immediately engaged.
 
It also sends another marketing message about your company's dedication to organization, access and simplicity. MyRecyclingReports.com instantly demonstrates your company's ability to rise above the old-fashioned clutter of forgotten bulletin board notes and random "To Do" notes posted all over the office – it helps organize their business in a very immediate way.
 
 A watershed in the history of our industry.

Visit MyRecyclingReports.com and be among the first to discover how it will elevate your business to exciting new levels of convenience, functionality and service. I know that it will change the way our business is done, forever.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, questions and feedback.

Michael

MyRecyclingReports.com (MRR) is an effective tool that helps recycling companies acquire new customers. More importantly it's an effective method of retaining existing customers.

During the development of the MRR app I’ve talked extensively about how great a sales tool this application is for the recycling salesman. MRR represents a wonderful opportunity to bring some very useful, easily understood technology to an otherwise non-tech business. It provides a tremendous amount of differentiation among would be competitors. The value that MRR creates for the customer is recognized very quickly and often invokes an immediate and focused interest during the sales process.

As we draw closer to the official launch of MyRecyclingReports.com on May 12th, 2011 I’d like to expand on the other major benefit of the app, -it’s ability to help the recycler maintain the loyalty of existing customers. The app is more than a data collection and reporting tool. It’s a gathering place for your recycling company and your customers. It provides an organized and professional front-stage experience.  It allows your employees to work behind the scenes in a fully functional, yet extremely simple back-stage environment.

The more your customers use the app, the more they become accustomed to it. They won’t want to leave you or find services elsewhere. They will feel safe and secure having their data, reports and service requests all happening on your company’s front-stage, all on the web and accessible to them whenever they need it.

If you desire loyalty from your customers, you first need to create value for them and MyRecyclingReports.com is absolutely one of the best ways to do it. When you keep your customers in the app, you are keeping your customers with you. Hopefully, for a long, long time!

Cheers!

On October 12th, 2010 I wrote a post about Momentum.  It was the story of how MyRecyclingReports.com got off to a fast start and then fizzled because we let our momentum die.  When I wrote that post and claimed to be kicking off the re-birth of our project I had envisioned that we would fix the budget and the deadline of Jan 1 and flex the scope to ensure that we made it on budget and launched on time.

Fast-forward to today and we have good news & bad news.  The bad news is that I didn’t abide by this valuable advice and we ran over budget and we are late to launch.  The good news is that we are riding high on momentum and we have a hard launch date set!

This is the official announcement that on May 12th, 2011 MyRecyclingReports.com is launching worldwide.

Please visit our temporary landing page to sign up for more information.  We will email you on the big day when we go live.  You can also follow us on Twitter @MyRecycReports or on our Facebook Page.  I of course, can’t stop talking about it on my personal Twitter account as well: @michaelpmills .

I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has worked on this project.  Thank you to all of our programmers, writers and designers who have truly leveraged their amazing talent to bring this app to life.

One more special note to the recyclers around the world, I hope you’re excited! MyRecyclingReports.com enhances customer communications, encourages loyalty, adds value to your business, invites higher profit margins, and strategically brands your company as never before. All in 55 days from today!

Recently before hiring a new employee I asked him for three character references.  I called all three of his references in the evening when I knew the people would be home.  All three of the candidate’s friends had very similar things to say about him.  “He is a hard worker”, “He is dedicated to his job”, “He will show up on time”, etc.  However it was another character trait that all three mentioned that really had a profound effect on me.  They all described him as someone who would do anything for a friend.  “Whenever we’ve ever needed him, he was there, no question asked.”  “If you’re in a bind he’ll go out of his way to help you.”  These were the words I heard about this man.

After speaking with the third reference I sat in my car in the parking lot and thought how fortunate I would be to have this man on my staff.  I then began to wonder if my own references would describe me this way. I wondered, “Do I offer this level of loyalty to the people that are most important to me?”

I hope someday after I’m long gone that people will speak as highly of me as they do of this man.  In fact, I need to take this farther than "hoping" that this will happen.  I'm going to ensure that it will.    

I do not have an attitude of entitlement.  Nobody "owes" me anything.  In fact I believe that I don't even deserve most of the material items that I own.  It is this trained belief that pushes me to work harder.  I want to feel like I deserve the things that I have so I work harder to convince myself of it.  The US Government doesn't owe me a job.  They don't owe me protection, a bailout or a safety net. Your financial future is no different then venturing 100 miles offshore to catch tuna. You better be prepared and you need to admit to yourself that no one will save you out there.  Whether or not you return to port with fish is entirely up to you. Whether or not you obtain financial security is up to you too.  

Dropping my sense of an entitlement attitude was one of the greatest things I've ever done as an entrepreneur.  I'd highly recommend it if financial security is on your goal sheet. 

MCC:  Looking good. Actually, looking great!
As the first quarter of 2011 comes to a close, I look back with great satisfaction. January 2011 was MCC’s single greatest month in company history (in revenue).  We set aggressive growth goals and are very close to achieving them - just waiting for some negotiations to close. 

I believe that MCC’s Q2 will be terrific as well; possibly even more than Q1. Our pipeline is full, and opportunities seem to be cropping up everywhere. As the economy slowly begins to turn, our clients’ thoughts have turned back to furthering environmental agendas, and discovering new ways to make them more efficient on every level. As this happens, MCC is ready, perfectly positioned to be of service.
 
There are many challenges involved in running a recycling business, but it is a young, sustainable industry with plenty of room for growth in many directions. We are very excited to be in this business at this time, and feel fortunate for every opportunity coming our way. 

MRR : Ahead of its time.
It was an exciting quarter at MRR/MyRecyclingReports.com. I have been working closely with my graphic designers and strategists on MRR’s spectacular marketing website. I am delighted with how it’s shaping up, and can’t wait until it goes live. 

Creating MyRecyclingReports.com continues to be a refreshing and interesting experience. As of today, we are refining our Home Page and looking forward to filling in the inner pages. Everything has to be crafted perfectly to make sure it reaches the right audiences and motivates them to join us.

In developing MyRecyclingReports.com, I’ve come to realize that it’s way ahead of its time. It may take a while before the industry truly recognizes its enormous power, potential and value. However, good things come to those who wait – and to those whose products and services are outstanding…

…and we are in a good position on both scores. MyRecyclingReports.com represents a true revolution in our industry, and I am doing all the right things to let the marketplace know about it. I am confident that it will evolve not just into a remarkable industry tool, but into a sustainable business with steady growth!

Q1 Blog Goals:  Lucky 5
One of my goals this quarter was to publish five blog posts. This is number five - Done!

MPM: My personal Q1
It was also a great quarter for me personally.  This quarter, we welcomed a new salesperson at MCC, leaving me more time to take a more traditional top executive leadership role in my company.  Along with this new role came new realizations. I was able to hone my Unique Ability(ies) – the activities at which I excel – and love doing the most.  

I consider myself very fortunate, as I was born with the gift of auto-inspiration. I am driven to move forward every day.  To constantly make progress.  To innovate and see the future.  I love to teach, speak, write, strategize, innovate, inspire, and assist. I love working with my staff, keeping them as excited about each day as I am.  In sharing my experiences with them, I feel most gratified when I have succeeded in truly motivating them.

My Unique Ability(ies) shine in a public or group setting – not when I’m alone. Like a snowball, I need inertia and proper conditions in order to grow.  When I work with my employees, my partner, my top vendors and my entrepreneur buddies, these talents really shine. The challenge? To work within my Unique Ability(ies) as much as possible, as I believe this is the path to happiness. I hope to discover more concrete ways to accomplish this during Q2.

I am always filled with new ideas stemming from my Unique Ability(ies). I am toying with new ideas - a speaking career, more frequent blog posts, a magazine column, a book, my entrepreneur support group or even a teaching job.  Any of these would be absolute bliss not just for me, but for the mutually beneficial relationships and success stories that come to people I meet along the way.

Q2 on the Horizon
They tell me I’d better squint, ‘cause it’s ‘gonna’ be bright! Here's to a great second quarter.  Cheers!

¹con·fi·dence
1. a : a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances.
                                                                               (Merriam Webster)


Confidence is power.
I am much more confident now than when I founded my company 5 years ago. I have taken the time to carefully protect and nurture my confidence, and adhere to strategies that keep my confidence high at all times.

With confidence, people can accomplish anything they can dream of.  Without it, it’s highly unlikely. Why? Business problems will always be here. The famous song lyric, “Mo Money, Mo Problems” is actually quite accurate. However, the more I work on protecting my confidence the less I worry about these problems. I view them differently.

Problems as opportunities.
With confidence, I view seemingly insurmountable problems as great opportunities in disguise. With confidence, my team and I move through challenges quickly. We smile and view issues almost as if in hindsight -  we know we will clear each hurdle, so we let our confidence ride high.

An “unsuitable” example.
Here is a simple example of how confidence created a wonderful situation for me. Usually, I dress formally when meeting with new or potential customers, with a full business suit. While I know that suits are considered proper attire, they don’t always do much for my confidence, as I am not comfortable wearing them.

About 4 years ago, I broke the “suit rule.” It was one of those gorgeous, warm summer days that we all dream about. Not a cloud in the sky. And it was Friday. I woke up that morning feeling quite confident, and planned to make some business calls.

I decided to dress a little differently.
To parallel my mood, I pulled on a great pair of jeans - not “working in the field” Carhartts, but a really sweet pair of jeans from Express. To top it off,  a completely uncharacteristic yellow polo shirt - usually, if I wear a polo at all, it’s white or blue, embroidered with the MCC logo. I left my house on that brilliant, sunny summer Friday, dressed perfectly…for a Saturday bar-b-q. I felt like a million bucks.

Long story short…
I signed one of my greatest customers that day - we are still doing business today, and enjoy a wonderful relationship. I often think about how easy it was to close that deal. In retrospect, during recent training in business confidence, I realized what had happened. I felt great that day. I was confident in my jeans. I was confident in the weather. I was confident as a salesman. I felt there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish!

The results speak for themselves.
I believe that we all deserve to feel like this as much as possible. Look around - the people who are most successful and happy in life, also seem to be exceptionally confident. Whether they’re wearing a great pair of jeans…or not.

True or false?: “Sales is a difficult game.”
I hear it every day. “The sales game is a tough game.” “It’s almost impossible to make a sale in this economy.” “I’ve read every book on sales – none of them help.”  “You know nobody’s buying…right?”

Wrong! For me, selling is actually quite easy.
A zillion books have been written on this subject. However, an old real estate philosophy sums it up best: “If you want to sell a house, you need a ready, willing and able buyer.” The logic is that if you’ve found a buyer who meets all three of these criteria, you will close the deal most of the time.

My view on what these three terms mean.
READY: A ready buyer is someone for whom the timing is just right to purchase a home. A ready buyer may have just gotten married and wants to create a new household. A ready buyer may be planning to expand the family with a new baby and needs more space. A ready buyer is an Empty Nester – or an older couple who want to downsize to a smaller home.

An example of a buyer who is not ready is perhaps someone looking at homes as a diversion from other obligations. A person in the throes of hosting a big Holiday Season with many guests – is not ready to buy a home. A person who is “just looking” is not ready either. Nor is someone who just lost a loved one. These people have more pressing issues to address, and a home purchase is not a top priority. They may want to. They might be able to afford it. But the timing is off. They’re not ready.

WILLING: A willing buyer is agreeable to buying a particular home for the agreed upon price. “Yes, I am willing to pay $500,000 for that house in Cranbury, NJ.” The term “willing” actually has a lot to do with value. That specific home at that price creates enough value for me that I am willing to buy it. If the price was $600,000 the value drops and I am no longer willing to complete the transaction.

ABLE: An able buyer is one who can afford to purchase and close on the home. A broker might have a ready and willing buyer who can’t get financing and therefore is not able to close.

The trick to making the sales game easy?
Only work with prospects who exhibit all three qualities: Ready, willing and able.  If you have a prospect who has only two of the three qualities, you can use every sales technique in the (zillion) book(s), and you still won’t close the deal. You will, however, waste a lot of time and precious resources.

Why am I so sure?
If you’re a salesperson, think back to a time when you closed a deal very, very quickly - and it seemed easy. Chances are they were ready, willing and able. For sales you lost over the years, think back once again. I know I do – about a "prospect" I called once a week for a year. With every phone call came more excuses. Looking back, this person didn't have all three qualities. I wasted my time, but I learned a valuable lesson.

Ready, willing and able, MCC style.
At MCC Recycling we have our own variation on the ready, willing and able buyer.
I teach my salespeople to look for prospects with the following three qualities:
1. They must have a problem for which we can offer a solution (ready).
2. They must believe that our solution creates enough value to justify the cost (willing).
3. They must be in a position to make purchasing decisions (able).

If my salespeople identify the right contacts within targeted client companies, they will close deals. Lots of deals. And so will you.

I love it when they tell me their sales jobs are easy.

What is commoditization?
I’ve been reading a lot about modern commoditization theory, and how it affects businesses everywhere.  In commoditization theory, a business’s products or services are evaluated exclusively in terms of price, because a similar if not exact product or service is available elsewhere in the marketplace.

The role of the Internet in commoditization.
Over the past decade, the Internet has dramatically increased the commoditization of products and services across the board. Before the advent of the Internet it was difficult to communicate with multiple vendors outside a given local service area. Companies didn’t face much more than local competition, and consumers didn’t have as many options.

Multiple choice: Empowering consumers via direct access.
The Internet has changed the way consumers purchase goods and services, with direct, instant access to a global marketplace. Amazon.com is a great example of this – and I know because I’m a huge fan and customer. I love the freedom  of shopping for anything I can dream of, knowing that I will always get a great price. While Amazon.com is a great tool for the consumer, I imagine it has slashed manufacturers’ profit margins, worldwide.

MCC and the struggle against commoditization.
At MCC Recycling, we work very hard to avoid the commoditization of our services. This seems a bit ironic, as we buy and sell commodities – scrap metals - every day. It would devastate our business if our services were to be commoditized. If our margins were to be slashed to dangerous levels then everything else would suffer in proportion. Our equipment would not be maintained; our facilities would degrade; and we would not be able to invest in our people, our intellectual property and our future company strategies. In turn, our competitors would do the same and ultimately the service to the customer would suffer and wither.

Avoiding commoditization with UP and UR.
When working with my sales team I’m known to instruct that “We need a UP or a UR or else we’re playing on price.” To be more specific, we must always work towards developing a Unique Process or a Unique Relationship. Otherwise we’re essentially bidding price on every job.

A UP or a UR - or both - can be extremely beneficial. A Unique Process (product, service or technique) is when a competitor cannot or is not willing to do what you are doing. It may be that we are specialists in our field, we own some great intellectual property, or that we are just so dynamic and playing ahead of the curve that our competitors can’t keep up with us. A Unique Relationship is also a valuable asset. UR is a situation where our service might not differ that much from the competition, but we have a close relationship with a decision maker because we create value for him/her. Personally, I love having a UR with a customer.

UR the company you keep.
An example of a great UR? My commercial insurance brokerage is fantastic. They provide excellent service, personal access to partners and they do what they say they are going to do. They’ve completely eliminated the annoyances normally associated with the insurance business. They add value by handling many extra tasks for me, which frees up my precious time. This relationship also stands out for me in stark contrast to the inadequate service I received from previous brokers.

In return for the outstanding service, I don’t shop insurance prices. I’m sure they are not the cheapest around. But I don’t mind, as they are earning a fair profit for outstanding performance. I feel they deserve their fees, and will stay in business for a long time, which only benefits me further.

While their process is not unique, they have gone miles out of their way to cultivate a unique relationship with me. If you are a customer or potential customer of MCC Recycling, I hope that both our process and our relationship are strong, unique and create value for you.

If not, please let me know.

Getting serious about your goals. Making them public.
The end of the year brings cheer, but for me, it also evokes thought, evaluation, and planning. A few weeks ago I read a blog post from David at 37signals. It’s about making your goals public. His thesis is that if you are serious about your goals you should make them public, essentially binding you to pursuing and achieving them. This concept fascinated me…so much so, that I’ve been thinking about going public with my goals for weeks.

I want to do it. Right here. Right now.
For the record I am very serious about my goals. I have seven life goals (ideals); ten 3-year goals (visual goals in which I can picture what my life will look like in 3 years, but no further); 11 1-year goals (real, quantifiable and measurable events); and 11 quarterly goals (all able to be achieved or “checked off” this quarter). These linear goals are essentially a road map for what I would like to achieve during my lifetime.

My 11 1-year goals include some very personal ones, and those I will keep to myself.  However, some of them are less personal and I would like to share them with the public, in essence  holding myself accountable to many people. In fact, I want people to ask me if I’ve accomplished these goals. I believe this will really help me achieve them.

Accountability begins at the top.
One of the most difficult things about being an entrepreneur is not being accountable to anyone. I have no boss. No one will scold me if I don’t achieve my goals. And no one sets goals for me. It sounds nice, but in reality it is very difficult to only be accountable to yourself.

Publicizing my goals will keep me accountable, so let’s dive right in.
In this blog post I am going to make two of my 1-year goals public. The first goal is: I want MyRecyclingReports.com to have 10 paying customers. This may sound trivial to some, but actually this would be a huge achievement. At the time of this writing MyReyclingReports.com hasn’t even launched yet. So, 10 paying customers by November 9th, 2011 would be great.

I need to convince the owners of 10 recycling companies across this country that MyRecyclingReports.com will create enough value for them that they can justify the monthly cost. This may not sound like a lot - it’s not a lot for an existing company with a good reputation and lots of momentum. But for a brand new service, 10 is a mountain.

My second public goal?
I want to catch a 100+ lb tuna on my boat. To many experienced fisherman this may not sound like much, but to me it would be a huge accomplishment. I have caught tunas up to 60 lbs, but never larger. So, for my goal-achieving fish, I will accept a 100+ lb yellowfin, bluefin or bigeye tuna. The deadline for this accomplishment is December 1st, 2011.

In order to achieve this I will have a busy offseason. My boat will need some upgrades including more electronics and fuel bladders to allow a longer range. My partner and I will need to create fishing plans that include locations, techniques and strategies. We will need to ensure that our gear is in top notch condition. I will need to exercise and train. Anyone who has caught a tuna of this size will tell you it’s not a walk in the park, and I need to get in shape to win the fight.

Also, to fulfill this goal I need to hire more people to manage MCC Recycling Services. If you want to catch tuna in New Jersey you are always at the mercy of the weather. You need to be able to go fishing at the drop off a hat, and that means having the personnel in place at work so I can skip out when conditions are favorable.

These are only 2 of the 11 goals I’ve set for 2011.
I expect to rise to these goals. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I’ll try my best. In the meantime, Happy Holidays. I hope your dreams come true and your goals are met. This coming year. And every year after that.

Cheers!
Michael

My family shops at Whole Foods Market in Princeton.  We’ve been buying our groceries there for about 5 years now.  It is truly an amazing place, and each time I go I fall in love with it even more. 

Our visit begins with a smile.
We pulled into the parking lot and found a spot far out into the lot, as it was a crowded Sunday morning. My wife usually likes to find a cart and bring it over to the car so we can load our bags and our son and get everything situated. 

She was having some trouble finding a shopping cart in the lot, and then spotted an employee pushing a chain of carts towards the store. She asked him for one, and he politely offered to stop what he was doing and push a cart up to the storefront and “have it waiting there for her”.  She thanked him for his kindness and explained that she would take the cart back to her car.  When she returned to our car she explained to me how polite and caring he had been, and how rare that is to see.

Outside is great, but it’s what’s inside that counts.
Once inside the store, my wife and son headed to the fresh pizza counter to order some lunch.  Upon her arrival, the gentleman working behind the counter asked: “May I prepare a vegan pizza for your son while you shop?”

You see, our son is allergic to milk, and therefore cannot enjoy regular pizza. The Whole Foods employee – who had not seen my wife in 6 months! – recognized them immediately, and remembered my son’s vegan requirement. For those of you who have children with food allergies you can just imagine how much that caring gesture meant to my wife.

More coffee, sir?
While my family was at the pizza counter, I was waiting patiently at the deli.  It was crowded, and I’d been standing there a long time. A third Whole Foods employee noticed I had a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee cup in my hand and quietly offered, “Sir, if you wish, we’d be happy to refill your coffee cup at our coffee bar for just 75 cents.”  I was very impressed by how attentive and hospitable he was for volunteering that information.

I could tell stories like this for hours.
The point is, Whole Foods Market is not just a gourmet grocery store.  It is a comprehensive customer experience.  The management and staff cater brilliantly to all of your senses while you are in their store.  Your body and mind begin to feel better after only minutes of being around their fresh organic foods.  Their staff isn’t just trained to be helpful and polite, they actually seem to be that way naturally. 

Whole Foods discovers and develops people who believe in what they stand for, and hires people who they know will truly love their job.  

The proof of the Whole Foods pudding is in the eating…and the caring.
Whole Foods is much, much more than just an amazing market where my family shops.  Their overarching business model is an inspiration to me - a wonderful example that centers around creating a simply unparalleled customer experience.

P.S. Nobody paid me to write this post. 
Mention me on Twitter @michaelpmills and let me know what you think.

Scott Morgan, the business editor at the US1 Newspaper in Princeton, NJ has published a very nice article on myself, MCC Recycling Services and MyRecyclingReports.com. 

Read the article here (pages 38 & 39):  Life In The Fast Lane: Trash or Treasure? How About Both?

Thanks Scott!

Comments? Let's talk on Twitter @michaelpmills

We’re looking for someone who loves the environment, loves recycling and loves working at an exciting, fast growing company.

They might call you a tree-hugger, a hippie or a hardworking fool.  We want to call you part of our team.

You will be responsible for loading and unloading tractor trailers and sea containers filled with recyclable material.  You’ll weigh, record, report and save the planet.  You’ll definitely get dirty and feel tired, but at the end of the day you’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment.

You’ve done this job before and you're an ace on a forklift.  You don’t mind the cold and you’re able to work unsupervised.  You’ll be responsible for a team of 2 or 3 others. 

This is a full-time position.  Starting pay is $15/hour. 

How to apply:

Email a cover letter and work experience to info [at] mccrecycling.com

It’s about time: 4:30 am – 6:30 am.

I've always loved reading the feature articles in Inc. magazine entitled, "How I Work".  Inc. profiles successful entrepreneurs and how they schedule each hour of every day.  They talk about productivity habits and techniques that have propelled them towards success. Since Inc. magazine hasn't called me for a feature just yet, I figured I'd put mine out there and hope for the best!


I often ask people to name their most valuable assets. Mostly, they respond that their homes, cars, cash, or jewelry are their prized possessions.

My most valuable asset is time.
I can't make more time.  In fact, I believe I have a set amount and it's slipping away each day.  I can earn more cash, buy more cars, houses and jewelry, but I cannot produce more time.  I can’t purchase an insurance policy to protect my time.  I must do that myself and 
recognize each day that time is in fact my most valuable asset. 

My day starts at 4:30am.
By 5:30 I'm ready for work and sitting in front of a computer.  I process emails from 5:30 to 6:30am Monday through Thursday.  Notice that I said “process" and not "read, scan or ignore".  I have a zero inbox policy, so by 6:30am I have no e-mails in my inbox - every e-mail message has been read and sorted into a new folder.  So, just as we all empty our front lawn mailboxes each day, between 5:30 and 6:30 I sort, file, junk or reply to all of my e-mail, every day.

I have the following folders in Mac Mail:
"A Quick Reply Needed"
"Administrative Action Required"
"Filed for Reference"
"Waiting For"
"Trash"

My sorting process.
I process each piece of mail by moving it into one of these folders. Once my inbox is cleared out, I move to the first folder: "A Quick Reply Needed".  This is self explanatory and I've been working on keeping my replies to three sentences or less.  I like to get to the point quickly. 

The second folder, "Administrative Action Required" is where I move messages that need me to do something that I can't delegate.  This usually involves executive and high level financial matters that must be attended to while I am in the MCC Recycling offices. 

The third folder, "Filed for Reference" is for any e-mail that contains information that I might want to reference sometime in the future. 

The fourth folder, "Waiting For" is basically a trigger folder.  I move messages here that require action but are not actionable yet because I am waiting for something else to happen first.  I usually check this folder about once a week to see whether the messages are actionable yet.  If not, it reminds me to "tickle" other people into doing things that need to be done. 

The fifth folder, "Trash" speaks for itself.

It’s about time.
I've been using this system for a few years now, and I absolutely love it.  I wish that more people would adopt this system.  I believe it forces us to reply to and take action on e-mails quickly. It also ensures that I don’t miss anything important.

One of the most interesting take-aways here is that I only allow one hour of time for this activity, based on my current flow of  50-100 critical  e-mails per day (not including spam, jokes, or forwards from friends).

One hour. Future challenge.
Here's the challenge I am beginning to face now, and believe will continue to grow in the future. As time goes on and my businesses grow, I will undoubtedly receive increasing amounts of e-mails to process.  Currently, I am 29 years old, am running one successful company and am working on one new venture.  Perhaps when I am 40, I’ll run 3 successful companies and have 2 more in the works - the volume of e-mail in my inbox may increase exponentially.

My promise to myself is to find a way to continue to work efficiently, delegate, and not allow others to "make work” for me. If timing really is everything, I plan to keep this activity to just one hour. Forever.

_________________________
Up next, Creative Thinking Time, My Car Ride.  7:30 to 8:30am.

Your comments are welcome on Twitter @michaelpmills