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This is an exciting week for us, as we’re
training our first Make-it-Fly® Flight
Instructors to facilitate Advisory Boards
in other locations.
It’s been our dream to support, encourage
and help many small business owners, but the two of us can only
host a limited number of Advisory Boards. Training others to do
what we do is a major milestone for us.
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Next weekend, we plan to escape to the mountains for a few days of R and R,
to reflect on what we’re learning and review future plans
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Don’t forget to mark your calendar now for the Make-it-Fly
Café on Thursday, October 25.
We look forward to seeing many of you from the Denver area there!
Our very best regards,
Dave and Victoria
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Joan
Schlaefer
Gift To It!
“Gift To It! has reinvented
the gifting process,” declares Gift To It!
owner Joan Schlaefer. “We
help you and your business nurture relationships through thoughtful
and distinctive gifting. Strong relationships
result in a positive impact to your bottom line.” |
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Joan developed the business concept in 2005 and
began working with clients in 2006. “Gift To It! was inspired
by and created to support client appreciation,” Joan says.
“Whether you have a referral-based business or wish to express
a special sentiment to friends, family or associates, GTI partners
with businesses and individuals to select just the right gift
every time.”
Joan maintains that staying connected and showing sincere appreciation
are essential tools for building and maintaining mutually successful
relationships. “One of the most effective ways to connect
with those we value most is through personalized gifting,”
she says.
| Gift To It! services
include: |
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Customized Gifting Programs |
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Corporate and Business Gifts |
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Employee Appreciation |
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Special Promotions |
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All Occasion Gifts for Family and Friends |
Q: What do you find most fulfilling
about running your business?
JS: Creating opportunities
to partner with growing and energized businesses is extremely
rewarding. When a business successfully conveys to their client
that their relationship is much more than a transaction, then
repeat business and referrals easily follow. Facilitating an expression
of appreciation or particular sentiment in a creative and positive
way is great fun!
Q: What motivated you to start
this business?
JS: Building client
loyalty and good relationships was key to a successful career
in sales for nearly 25 years. With an early background in gift
retail and a love for shopping, I knew my experience would be
valuable in developing a service that offered a consistent, convenient
and cost-effective way to maintain contact with clients and associates.
Q: What book has been most helpful
to you in your business?
JS: Dave and Victoria gave
me The Slight Edge upon Make-it-Fly®
101 graduation. I enjoyed this book very much and have
thought of it many times since then. This is one everyone should
read now!!
Q: Who has influenced you most
in your life?
JS: I am very blessed to
have an incredible family support system. My mother and father
were hard-working individuals who expressed love and life with
positive “can do” examples. My husband and our two
children have all offered their tremendous talents to help me
get Gift To It! off the ground. They continue to be my greatest
resource!
Q: What has proved to be your most
successful marketing strategy?
JS: Networking has been
invaluable. People love to talk about things that feel good. A
story about a warm experience of appreciation travels fast, and
we all want to recreate something like it for our clients.
Q: What have been the greatest
challenges you have had to overcome, or are currently facing,
in your business?
JS: Good time management
is not an easy task. Learning to focus and not be easily distracted
has been a big hurdle. However, with improvement rewards have
been great.
Q: How did you benefit/are you
benefiting from participating in a Make-it-Fly®
program?
JS: This forum for individuals
engaged in business is incredible. Beyond the fact that you meet
so many interesting and wonderful people, the opportunity to interact
with energized business people is extremely enlightening. Make-it-Fly®
is so much more than a networking opportunity – a great
place to seek help for yourself and offer help to others.
Q: What would you say to other
business owners who are contemplating getting involved in a Make-it-Fly®
program?
JS: Don’t
delay – energize yourself and your business with a fresh
outlook.
Joan Schlaefer can be reached by
phone at: 303-991-2768, or visit her website at: www.gifttoit.com.
Click here
to check out Joan’s special offer for In-Flight Refueling
readers.
Forward
this email to a friend. |
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|
 Dave’s
Networking Tip:
Having
the right motivation is key to successful networking.
When you attend an event, don’t aim to sell yourself
and your services or products. Rather, make helping those
you meet your number one goal. Get to know them. Ask questions.
Find out how you can help them: whom you can connect them
with, who might be a great power partner for them or what
books or other resources would benefit them.
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 Taking
Time Away Can Be Good for Business
By Victoria Munro
Small business owners are very
good at a lot of things, but taking time off isn’t
one of them. Americans in general put in longer
hours than workers in any other industrialized nation, but for
many entrepreneurs there’s no such thing as a 40-hour work
week, and taking a vacation can seem like a far-fetched fantasy.
Why Such Crazy Workaholics?
Most entrepreneurs choose a business they’re passionate about,
and doing what you love can become addictive!
When you’ve grown and nurtured that business from the ground
up, it’s easy to act like an over-protective parent. In
addition, there’s the fear that things will fall apart if
you leave town, clients won’t understand if you’re
not there to respond personally and immediately to their needs,
or you might miss new business opportunities.
We may have needed to work crazy hours without taking vacations
during the start-up phase of the business, now overwork has become
a lifestyle.
Take Care of Your Company’s
Biggest Asset
Remember, your business’s biggest asset is you! And you
need down time. Getting out of town occasionally will re-charge
your entrepreneurial batteries and give you a truer perspective—a
chance to step back and look at the big picture. You’ll
return refreshed, rejuvenated and able to give your best. Regard
your vacation as an important long-term investment in yourself
and the success of your business.
| 10 Tips to Help
You Take Time Off |
|
Make a decision, set
a date and mark it on your calendar. (It makes sense to select
the slowest time of year in your business.) |
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Plan where you’ll go, and
make reservations. |
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Let clients know you’ll
be gone, but will return revitalized to take excellent care
of them. |
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Document everything you
do, so that someone else can easily step in and help if needed. |
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Have a backup person take care
of client emergencies. |
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If a week or two is out of the
question, start with mini-vacations—three-day weekends.
We find it takes the first couple of days just to unwind. |
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Don’t take work with you—focus
on the business of relaxing. |
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If you have to take your laptop
and cell phone, arrange to be “disconnected” most
of the time. |
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Plan your re-entry—schedule
some catch up time when you come back. |
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Relax
and enjoy! |
Click
here for the printable version.
Click
here to read more articles like this one.
Forward
this email to a friend.
|
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Victoria’s
Marketing Advice
Make it Easy for Potential
Clients to Contact you
Be sure to include your contact information
on all your marketing pieces: postcards, newsletters,
ezines, sales flyers, catalogs and on every page of your
website. |
Back
to Top
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Joan Schlaefer, of Gift To It! is offering
free shipping (or delivery within metro Denver) on all orders
placed before November 10, 2007.
This is a great opportunity
to connect with clients,
friends and family in a creative and thoughtful way.
Call Joan
now to take advantage of this promotion
for your holiday
gifting. 303-991-2768.and
mention Make-it-Fly®.
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Are You Feeling
Stuck in a Major Life Transition?
Whatever change you are in, this workshop is designed
to help you gain insight into how to navigate through a major
life transition. Led by
Suzanne Simpson, Licensed Counselor
and Life Coach.
Tuesday, October 23, 6:30-8:45 p.m.
Grant Ranch Village Center, 7255 W. Grant Ranch Blvd., Littleton
Call 720-981-0713
and RSVP by October 22.
www.connectcoach.com
Ever
Thought About Seeing a Counselor?
 Have
you thought about seeing a counselor but don't know
how to find one? I am a Licensed Professional Counselor
and a Specialist in Grief and Loss. I offer a safe
place to process life for individuals, children, couples
and families. I understand running your own business
and how tough it is to take care of yourself. No charge
for first session!
Janet
M Buntrock, MA, LPC,CT
Candlelight Counseling, Littleton, Colorado
Call: 303-797-6443
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READING THIS
AD? THEN WHY NOT PUT YOURS HERE TOO? The In-Flight
Refueling Ezine reaches more than 1,800 entrepreneurs,
small-biz owners, consultants and marketers. Reserve
your advertising spot today in the next In-Flight Refueling
Ezine,
http://www.make-it-fly.com/ezineads.html.
Paid Advertising Disclaimer: Make-it-Fly®
LLC does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability
of any of the paid advertisements above or the quality of any
products, services, information, or other materials displayed,
purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an offer in connection
with any ad. It's common sense to do your own due diligence before
purchasing any product.
Back
to Top |
The
Make-it-Fly® Advisory Board 101
Each
Make-it-Fly® Advisory Board 101 program
consists of 12 non-competing business owners who meet once a month
for three consecutive months. In the spirit of giving, they offer
each other solutions, ideas, resources and encouragement. Dave
and Victoria facilitate each group and share powerful tools to
assist business owners in reaching their goals and living more
balanced lives.
If you have experienced a Make-it-Fly®
program, please share the following openings with other business
owners who need support. Call Dave for more information at 720-962-8888.
Programs are held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Current program openings in Denver:
- Fridays - January 4, February 1, March 7, 2008
- Thursdays - January 31, February 28, March 27, 2008
- Mondays - March 3, April 7, May 5, 2008
Click
here to sign up for Advisory
Boards.
Or call Dave at 720-962-8888.
Alumni
Boards are groups of 12-14 small business owners who have
participated in at least one Make-it-Fly®
Advisory Board 101 and wish to continue the support and accountability
with a group of like-minded, giving business associates. Members
meet once a month for a three-hour meeting.
If you completed the initial Make-it-Fly®
Advisory Board 101 and are interested in more information on Alumni
Boards, call Dave at 720-962-8888.
Make-it-Fly®
Café
High altitude networking, where exceptional people help each
other.
Next
Café is scheduled for
Date: Thursday, October 25, 2007
Time: 4:30 to
7 p.m.
Location: Seasons Café
in the DTC, located at 8101 East Belleview, in the Marina Square
Center.
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Click
here to read previous issues of Make-it-Fly®'s
email newsletters.
Contact
Make-it-Fly® - Dave and Victoria:
email: info@make-it-fly.com
voice: 720-962-8888
web: www.Make-it-Fly.com
Reprint
Permission:
Please email or call Victoria if you'd like to reprint any information
contained in this newsletter. Thanks! © Copyright 2007. All
rights reserved.
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Make-it-Fly®
LLC
720-962-8888
355 South Teller Street, Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80235, USA
http://www.make-it-fly.com
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