The Zappos Way

Zappos is an incredible success story that has created an amazing culture within its company.  Here are the 10 Core Values of Zappos that we can all learn from:

1. Deliver WOW through service.
2. Embrace and drive change.
3. Create fun and a little weirdness.
4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded.
5. Pursue growth and learning.
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication.
7. Build a positive team and family spirit.
8. Do more with less.
9. Be passionate and determined.
10. Be humble.

There is so many great lessons in these values.  Study them, learn from them, and most importantly apply them within your business and service model.

Give more value than you ever expect in payment

The title of this blog  is a statement that we hear from time to time, but is rarely seen in business.  What does this even mean?  What kind of value can I offer?  How do I measure the value?  All kinds of questions can run through one's head.

The essence of this message first starts with freely giving to your clients and those that you come in contact with, without expectation of return.  I've witnessed this first hand in relationships.  So often the approach is I'll meet you halfway.  Let's make sure this is win/win.  In theory this sounds good, but it doesn't always work out that way.  It's a nice way of saying, I'll give and then you are expected to give back; and if you don't give back then I'll stop giving.  The fundamental principle here is that you give freely to those that need you.  Here are things that you can give to add value:

• Kindness
• a helping hand
• an idea
• encouragement
• a smile
• great customer service
• a compliment
• a speedy response
• actively listen.

I think you get the idea.  These are all great things that everyone of us possess that we can give to our prospects, clients and random people that we cross paths with.

Now, when it comes to your service or product, make sure you package the above things into the offering of your already great service/product.  There are many people who can deliver the same quality that you can, but rarely do they add the extra touch.  This is what creates a great company.

I'm going to spend time over the next several blogs, but I want to challenge you to think about how you can increase the value of what you give to your clients.  Ask yourself if the culture of company is centered around giving and adding value at every opportunity.  And, if you aren't how can we get there.

Until next time,

Jesus Balderas

"The Coach"

Creating Your Future – The Power Of Goals

To change your life from where you are today to something better you must first be able to “see” what sort of life you would like to have.


Once you can “see” the sort of life you want, your mind will lead you in the right direction to achieve it.  The most important thing is to trust this process.  Unless you believe in it, it won’t work for you.  Try it for just 21 days.  You’ll see it really works.


Here’s What To Do Now

Step #1:  Imagine that everything goes perfectly for you for the next one or two years. 

Now write a “picture” or create a “vision” of this ideal life as you see it in 12 months or two years time. (Write in the present tense, as if you were already living it.  

Step #2:  Re-write this picture of what your future life is like every morning and every night for 30 days or more. 

The longer you do it, the more you’ll imprint this “picture” in your mind.  As you are doing this, you’ll start to believe it is possible for you, and be closer to making it real. 

Step #3:  Do it.  Take Action Now. 

Act on your dreams, do the things you know are right for you.  Only confident, positive action can ultimately change your life for the better.


Here are a couple of important tips...


Tip #1:  Write in the present.  For example, say… I am, not I will be. 


Tip #2:  The four areas of your vision should include...

·         Your health.

·         Your relationships with other people and who you associate with.

·         Your finances and your practice.

·         The environment in which you live.

IMPORTANT:  Be as specific as you can be.  The more specific your vision, the better it will be.  For best results rewrite this vision two times a day for at least a month. (The longer the better).


Do It. It Works.

Get Rid of Time Killers

Time Killer #1:  Most employees are in a re-active rather than a proactive mode.

Studies show only 20% of time is spent on the important activities.  80% is spent on things that get very low or NO results.  If we reverse these we can immediately get a 4 times increase in productivity.  That’s right, a 400% increase!!

Time Killer #2:  Re-reading the same information again and again without taking action.

Average business person spends 6 weeks a year re-reading the same information without taking action. This adds up to three and a half years in your career spent on something that has little or NO effect on your results.

Time Killer #3:  The “Open Door” policy.

This “Have you got a minute?” mode is the worst way to run a practice.  If anyone can interrupt anyone else anytime they want to, then the entire practice runs in a re-active mode.

Time Killer #4:  Not prioritizing your “TO DO” list.

Studies show that people who make “to do” lists will most often do the least important (or easiest) things first. The important things often get moved until they become urgent and then get done in a mad rush.

Time Killer #5:  No daily planning.

Most people only schedule appointments - not tasks or projects.  This makes it hard to focus on the important (but not yet urgent) things.

Timer Killer #6:  No system for dealing with documents and projects. 

This often leads to a messy desk and/or drawers and files.

Timer Killer #7:  No discipline for useless information. 

Most people keep and file away information only to toss it out 6 months later.

Questions - Are the key to a successful life

I love this picture and quote.  It really does say it all.  Have you ever found yourself stuck, and you keep trying the same thing over and over again and it doesn't quite work.  That has happened to me often in my personal life and business.  Sometimes, it is important to stop, and ask yourself a new set of questions and use your imagination.  Don't get stuck thinking that life is like the ABC's because in life sometimes Z actually comes before A to get you to the next step.  I find that when I don't allow myself time to stop and breath, I do not tap into my imagination/creative self.  So take time every day to be still and think about your biggest opportunities and greatest challenges.  And, when you are doing this, keep asking yourself questions that can provide you with the solutions.  My greatest successes have come when I do this.  The solutions come more quickly.

Keys to asking quality questions:

1. Be solution focused rather than focus on the problem.

2. Consult your Mastermind Group with your Opportunity or Problem.

3. Research this issue.

4. And, ask yourself if by doing this, is it going to bring you closer to your goals or not. (If not, you may consider not doing it.)

To your success,

Jesus Balderas "The Coach"

The words we choose can determine our success...

A couple of weeks ago we discussed creating multiple streams of revenue. This is such an important concept and foundation of your business. It is critical for your success. If you haven't yet figured out how to add this to your business, please get together with your mastermind group and brainstorm ideas or call me and we will sit down to determine how to create multiple streams of income as well as passive income in your business.
Today, I want to share a powerful concept that I was studying last week. Often times the thing that holds us back the most is ourselves. We are often our greatest obstacle to success. It is so important to constantly be developing oneself as a person. Read and listen to the personal growth coaches, and that will directly impact your business. In the book, Cash in a Flash, by Robert Allen and Mark Victor Hansen they discuss the power of the words we speak to ourselves and out load. Do you use positive or negative words and language? The words you choose can enable or disable you. They can energize or weaken you. They can take you to great heights or keep you in dark valleys.

They shared an exercise that I have found to be very powerful. I remember we did this exercise with my soccer team when they were 11 years old. Every time one of the kids made a mistake and started to get upset at themselves another player or one of the coaches would say CANCEL. It was amazing the impact it made over the season. This exercise is very similar. I want you to really listen to what you are saying to yourself and how you are speaking. Every time you hear yourself thinking or speaking a negative thought say SWITCH. 

And, then replace it with a positive thought. I am not saying that bad things don't happen, but I am saying that there is positive and good things in almost everything.

Let me give you some examples of positive and negative words:

Happy	Sad
Strong	Weak
Optimistic	Pessimistic
Easy	Difficult
Beautiful	Ugly

As you say the words, how do they make you feel?

Finally, let me give you an example of the SWITCH exercise in practice.

a problem	a challenge
a job that I hate	a job that I don't love
he is a real jerk	he is not a nice person
I have so much credit card debt	I had too much fun using my credit cards
Now, it's time to pay the piper	Now I have to learn to be more financially savvy.
I'm stuck in a dead end job	I'm in a place where I don't have the freedom I'd like to have.

These are just a few examples of changing your language. This can have a real impact on your outlook, your business and your relationships. Do the exercise for one week, and I'd love to hear your experiences.

Listen to this powerful song by Nina Landis, Greatest Weapon:



Committed to increasing your profits!

Multiple Streams of Income - Part 2

Last week we discussed creating multiple streams of income/revenue for you and your business. And, ultimately we want to create passive streams of income. The first stage of wealth building is to create a passive income stream that will cover all your expenses. Think about this for a minute. So often I have read books on buying property, shares, assets, or paying down debt, or increasing my income; but the first step to wealth creation is creating a passive income that will cover all your expenses. When you have done this, then you are in a position to accelerate your wealth creation. Whether you work or not, all your expenses are covered.

So, how can we create passive income streams, and really what is a passive income stream. The crux of passive income stream is that you make something once that you can sell once and get paid over and over again for the one effort. Most people have a product or service that you are required to continually resale to get paid so if they don't work they don't get paid. Are you in that situation? Here are a few ideas that lead to passive income:

• Write a book, audio recording, or video recording. (Create it once, find a vehicle to sell it and get paid for the one effort over and over again.)
• Build your business around a system, and then franchise it. (The initial franchise fees and the ongoing fees are an incredible source of passive income.)
• Direct sales or network marketing. (I know this may have a bad rap, but with the right research this is a legitimate way of creating an incredible passive income for the right person.)
• Products that are consumable and need to be purchased over and over again.
• Internet businesses that resale information. (Discover a niche that is underserviced, set up a website correctly, and you can create a cash cow.)
• Membership based services.
• Build a large sales team that you override a small percentage on the production. (Key point here is that they should not be salary based because this can kill your cashflow. Let the team get the lion's share of commission, and you take a overriding percentage for the training and support you provide.)

There are so many other ways to achieve a passive income. These are just a few to spark your creative juices. I have learned over the years that this is the most crucial step in creating a stable business. I am more than happy to sit down with you, look at your business, and make some suggestions on ways you can create a passive income stream over the next 6 - 18 months. Think about it - if you do not already have this in your business, how would it feel if you knew that every expense was covered before you even started working? 

Do you think you would be more excited, productive and effective?

Create multiple streams of revenue

The weather in Grapevine is incredible after an entire summer of 100+, isn't it? I am loving it. I want share with you an important component to building a successful business, but I want to start with two questions. 

• How many income buckets do you have? Do you have 1, 2, 3 or 10? This is an incredibly important question to ask yourself.
• And, do your income buckets require active selling to generate any revenue?

It is an important component of business for you to have multiple streams of income or multiple buckets, and some of those buckets need to generate income residually. As an exercise for you to work on, I want to ask you to spend an hour over the next week brainstorming other ways you can generate income through your clients and relationships by bringing more value to them.

Next week, I will share with you several strategies to creating multiple income buckets. And, the reason this is so important is that all markets fluctuate to a certain degree. You do not want to be held hostage by one product or service. Develop multiple streams of income starting today!

Two Keys To Having The Life You Deserve

There are many keys to success in life, but I have found two which embody all keys. The first is that each of us must learn to love oneself. We have all heard the following - "Don't blow your own trumpet...Don't pat yourself on the back...and so on."

Humility is very important, but what is humility? to me humility is to confidently acknowledge one's being. We also must recognize that we are very special and blessed with unique talents. We have the power to think and create. This is an amazing gift. We are God's greatest creation so if we cannot love oneself then what can we love. Also, if one doesn't love oneself, then why should someone else. And, when you love yourself, you will then know how to love someone else completely and without conditions. So. pat yourself on the back. Remind yourself that you are very special.

The second key is to know your purpose. Without this, then one would live their entire life on accident. Because if you do not know which path you want to follow, then how is one ever going to get on it.

One's life purpose needs four things:

1. Passion - Our purpose in life should be one which drives us from bed in the morning with joy and happiness. One which will give us joy to face each and every day. You will know you are in your Passion when you are juiced going to be and you hop out of bed.

2. What you want to give - In life we must always give before we can receive. It is said if you want great wealth, then you must help enough others gain wealth (this applies to everything).

3. What you want to receive - You need to know what you want. If you are only giving then you are a martyr. So, what do you want: happiness, wealth, freedom, good health, love, strong family, etc.

4. Massive action - It won't happen by itself, we need to do it. It all starts with a thought, but it doesn't happen by a thought alone. We need to act and do whatever is necessary to achieve and live our purpose.

This area of achievement and success is something I have studied for twenty years, and it is amazing how the little things can make such a difference. Also the one thing I have learned is that the science of success is something that one will study for a life time. It is essential to always read or listen to books on this subject because you will learn something every time you do.

BBI has a great course on Goal Achievement and Time Management called Life Management Systems, and I encourage you to get it. For more details go here.

Until next time,

Jesus Balderas

Entitlement vs Discipline

This subject is something that I find keeps coming up in different forums constantly. Yesterday, I heard a great sermon from my pastor on what God thinks about hard work and discipline. As a business coach, I work with businesses of all kinds and have done so for almost 17 years now. Over the years, I have noticed that so many employees have an attitude of entitlement. I have seen people believe it is their right to have a smoke break, check personal emails, read the paper, take extra time at lunch, etc. You know the drill especially if you own a business. I see it in children as well, and this is scary.

It is almost an attitude of - what are you going to do for me, and then I will let you know what I will do for you.

This is the complete opposite attitude of success. In life and business, we are given the charge to give it our all. Be disciplined, work hard, and make your own LUCK (Labor Under Correct Knowledge). We can find it in the principle of Give and You will Receive.

I find a key in life is to give it your all in every situation. Don't hold back until you see what the other party is going to do. Often times, I find when you do give it your all, the other party joins in and gives it their all. How cool is that? The alternative is that both parties hold back a little just to see.

So, my final thoughts to success is this.

1. Lose the attitude of entitlement if you have it. And, if you don't, keep it that way.

2. Research every opportunity that comes your way, but once you know it is a good deal jump in with both feet and keep giving it your all.

3. Be disciplined every day.

4. Re-focus on your goals as often as you need to so that your actions keep pace and on target for your goals.

5. Embrace and love hard work because it is good for you.

6. Truly enjoy the success that comes to you.

Each and every job that comes your way deserves your all that includes your work, your hobbies, your marriage, your children and so on. I think you get the point.

I know this post is a little raw, but it hit a nerve so I just typed and posted.

If you would like to receive more information on goal setting and time management, I would encourage you to check out our Life Management Systems.

Until next time.

Understanding The Lifetime Value of a Client

There’s an old story of two grocers. They were sitting on a park bench. One says to the other: “You know, I’ve just gone over the figures and I divided the week’s revenues by the number of transactions and I’ve worked out the average customer is worth $72.90 to me. Have you ever worked out what a customer is worth to you Bob?”

Bob says “Sure Bill, about $75,000.”

What’s the difference? Bill was thinking in terms of one sale. Bob, on the other hand, knows about the lifetime value of a customer.

He figures it like this:

$72.90 x 52 weeks x 20 years = $75,816

What’s the lifetime value of your clients? If you don’t know, you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of opportunity.

The point is, it’s not enough to get a client in the door, sell to them and then say “Thanks for dropping by. Do come again sometime.” You have to develop a system to keep them coming back to you instead of going to your competitors. And you’re about to learn how. You’ll learn how to get them to spend more when they do, and how to encourage them to come back more often.

Did you know that there is but one formula for practice income growth? There are only three ways to grow any business:

• Increase the number of clients.
• Increase how much they spend or the profit per transaction.
• Increase how often they come back.

Here’s the equation: C x Act x F = I

Where: C = Number of clients
Act = Average client transaction
F = Frequency of transaction
I = Income

If you increase each one by a mere 10% you’ve added 33% to your income.

Add 25% to each and you’ve doubled your income. Double each of the 3 areas and you’ve increased your income by 800%! Notice the multiplying effect?

Think about how you can use this in your business.