Mistakes happen. Oftentimes, we learn and grow only after making a mistake. Having said that, there are some mistakes that are made through carelessness that can really hurt your business. In this episode, Mark G. Richardson shares the top 10 mistakes all business owners will want to avoid this year as they look to grow their businesses. Only through planning, can one achieve greatness.

What will your theme for 2018 be?

Mark G. Richardson consults with a number of businesses in the home improvement industry and he's seen a few growth themes become more dominant than others over the years. Why is having a theme important you might ask? Establishing a theme for the year can help provide a consistent direction and can create alignment within your company.

Take a listen as Mark breaks down 8 themes proven to guide your company's growth plans and what each one means:

Theme #1 - Exceed expectations

Theme #2 - Listen, learn and respond

Theme #3 - Synergy (1+1=3)

Theme #4 - People are your greatest asset

Theme #5 - Failure is not an option

Theme #6 - Aggressive but realistic

Theme #7 - Growth creates opportunities for all

Theme #8 - The future is now

But that's not all! Once you've settled on your business's theme for the year, Mark goes a step further by outlining an easy 8-step process to help you successfully implement your theme throughout your company.

Would you like direct feedback from Mark regarding your business theme? Send an email to [email protected] and he'll gladly help you not only strategize but help you with communicating your unique theme to your company.

Welcome back, listeners! Today's episode is a critical one as you think about and strategize how you'll grow your business this year. Take a listen and hear from Mark G. Richardson - leading authority in the home remodeling industry - as he outlines the foundational principles (fitness factors) a business will need to sustain long-term growth.

What better way to kick off the new year than by learning the top predictions most likely to impact your business in 2018? That's what Mark G. Richardson - leading authority in the Remodeling Industry and Author of 3 books - is here to talk about. You'll want to sit back, relax, and take some notes for this one as Mark shares his top 10 predictions all business owners will want to know.

Find out how the most successful remodeling businesses are managing client expectations by controlling the selection process with these 10 tips.

People buy emotionally but rationalize their decisions logically.

When it comes down to it, most businesses are the same. They provide the same service - whether that is roof repair, window replacement, or so on - and the end product is similar. What can businesses do to then help convince clients to get excited about seeing their home projects through? Use your value to help them rationalize their decisions logically.

In this episode, Mark G. Richardson - leading authority in the remodeling & home services industry and author of 3 critically-acclaimed books - shares creative ways businesses can communicate their value and differentiate themselves from competitors. There are many nuances in the client experience that can have monumental effects on value - from professionalism on the job site to sending personal follow ups.

If you're not changing, you're not growing. In this episode, Mark G. Richardson breaks down what this statement means and how business owners can better plan for the future as they grow their companies.

To do so, you'll want to consider a few things:

1) How is the world changing - What major events are taking place around the world that could impact your industry and business?

2) How is your industry changing - What are the latest trends in technologies and tactics being used?

3) How are you changing - What are you doing personally and professionally to grow?

Watch Mark's webinar at: https://webinar.surefirelocal.com/time-mastery-workshop/

3 Steps to Smart Change

Step 1: Focus on the future. Spend a few hours each week to think about how things are changing. See if you can anticipate major trends before their time.

Step 2: Don't keep change a secret. In every staff meeting, make change an integral part of the discussion.

Step 3: Establish a committee. Bring together forward-thinking people within your company to brainstorm and advise you how to change.

Write it down!

- If a business is not changing, it will quickly become irrelevant.

- Change is not an option! Your business will have to strategically plan to change as it grows and the world and technology evolves.

Thank you for tuning into Mark G. Richardson's podcast series, Remodeling Mastery! Today's episode is #76 and is brought to you by Surefire Local.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Learn what baking cookies and getting referrals have in common

- A 10 Step process to create a "self-generated lead" culture within an organization

According to Mark, businesses that see the highest degree of success will have the ability to create self-generated leads. These are referrals from past & current clients. Now, where many fail in getting referrals is due to a lack of culture. Some don't know how to empower their sales people and others don't have the processes in place within the organization.

Creating a culture that inspires referrals takes time and patience. When it comes to self-generated lead activities, you'll need to change the habits, the patterns, and the mindset of your team's thinking if you're going to be successful.

That's where Mark's 10 Simple Steps to Create a Business Culture that Inspires Referrals comes into play! Listen & learn the 10 steps and how to implement them within your organization.

WRITE THESE DOWN:

- Success is achieved when you stay focused, committed and invest the right capital

- Be patient and know that you likely won't see full returns until 6 to 9 months into the process

- Try not to judge individuals within the organization on how they embrace change as each will have their own work style

SAVE YOUR SEAT FOR MARK'S WEBINAR: http://sfsoc.us/2nk1MAS

"People are your greatest assets," says Mark G. Richardson.

In Mark's book "Fit to Grow", he developed 12 themes that allow a business to grow. One of those themes revolves around people - the employees that are doing the work day in and day out that contributes to your success.

In this episode, Mark talks through the various stages from hiring to training and building relationships with your employees that enable them to grow within the company and become leaders.

Are you asking the right questions? In this episode, Mark G. Richardson talks through the 10 questions every business owner should ask themselves to find solutions to better manage their business and anticipate future challenges.