A Commentary on the Dizzying Array of Train the Trainers

Howdy ya'll!

Hope Fall is beautiful wherever you are. I have an exciting group coming up in January I wanted to tell you about.

The Frozen to Focused is a 4 month teleclass/coaching/consulting group for folks who are looking to move their program to the next level (or to just get unstuck!).

In the course of the four months, we meet on the phone one a week for an hour each time, discussing various aspects that every program needs to be successful and sustainable. Topics include:

• Start-up Needs (Insurance, formation, etc)
• Strategic Planning
• Finding your Ideal Client
• Message Development
• Marketing Plans, PR, Advertising
• Websites, Brochures, Newsletters
• Selecting your Ideal Herd
• Grantwriting & Funding

We have special guests each month who are experts in their fields, including Mike Sowinski CPA & CFO, Brenda Dammann (who co-wrote the book with me), who specializes in Marketing, Strategic Planning & Message Development, and Elizabeth Barbour, who knows it all about networking and finding your ideal client.

And of course you'll get MORE THAN YOUR FILL of ME!!! Cool!

In a nutshell, this program combines professional consulting, personal mentoring, inspirational experience, & educational information through powerful (but simple) technology to save you time and money & get you on the road to success.

Click here to visit the information page on the HorseSenseBusiness.com website. It's got all the info you need to join! If that doesn't work, go to Equine Assisted Business Consulting section of HorseSenseBusiness.com website, and click on From Frozen to Focused Masters Group.

There is an application process, and we are accepting applications now for January's group. Download your application by visiting this page!

Look forward to having you there!

Shannon

Shannon@HorseSenseOtc.com

The third in our Mini-Workshop series for Equine Interactive Learning is coming up in September. Below is some information we've posted around town and online to generate awareness about professional development with horses. Read more about it below, and join me at the Business Building Intensive Sept 24-26 to learn all about these mini-workshops and the benefits of this series!

Horses as Teachers: Mindfulness & Self-Discovery

Friday, September 4, 1-4pm

Horses are masters at being in the present moment and grounding us in here and now. Come learn how to enhance your intention, power, and focus so that you have the right impact on the world around you. Feel renewed and balanced after spending the afternoon with these amazing teachers.

Offered in collaboration with WriteMind Institute.

Visit our HorseSenseLearning.com website to see how this information is posted on our website!

Happy Trails!

Shannon

The story behind the August Free Monthly Telecall with Dr. Anne Perkins

Well, yesterday was another example of how we may have a plan but must always be willing to adapt in Equine Assisted Practices.

This past month I was asked to be a Graduate Advisor for Prescott College's EAMH & EAL program. (I'm really, really excited about getting back into academia, in some small way, as I miss the environment and the students.) In order to "get oriented" to this school and my role, though, I had to get myself out here to Arizona for the Orientation & Colloquium August 20-23. That entailed me flying out on Wed the 19, the day set aside months ago for our Free Monthly Telecall with Dr. Anne Perkins.

While I made sure I wouldn't be in the air during the call, I could not get from the airport in Phoenix to my hotel in Prescott fast enough to be in my hotel room for the call, which was my goal. At about 20 minutes to the call time (at which point I KNEW I wasn't going to make it to the hotel,) I began looking around for a quiet parking lot for me to host the call on my cell phone. Although I found one, I must say I wasn't looking forward to an hour long call in a car in a parking lot in 100+ degree heat. I began to drive around the small town of Black Canyon City, Arizona.

Suddenly, I spied the joint Visitors Center and Chamber of Commerce for the town in a little shopping area. Thinking it couldn't hurt to ask, I walked in, introduced myself as a business owner in need of a room (a broom closet would do!) to host a telecall for one hour. They graciously gave me a desk and a chair, and I was all set!

So, you never know how your local (or someone else's local) Chamber of Commerce will be of benefit to you. Join your Chamber and get involved!

Happy Trails,

Shanon

You know the old adage...”The customer is always right.”  I had an experience the other day that highlighted abysmal customer service (I was the customer and I was right...), and hence my topic for this blog. 

Lord knows we have all dealt with customers that are difficult, and it is all we can do to try and be respectful, polite and “move them along”.  But that is the key...respect and politeness.  We can do more damage to your businesses if we choose to be rude, belligerent, loud, etc. 

My experience had to do with a bad meal and failure of the owners to rectify the problem.  In fact, when the problem was staring them in the face, they still ignored and denied it.  Needless to say it hurt them.  The power of “word of mouth” and the health department had them contacting me and apologizing profusely and offering me a lot of free meals. 

Unfortunately, they can’t go back and “unring the bell”.  They left a proverbial “bad taste” in my and my family’s mouth.  Remember...you can’t unring the bell once you have rung it.  Last impressions (good or bad) are just that...last impressions.  Those impressions move you and your business forward or set you back. 

Obviously in the world of EAP and EAL there will be moments of uncertainty where the client is concerned.  Maybe the client had a bad day, a powerful session, an emotional breakthrough, etc.  All the more reason it is paramount that we as professionals be mindful, present, polite and appropriate.  That does not mean you have to accept verbal abuse or feel threatened. 

In fact, the key here is to actively diffuse the situation with as little emotional baggage and further upheaval as possible.  While it may sound a bit cliché, I do believe the key to success here is to be grounded and centered.   

I also believe it is your responsibility to set your staff and business up for success.  Training your staff (and yourself, if you have not) in the area of customer service is critical.  Have some “golden rules” of customer service for your business.  What is your policy for complaints that come in?  What is your policy with respect to deescalating a situation with a client?  Do you have a general protocol or “party line” with respect to how you run the customer service part of your business? 

You can google customer service skills and get an infinite amount of hits.  I have attached the website of the first one I came across and it has a free booklet on “Quick Tips for Outstanding Customer Service”. www.DaleCarnegie.com 

That’s it for now.  Remember...the customer is always right! 

Lisa Wheeler

Director of Operations

Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc.

Hey Everyone – Josie here, making my first blog appearance to let you know about this month's Free Monthly Telecall,  coming up next week!

Wednesday,  July 22nd 4:00–5:00 PM EST

Shannon will be joined by insurance expert Mark Fredricksen, Vice President of Peterson, McAnnaly & Tabor Insurance, Co., home to the only EAGALA Equine Liability Insurance Program.

Click here to register!

_____________________________

Mark D. Fredricksen has held the distinction of being a Certified Insurance Counselor since 1986. The CIC is a designation that represents a commitment to continuous enhancement of one’s knowledge and service. CIC is nationally recognized as a symbol of professional excellence and leadership in the insurance industry.

As an insurance counselor, Mark can act as a third-party consultant to assist in the overview of your insurance programs, giving you an insight into the forms and cost effectiveness of your insurance program. Recommending forms, coverages, and risk management methods to help maintain control over your insurance portfolio.

_________

Don't worry if you can't make the time – just register now and an email of the recording will be sent to you after the call has been transcoded!!

Click here to see more calls like this that Shannon has held in the past. And you can visit this page to see more upcoming events at Horse Sense Business Sense.

And, as always, please contact me if you have any questions – JosieM@HorseSenseOTC.com or (828) 683-7304, ext. 113.

Take Care!

Josie

I know that many of you are planning to come to Asheville for the EAGALA conference next week. Whether it’s your first time attending a conference or you’re a veteran, here are a few quick tips to help you navigate the event.

1. Set an intention. What do you want this conference to be about for you? What do you want to learn? Who do you want to meet? Set a few clear intentions to help pave the way for a successful experience.
2. Plan ahead. Take time to review the conference agenda. Which speakers do you want to see? What fun things do you want to participate in? 
3. Build in down time. One of the biggest challenges we face when attending a conference is “there’s so much to do? How can I possibly fit it all in?” the answer is you can’t, at least not without running yourself into the ground! Prioritize and know that if you pace yourself, you’ll have a much more enjoyable experience
4. Create a tracking system. You’re going to meet some amazing people during the conference. Set yourself up with a folder to collect information. After you meet someone and get their business card or brochure, take a minute to jot a note or two about that person – what they were wearing, a resource you promised to send to them, a person in common who you know. If you do this, it will help you to follow up when you return home and you’ll be able to continue the relationship. 
5. Enjoy Asheville! Definitely take some time to walk around down town, go for a hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway and of course, visit Shannon and the Horse Sense Farm. It’s a beautiful area and you can’t learn, learn, learn all day, can you? Get outside and have some fun!
   

Set yourself up for success and have a great time!

--- Coach Elizabeth
www.elizabethbarbour.com

My original blog was “Say what you mean and mean what you say”. Today, I chose to scrap it at the last minute as I sat at Starbucks and watched the interaction between two individuals. One was clearly a supervisor and the other a subordinate. It was ugly. 

In this case, the supervisor chose a public forum and a louder than acceptable tone of voice to discuss with her employee his failure to meet benchmarks, and where he ranked in comparisons to his peers (among other things). I felt sorry for the guy until he opened his mouth in response.

My perception of his comments, tone and body language were of disrespect, disdain, and defiance. In fact, he challenged the objective numbers she placed in front of him. He actually put her on the defensive. This went on for over an hour. When I left they were still going at it.

As a boss and facilitator of leadership trainings, not only was I appalled, but red flags went off all over the place. To have observed this interaction was to see text book “what not to do” as an employee and a supervisor.

As a Practice Administrator, Director, or CEO, successfully  managing people is as important as managing money, calendars, etc. (some would argue that it is actually more important). As an employee one must have an understanding of one’s role, expectations, policies, conduct and the proverbial food chain.

This event actually made me think of a comedian and one of his characters: Jeff Dunham and Achmed. As a part of a joke, Achmed says two things:  “location, location, location” and “timing is everything”. Clearly you have to see the skit to appreciate the whole thing. However, these two things just played out in real life for what I will call Management 101. Both of these were grossly flubbed, and I suspect the end result will not be favorable or promising for either the supervisor or the employee.

So, the common sense take-home messages are:

• Discretion is the better part of valor: avoid public areas for taking someone to task.  (probably not Starbucks)
• Respect is paramount: mutual respect between supervisors, employees and co-workers is critical to the success of any team (being on the defensive should not happen)
• Have a clear plan of action: have a plan for good, mediocre and lousy outcomes (fallback for if the employee blows you off)
  

Until next time!
--Lisa
Practice Administrator
Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc

Heady times we've been living in this past week: new president, new direction, lots of change! But there's also a lot of fear in the air and, with more and more layoffs being reported all the time and the economic forecast looking grim, where is your focus?

Think about it. As professionals in this field, we know, perhaps better than most, that where we focus usually dictates where we go. If I want to go to the other side of the arena with my horse, and I'm looking down at his ears or down at my feet, we're probably not going to get very far.

If I'm wishy-washy about my intention to get to the other side, for example if my thoughts say one thing but my body language says another, my horse will sense that incongruence and respond accordingly. We may end up stopping and starting and stopping and starting, as my horse looks to me for clarification and says, "If you won't lead, I will!"

If, finally, I focus on the place I'm heading for with both my energy and my body language, we've got a fighting chance to get there, or at least to begin getting there, one step at a time.

We know, as equine-based professionals, that getting where we want to go requires more than just "thinking things into being." We've got to marshall all our resources, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, to head in the right direction for ourselves. We've got to know where our focus is, and course-correct along the way when we get pulled off target. Only then can we get to where we're aiming, whether it be the other side of the arena or the other side of this economic turmoil.

So the message here is clear: Where are you spending your time and attention? On a weekly basis? On a daily basis? On an hour to hour basis throughout the day?

Happy Trails,

EAGALA Conference 2009 in Asheville! Click here to see what we've got planned for you!

This week I’m traveling by car through the New Mexico and Arizona desert, and I’ve been amazed by the way flora and fauna survive in such harsh and unforgiving conditions. I’m learning a lot about the desert, and the surprising array of plant life it supports. The rugged terrain reminds me a lot of the current economic crisis we’re all facing.

I get asked nearly every week how clients are weathering the current financial crisis. As it turns out, all of them are doing better than the national averages in their industries and many have continued to grow in spite of the economic downturn. I thought it would be interesting to share the traits and wisdom these leaders shared with me:

Sales Focus
Well before the effects of the financial crisis began, these individuals already had a marketing plan in place and were executing their plans. They did not scrap these plans or downsize their effort.

Agility
If one part of their business started to turn downward, they re-adjusted their focus into new or more profitable areas.

Boldness
Business ownership means taking risks. These owners continued to take risks and did not shy away from the challenges they were facing.

Curiosity
These business owners are always examining their current situation, and looking for opportunities. They’re aware of every facet of their business operations at all times, and figuring out what dynamics are in play.

Planning
Each big decision is carefully planned with the use of strategic and financial information as a guide to help them make the right decisions. They also make sure each decision fits into their plans and budget for the future.

Get some clarity and direction for the new year by answering three simple questions!
Answer the following questions to give yourself some focus and direction for 2009. If 2009 seems like too much to think about all at once, just focus on January through April. But don't just think it: Ink it!

Then, take this list and post it on your desk, on your fridge or on your mirror to remind you where you want your vision and focus to be in 2009.

What are three things you want LESS of in 2009?

1.

2.

3.

What are three things you want MORE of in 2009?

1.

2.

3.

What do you most want to achieve in your EAP/EAL business in 2009?

1.

2.

3.

When you feel unfocused or like you are chasing chickens, check in with these answers again. They are sure to help guide you!

Shannon
Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc.

Horse Sense's Scholarship Fundraiser

Horse Sense of the Carolinas is committed to offering mental health and skill building services to those who need it, regardless of ability to pay. We've had a sliding scale fee since we opened and, for the last several years, have also had a Scholarship Fund, supervised and administered by our non-profit sister organization, the Mediation Center.

Activities for this fun and casual event from 4-9pm on November 8th include:

· Southern Style BBQ

· Demonstration with Horses

· Live Bluegrass Music & Barn Dancing

· Silent Auction

· Hay Rides

We're really excited about our Silent Auction, with several different Silent Auction themes, including "Gifts for the Holidays," with fun and unique gifts for all, "Support for Body & Soul," including nights out at great local restaurants, massage packages, and other services. Then, of course, we'll have an "Animal Lovers Corner," with special gifts for the animals in our lives and the people who love them (with some special items for cowboys and cowgirls!).

Past recipients of the Horse Sense Scholarship Fund have been youth groups and young individuals who have "fallen through the cracks" of the funding system in our area. We are honored to be of service, and look to your for support to help us continue.

Tickets for the event are $45 per person, or $400 for a table of 10. Or, if you can't make it and want to make a donation, click here to do so.

Want to be a Corporate Sponsor for the event? Please contact Lisa Wheeler at Lisa@HorseSenseOtc.com. Want to Donate a Service or Item to our Silent Auction, please contact Kacey Cramer at Kacey@HorseSenseOtc.com.

Thank you for helping us deliver "Real Help & Real Results" in our community. My husband Richard and I look forward to sharing our home and horses with you at our farm!

Shannon Knapp

Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc

We just completed an EIL Facilitation training at Horse Sense (see the Horse Sense Business October Newsletter for more about this), and I was reminded that every day provides two opportunities:  to be a teacher and to be a student. With this comes multiple lessons. Are you aware of when you are a student or when you are a teacher? Are you aware of the responsibilities of both? Do you ever have role confusion? Do you ever lose the meaning of the lesson?

In the activity we did the first night, the horses were the teachers and we were the students. The question to answer was: "What was the lesson they were teaching us?"  When I was able to be still and present it was amazing the lessons I learned. There was nothing new but great reminders of little lessons that make me a better person.

1) Be inquisitive and curious
2) Know your environment
3) Ask for what you want
4) Be present

In an ideal setting as Practice Administrator I have multiple roles, not the least of which is to be a daily student of my profession, a student of staff and a student of my employer. In that same vein I have a responsibility to be a teacher for these same groups. It is easier for me to be a teacher, at this point in my career, than a student. However, the task at hand is to be a better student, and pay attention to the message in the lesson. 

So ask yourself every day some simple questions related to how you operate administratively:

• Was I a good student today?
• Was I open to all that was placed before me?
• As a student, what did I learn today that makes me a better person to the internal and external clients I work with daily?
• As a teacher, did I create an environment that fosters growth?
• Does the message in the lesson support the mission of the business, the professional growth of all parties involved, and the personal growth and integrity of staff?

So until next time, be a present student and a mindful teacher.

Lisa Wheeler
Practice Administrator
Lisa@HorseSenseOtc.com

I talked to Shannon this week after a very successful Business Building Intensive (I’m sorry I wasn’t able to join you all!). She was thrilled with the attendance, with the enthusiasm and with the new ideas generated – both for her business and for all of the attendees. One of the things we discussed (which is often part of our coaching conversations) is the importance of having systems in place for your business.

If you consider yourself an entrepreneur and are building your business, you must read Michael Gerber’s  The E-Myth Revisited. He talks about three different kinds of systems: hard systems, soft systems and information systems. Systems give you structure, focus and accountability. He defines them as follows:

Hard Systems: inanimate, not living things

• Examples include: computer, office furniture, signage, day timer, business card, uniforms etc

Soft Systems: animate, living, ideas

• Examples include: people, sales script, marketing plan… all of the verbal and written communication that a client or potential client will encounter when dealing with you

Information Systems: Provide us with information about interaction of the other two

• Examples include: inventory control, sales activity reports, prospective client tracking system

If you take time to assess all of your systems, you will be able to quickly see what’s working, what could be improved and what’s missing. For a lot of new entrepreneurs, it’s the information systems that are lacking. Yet these are most critical for your business to grow and thrive.

If you do one thing to work on your business this week instead of in it, make buying and reading this book your top priority. You won’t regret it!

--- Coach Elizabeth
www.elizabethbarbour.com

Every business experiences growth. The best (and most valuable) businesses grow every year. This time, I wanted to share some tips on how to control your growth, and keep things from getting out of hand while the business grows.

• Plan. Darn it, there’s that word again-but every successful business owner does it. A business plan and budget is not optional if you want to keep from making the big financial mistakes.

• Start with enough capital. A lack of capital will constrict your growth, and cause other financial problems down the road. Monitor your personal financial picture and make sure that you know how much you are able to invest in the company, and that it is enough to pay for the growth you have planned.

• Match debt with the assets purchased. If an asset has a long life, have debt terms, and don’t pay for it with cash. If you have a tractor for example that will last for 20 years, don’t finance it for 10--or worse, pay for it in cash. The monthly payment will be higher and will hurt your business’ cash flow and amount of capital available for growth.

• Monitor your monthly payments. The important number to monitor is not how much total debt you have, but what the monthly payment is. As long as your monthly payments can be supported by the business, you are on the right track. 

• Monitor your growth rate in revenue and expenses. Periodically make sure that your growth in expenses is not exceeding your growth in revenue. If it is, see if there are some expenses that you can control more effectively.

• Take action. If you see a problem, fix it. I have seen more money wasted in this area than any other. The decisions are sometimes difficult, but waiting until things improve…particularly in the growth phase is a bad idea.

Last month we talked about how marketing is not necessarily just about getting business, it's about establishing relationships. With that in mind, what are the next foundational elements for your marketing?

1. Know Who You Are
This falls under a branch of the marketing tree called Identity, and it involves everything from your logo and tagline to your core message. Here’s the most important thing about your identity: the more accurately your identity reflects who you are, the more powerful your presence will be...and the better your chances of attracting the Perfect Client. As such, this is NOT the place to cut corners, go cheap, or try to be something you’re not.

2. Know Who Your Client Is
Just as important, know who the decision-maker is – it may be someone very different from who you expect. The decision-maker for a school program might be the school counselor. Or an administrator. Or the parent. You need to make that distinction of who you’re approaching before moving forward. Then, when you create your marketing message:

• Be exactly who you are.
• Demonstrate that you know who your client is. 
• Show you know the client’s lingo, whether it be a lay person, a doctor, a school administrator, or therapist. Each one has very different language and needs. 
• Show how you solve or address your client’s problem to make their life better.
  

3. Place Your Message Where Your Client Will Find It
Put your message where your client reads, listens, and watches...NOT where you read, listen, or watch. Businesses also make the mistake of running an ad one time and expecting a response. In today’s more cluttered marketplace, minimum frequency is now much higher – probably around six exposures – before a person will respond. 

Whew! Did you get all that? Distilling the science of marketing down to three elements is just the start of your efforts, but once you understand these key pieces, logic and common sense can take you a long way.

Brenda Dammann
The Riding Writer
www.CreativeInc.net

As the Practice Administrator for Horse Sense, I serve as Shannon’s “right hand." In essence, my job is to run the daily operations of Horse Sense. From EAP to EAL to Horse Sense, Business Sense, it is my job to have my “fingers on the pulse." That doesn’t mean micro-manage and be a part of every aspect, but rather to know what is going on. So let me share with you some things I have learned about doing my job, and keeping up with the business.

Principle 1: Have a “go to” person
When you are as busy as Shannon is (and now me) you need a person that you can depend on to help out with the “little stuff," to be a sounding board, to be a “barometer," etc. For Shannon, on any given day, that is one of my responsibilities and I feel honored that Shannon trusts and respects me. My “go to” person in our office is Josie. She fills those rolls I just listed and she does a lot more! 

Find this person in your business. I don’t think it has to be an employee necessarily if you are not structured to support this, but find someone (friend, consultant, spouse). Finally, here are the two most important components of this relationship: trust and respect.

Principle 2: Thank the people who support you (and do it often).
Acknowledging staff routinely is critical for morale and productivity. It can be one of the hardest areas to remember in the daily grind. It is so easy to be critical and find fault. I would guess for all the good going on in your business there is much less wrong or in need of change. However, I bet it is pretty easy to find fault and be critical (even of yourself). 

Recognize the daily grind, the mundane, the monotonous work that has to get done daily just as readily as you recognize something special that has occurred. A simple “thank you” goes miles! I sent an e-mail to one of the Horse Sense staff thanking them one evening, and it was the first thing they saw the next morning when they came into work. That person thanked me and told me what a bright spot that was for their day. It was easy for me to do. It took no time at all. It was sincere, and it made a difference.

Hey everyone!

This past week Liza Sapir and I presented at the Animals: Our Allies in Health conference here in Asheville, NC. The event was two days, and brought together professionals from a variety of fields, including DVM's, MD's, PhD's, OTR's and lots of others with many initials after their names!

This educational even explored the links between animals and humans from the perspectives of public health issues, from the risks associated with factory farming, and the role of animals in search and rescue. It also included presentations on "Canine Detection of Critical Health Events", and a wonderful first-person narrative by Mike Lingenfelter on animals in service to human health.

Further, Horse Sense presented specifically on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and At-Risk Youth (Trailblazers, look for the complete presentation on the forum!) and another presentation on prison programs with dogs. Representatives were there from Delta Society and many other key organizations in Animal Assisted Therapies.

It was also quite an animal-lovers event. There were many service dogs present, and even a chicken (that's a first for me!).

Happy Trails,

Shannon

Another fundamental business issue that entrepeneurs face often doesn’t relate to their work at all. It relates to their personal lives. Who they are. Who they are being.

You’ve got to have a strong personal foundation to build a successful business. Here are some areas to look at in your personal life and see how it’s impacting your business.

1. Energy Drains: What are you tolerating? What are you putting up with? What’s draining your energy? Make a list of 20 things and start eliminating them one by one. You’ll immediately free up extra energy and time.
2. Environmental Assessment: How does your environment support you? Do you love your home? Do you need to paint some rooms? Do you sleep in a comfy bed under the best sheets you can buy? Inventory all aspects of your personal environment – your home, your car, your work – and see what you can clean up.
3. Extreme Self Care/Daily Habits: How do you take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually? What activities do you engage in to care for your health in all aspects? Do you have any bad habits that you need to quit? How you care for yourself is often a reflection of how you care for others and ultimately how you will care for your business. 
4. Your support team: I couldn’t agree more what The Riding Writer Brenda said, it’s all about relationships! Consider who is on your personal team – your family, your partner, your friends, your spiritual community. Note who is on your professional team – people in your profession, entrepreneurs in your community, colleagues in complementary fields that can support you. Actively seek to build and maintain these relationships and they will celebrate with you when business is great and support you when the road gets tough.