That’s My Opinion By Ron Sturgeon
rons@rdsinvestments.com
Be Skill Savvy
everywhere I went. I did it because I understood the value of networking, and I put everyone’s information in it. I never entered a person’s information without including their full address and phone. Most of my friends made fun of me for being the nerd with the Rolodex. However, they all also relied on me for phone numbers. In 1999, when I did a pri- vate stock offering, I had over 3,000 con- tacts in my pocket Rolodex because I had networked or done business with them. Using just that list, I was able to sell out my private stock offering in 21 days. In fact, I actually attracted more investors than I had stock to sell. This story is a reminder to you to net-
I
n 1992, before smartphones and email existed, I carried a pocket Rolodex
work. It’s also a reminder to keep your tech skills up-to-date. Can you build a spreadsheet? Use PowerPoint? Upload to SlideShare? Draft a letter in Word or edit a document using “track changes?” Convert a doc to a PDF? Manage your e- mail and docs to work smart? As a leader, you should know all of these basic skills. Stay current. Get ahead of the curve. Go to seminars. Learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Understand how to use private groups on Facebook to sell more to current customers. If you want to do better for yourself and make more money, you need to learn skills that will make you more valuable. You become promotable by looking for areas that the business needs help in and learning the skills needed to give it.
Volunteer to learn new skills, such as controlling inventory, making presenta- tions, budgeting, or reviewing contracts. Add any of these marketable skills, and it won’t be long until your paycheck reflects your higher value. Work at mastering these. The Rolodex is gone. Today, I use an iPhone, Facebook, and LinkedIn. At nearly 60, I’m still eager to find new tools to be a better businessperson. Remember only you can make business great!
Ron Sturgeon, an author and founder of Mr. Mission Possible small business consulting,
www.autosalvageconsultant.com, combines over 35 years of entrepreneurship with exten- sive experience in consulting, speaking, and
business writing. Ron shares his expertise in strategic plan- ning, capitalization, compensation, growing market share providing field-proven, high-profit best practices.
24 Automotive Recycling | March-April 2015
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