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WALLY AMOS: BE POSITIVE
Wally Amos is the
founder of Uncle
Wally’s Muffin
Company. You can
reach him at
www.wallyamos.com.
PHOTODISC
Patient process
Keep ‘em smiling
I HAVE discovered there are two words in the
English language that are critical to success: the
“P” words patience and process. Through the
years, I’ve noticed that I have been in short supply
of both. However, teachers continue to show up in
my life to teach me the lessons I need to learn.
My latest lesson in patience has come in the
form of my new business, Chip & Cookie. Actually,
it’s not new. We opened our current store on
Oahu, in Kailua Town Hawaii, on August 31, 2005.
Following the format of opening Famous Amos 30
years previously, I had a big opening-day party.
I purchased print and television ads, figuring
because of my fame word would spread quickly
and the cookies would begin running out the door.
I wanted the business to be successful immediately. It has been said that we plan and God
laughs. Well, he must be having a huge belly laugh .
It’s two years later and still no profit. My wife,
Christine, and I, plus one of our investors, have
had to keep the doors open with personal loans
to the business.
However, if you can hang in and make
positive decisions, things will get better. Sales
are increasing, and we are planning a second
store for Waikiki in the second quarter of 2008.
In the meantime, I have had an invaluable lesson
in patience.
I learned a great lesson about process years
ago while raising money for two TV pilots that
would promote the values and benefits of reading
aloud to children. I had partnered with KCPT, a
PBS station in Kansas City, Missouri, and we all
became frustrated at how slowly things were
progressing. I learned it’s important to respect and
appreciate how other organizations do business.
Process is a humbling and great teacher.
We ultimately raised the money and produced
two beautiful and educational pilots. Unfortunately, the shows did not sell. However, we had
the satisfaction of knowing we had done quality
work, and I received a valuable insight into the
importance of process. Who knows? Maybe
patience is still at work.
Be patient and practice process in your life
and business. It makes you a better person. C
The value of taking stock
PHOTODISC
REGARDLESS
of how much
you might pre-
pare for disas-
ter, it may not
be enough. If disaster strikes,
it pays to be prepared for
the aftermath.
When the California wildfires threatened to destroy their
Escondido home, Costco mem-
bers Tana and Damian
Jackson were able to
maintain a degree
of calm, knowing
they would weather
the storm. They knew
they couldn’t stop the
fire from destroying
their home—ultimately,
it didn’t—but they were
reassured by having a com-
plete, verified inventory of
everything in it to give to their
insurance company. Their com-
pany, Total Logistics Solutions
Inc., in Burbank, California,
owned and operated in partner-
ship with Damian’s uncle René
Jones—a business inventory spe-
cialist with more than 20 years’
experience—produces a software
product called Cover Your Assets
and also provides on-site, fee-
based services.
The Jacksons offer these
reasons why businesses, and
homeowners, should compile
an inventory.
✓ Forty percent of small and
medium-size businesses do not
reopen after a catastrophic event
because of a lack of resources.
✓ Insurance companies
rely on a documented inventory
of belongings to process a claim.
They may not require it but they
do recommend it.
✓ Without an inventory,
your claim will likely take
longer and your benefit will
be smaller.
✓ You are probably underinsured, and you will not realize
it until it is too late. An inventory may help you determine
what coverage is really needed.
✓ It is easier to do now than
by memory after a catastrophe.
For more information on
the software and Total Logistics
Solutions Inc., visit their Web
site at
www.itstime2cya.com. C
IN A CHALLENGED economy,
an employer might think he
doesn’t need to
try hard to hold
on to staff. While
that may be true,
it won’t inspire
your workers to be very pro-
ductive and, the first chance
they get, they might bolt.
Costco member Paul
Spiegelman knows something
about keeping his employees
happy. The Beryl Companies
(
www.beryl.net) in Bedford,
Texas, which he started in
1985 with his two brothers,
has been rated one of the best
small businesses to work at in
Texas. Much of the success of
the company, which connects
customers to health care, is
attributed to the mind-set of
Spiegelman, the CEO, who
believes “everyone deserves a
chance to feel important.”
In his book, Why Is
Everyone Smiling? The Secret
Behind Passion, Productivity,
and Profit (Brown Books
Publishing Group, 2007),
Spiegelman shares his philoso-
phy, tells amusing and heart-
warming stories—he gave his
car to a co-worker who walked
to work and bought a plane
ticket for an employee to visit
his dying mother—and offers
tips on how any company can
retain employees and custom-
ers and enhance the communi-
ties in which they operate.
“Business is really only
about people,” Spiegelman
says. “When you treat your
people like true contributors, it
does the business tremendous
good; when you focus your
business on solid values, it ben-
efits both the community and
the economy.” C
