Christopher V. Flett

“Money’s my business….and business is gooooood!” Well, as you can see, I’m doing this journaling/blogging thing a little more frequent this year because…I’m excited. I’m like a gear head who has a perfectly great sports car, but needs to take it all apart to squeeze those extra few horses out of the engine. Business last year was good! It was very good. And this year (day 6) is already showing enormous opportunity. I’m experimenting with a bunch of different things. Here’s what I’m considering:

• Ditching a personal cell phone (just use the office cell phone)
• Ditching my Blackberry (I can check email when I’m in a wifi hotspot)
• Opening up the client roster and taking a full load in April (take it up to 40-60 clients)
• Bringing on one to three assistants in Seattle to help me with my different models there (interviewing next week)
• Finishing a book on building a big sustainable business in six months (Chapter 1 is already done)
• Launching Campus CEO on campuses in the US before we even get the one in Vancouver finished (We start in Van this month)
• Dropping 40 lbs. (I’m bringing sexy back to the bottom line)

“WTF are you talking about Flett? Get rid of the Blackberry? God damn you! No personal cell phone! OUTRAGEOUS!!” Well, I have in my possession a new iTouch. Like the OCD, ADHD hack I am, I have found the best apps for business coaching and added them. Because I’ve been known to squeeze a quarter so hard, the moose and queen french kiss, I’m opted for mostly free ones. I have a profit calculator for examining margins, skype for free international calls (I already have a number and I’ve paid $30/year for unlimited calls to Canada and the US), I have my to-do list, my email service, et al.

The question is, can I run an $800,000 book of business this year on less than $1,000 a month in expenses? WHAT? ARE YOU NUTS? In a word…maybe. I’ve found that when I limit my resources (money, time, labour, etc.) I actually get more done in less time, with less money, and less…aggravation. I’m surrounded by cellphones (personal, business, company, blackberry, etc.) Why? 90% of my communications is either in person or by email. And of the 200+ emails I get each day (I know, it’s disgusting), I need to take action on about 8.

What if I fortified my model with exceptionally trained gate keepers to handle: admin, media inquiries, research, scheduling, etc? What if all I had to do in the work week was 1) See clients for their sessions; 2) See my coaches to discuss their models; 3)Meet with partners to discuss our ongoing activities. I think I can do just shy of a million dollars in business (personally) in 1/4 the time I invested last year. C’est possible??? Mais oui!

Stay tuned my fellow CPs. You too can watch a revolution or train wreck happen right before your eyes. I told a client today that I was thinking about opening up the model in April. I got five emails today from her colleagues. Must get gatekeepers trained, and in place, immediately.

C/