Sklar Technology - September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021

7462 Old Hickory Drive, Mechanicsville, VA 23111

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www.sklartechnology.com

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804-730-2628

My 3-Step Approach to Persuading Tough Cookies WHEN AND WHEN NOT TO BUILD A HAY WALL

Randy’s hay wall

communication open, offered to use my mower to cut other folks’ grass, and invited people over to fish in our pond. It’s hard to keep arguing with someone once they become your friend. It worked! Before long, one couple down the road invited my family to church and brunch afterward.We went with them and had a great time. Before we left, they even pulled me aside and asked if we could get together again and talk about more of my ideas for the community. The Secret 4th Step My three-step approach almost always works, but sometimes it doesn’t, which is where the secret fourth step comes in. That step is: “Never give up.” I had to use it for one last, stubborn neighbor. He wouldn’t hear my compromises for the noise and light problems. So, one night, I fixed them for him! I piled all of my hay bales into a wall between our properties so he doesn’t have to see the farm at all. Like any entrepreneur with a dream, I’m not giving up. Do you have a method for changing minds while still listening to the ideas of others — so solutions can work for everyone? I’d love to hear how you do it, or how my method goes for you if you try it out. Send me an email or fill me in the next time we talk.

strategy to convince tough cookies to come around to my point of view. I decided to try it out on my neighbors. I hoped that if I played my hand right I could show them how great the venue idea was and find a way we could all benefit. Step 1: Show empathy. The first step in a good negotiation is to agree with the other side. This will catch them off guard and show them how reasonable you can be.When my neighbors told me they worried about the noise, light, and traffic, I said, “I totally understand!” My reaction disarmed them, and all of a sudden they were ready to listen. This step goes back to an old proverb: “You can’t have a war if the other side won’t pick up a weapon.” Step 2: Propose solutions. You can’t bring someone around to your side if you won’t compromise. So, I offered to hire a traffic control company to deal with the traffic from the farm, and I also reminded the neighbors there was already a noise ordinance in place in the area.We went back and forth like a game of tug of war, but soon almost everyone had opened their minds to my idea. Step 3: Maintain a good relationship. In addition to offering compromises, I went out of my way to be a good neighbor. I kept my lines of

What can you do when you’re in a stalemate with someone who’s stubborn? I asked myself this question a few months ago when my plans for an Airbnb property came up against a group of unhappy neighbors. As I’ve mentioned before, I own a farm that I’m turning into a wedding and event venue. I’m really excited about the project. There aren’t many (or any) places like it in the area, and I think it will be great for the neighborhood. But when my neighbors heard about the idea, they weren’t so thrilled. The Case of the Unhappy Neighbors My neighbors didn’t see the farm the same way I did. I thought the venue would be awesome, but they worried about bright lights and loud music late at night. They were also concerned about having more traffic on the roads after dark. In fact, they gave the project a big thumbs down; so, I had to ask myself, “Now what?” 3 Steps for Persuading Tough Cookies I meet people who don’t agree with me all the time. Sometimes these folks are clients, sometimes they’re other entrepreneurs, and sometimes they’re members of my own family. We all have our own perspectives! Over the years, I’ve come up with a

–Randy Sklar Security. Availability. Support. .................................................................................... 804-730-2628 • 1 A REFERRAL IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY. WHEN A CLIENT REFERS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES TO US, IT REPRESENTS AN APPRECIATION OF A JOB WELL DONE. IF YOUR FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES, I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR REFERRAL!

FEELING THE URGE TO HIRE? Save Money by Trying These 3 Things First Hiring is one of the most exciting parts of entrepreneurship. It feels like proof that your business is thriving and moving toward its goals. In theory, every new hire will help your company grow and bring in more revenue — but that doesn’t always play out. The truth is that new hires are expensive. According to a 2016 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, it takes $4,129 and 42 days on average to bring in a new hire! Our job market right now is even tighter. Companies can also waste money by hiring the wrong people or hiring at the wrong time (ex. when they can’t afford to or could boost revenue elsewhere). If you’re getting the itch to hire right now, consider these three other ways to tighten your ship first. 1. Incentivize efficiency in your current team. In last month’s newsletter, we explained how to keep great employees: Overpay them, offer them lots of vacation time, and treat them the way you would want to be treated. Those things also work as incentives! Try them and your team will stick with you and perform well. You can also set goals with built-in rewards that are tied to key performance indicators (KPIs) for each team member, and create a system that benefits high performers. 2. Upgrade your problem customers. Every business has ball-and-chain customers. These people are high- maintenance or low-margin and suck up time, money, and energy. To propel your company forward, do what you can to upgrade these problem customers. If they refuse, your company will be lighter without them, and if they accept, you’ll be in a better financial position to hire. 3. Streamline your offerings. If a restaurant has Italian, Chinese, and Mexican food on the menu, you should probably head for the hills. Why? Well, because when you try to do too many things, you can’t do any of them well. The same is true for your business. If you have dozens of products and services, you can benefit from reducing them to the ones you’re truly excellent at. Your company will stand out from the crowd, and you’ll increase your efficiency.

One upside to spending more than a year at home was that many people donned their aprons, learned new recipes and techniques, and began cooking meals regularly in their own kitchens. Even as restaurants reopen, over 70% of Americans say they’ll keep their new habit of cooking at home because it’s healthier and cheaper. That said, the average American can only whip up about five meals without a recipe at hand, and many people cook and eat the same types of protein and vegetables over and over. One easy way to avoid boredom is to keep your main staples but diversify your sauce routine! When in doubt, learn one creamy sauce and one herb- or citrus-based sauce. Here are a few examples that work particularly well for chicken, America’s favorite animal protein. These can be used with your other favorite meats and your favorite vegetable preparations, as well! 5-Minute Honey Mustard Sauce To avoid hearing “chicken again?!” add this honey mustard sauce from PinchOfYum.com to your repertoire. Simply whisk together 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp white vinegar, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper for a delicious topper for all meats. Simple Lemon Herb Sauce Want a lighter, healthier option? Go for an oil-and-herb sauce like FoodNetwork.com’s “Chicken With a Lemon Herb Sauce.” In a blender or food processor, add 1 peeled clove of garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup freshly chopped herbs of your choice (they recommend a mix of parsley and mint), 1 1/2 tsp ground pepper, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, and 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse all ingredients together until well mixed and the herbs and garlic are coarsely chopped. Quick Miso Maple Sauce This umami-filled sauce from Kitchn.com brings a lot of flavor with just three simple ingredients: 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce, 1/2 cup maple syrup, and 1/4 cup miso paste. That’s it! Whisk the ingredients together and pour over oven-roasted, pan-seared, or grilled chicken and serve. These three sauces are a great place to start, but if you find yourself uninspired in the kitchen, just look up “simple sauces” online and the protein or vegetable you’re preparing. The internet will come to the rescue every time! CookWith the Same Ingredients Without Getting Bored THE SECRET SAUCE

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