Sklar Technology Partners - August 2021

Sklar Technology Partners - August 2021

AUGUST 2021

7462 Old Hickory Drive, Mechanicsville, VA 23111

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www.sklartechnology.com

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804-730-2628

IT’S TIME TO FIRE YOURSELF!

How and Why to Step Back From Your Business

other projects without worrying that my absence will be a detriment to the business.

from certain areas of the business you don’t enjoy and/or aren’t your strong suits will give you the opportunity to assign that task to someone better. This is a win-win for you AND the business. Your company will perform better with dedicated experts on staff, and you’ll have more time to focus on your strengths. For example, over time I’ve slowly fired myself from things like dispatching service calls, ordering equipment, and running service calls (which I wasn’t that great at) to focus on sales and marketing (which I love). It’s a win-win.

When people ask me how I have time for my business interests outside of Sklar Technology Partners, like running Airbnbs, I like to say, “Oh, well, I fired myself!” That may sound like a joke, but it isn’t. I do still own and actively run Sklar, but I really have “fired myself” from a lot of the day-to-day activities of keeping the business going. Stepping back like this is tough for a lot of entrepreneurs to imagine, but if you have the guts to do it, both you AND your business will benefit from my experience. Here’s an inside look at what it’s like to “fire yourself” and why now might be your time.

2. Clear Business Blueprints — To fire yourself without any hiccups, you have to put plans and procedures in place that will show your team how to run things just the way you did. Right now, I’m working on this with my Airbnb side business. I’ve enjoyed getting the properties up and running, but now my fiancée, Halie, is getting ready to take over. To make firing myself easier, I’ve created listings and guides for each property, a welcome booklet for guests, and other blueprints for her. You can do the same in your business. The key has been being proactive, asking and listening to customer suggestions, and making constant improvements along the way.

2 Keys to Making It Work

The Perks of Showing Yourself the Door

If you’re the only one who knows how to do certain tasks in your company, obviously you can’t fire yourself. You’re not ready yet. To pull the trigger, I needed two things in place: 1. A Team of Great Employees — I never would have been able to fire myself if we didn’t have an awesome team. They’re skilled, they’re dedicated, and I know I can trust them to do a great job. If you have people like that on your side, you’re lucky! It took me 30 years to build this team (read more about keeping great staff on Pg. 2), and they’ve given me the freedom to occasionally work on

When I took over Sklar Technology Partners from my dad, I felt like the whole company was on my shoulders. It was up to me to do everything and be everywhere. You can probably relate, especially when you look back on the early days of your business. Wearing 1,000 hats is impressive, but I learned it’s not a smart business move long-term. The truth is that no matter how good you are, you’re not the best at everything — and you’re not even doing your best if you’re stretched thin. Firing yourself

So, You’re Fired — Now What?

Entrepreneurs are hard-wired to constantly move forward and push for progress, so it can be scary to fire yourself and lose that momentum. The trick is to find something else you’re excited about! Whatever you choose, make sure you feel like you have a purpose — that’s how you’ll stay happy.

–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!

NEVER LOSE ANOTHER GREAT TEAM MEMBER 4Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy What does it take to build and retain a dream team? When I took over Sklar Technology Partners, I spent years asking myself this question. It took me a while to find a foolproof way of keeping great staff, and even longer to make the dream team happen. But I’m happy to say we’ve finally done it. Now, my struggle can be your gain. Retaining fantastic staff comes down to the golden rule: “Treat your employees the way you would want to be treated.” I’ve been an office worker. I know how much it sucks to feel underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. I didn’t want anyone on my team to feel that way, so I implemented these three strategies. 1. Align with your core values — It took me a long time to figure out the value of core values. Once I did, it made the biggest difference with how we hire. We value skill but hire on character. For instance, our “Wow Clients Every Opportunity” value aligns employees with great attitudes. They are optimistic, love serving and love more than anything feeling appreciated. Pro Tip: if you want a Sklar engineer to give you amazing service for life, write a note of praise to our help desk so everyone sees it. We love feeling appreciated when we go above and beyond to help a valuable client! 2. Overpay them — GoBankingRates.com says in 2019 a household needed to make at least $53,400 per year to afford a home here in Virginia. It’s clear that the $9.50/hour state minimum wage (less than $20,000 per year) doesn’t cut it. If you want to keep good people, you have to pay a premium. You’ll save in the long term by keeping your high-performing workers happy and slashing voluntary turnover, which costs U.S. businesses a trillion dollars a year according to Gallup. 3. Offer extra vacation time — Two weeks of paid vacation is not enough! That’s hardly enough time to relax and enjoy a trip, especially if you have little kids at home. When I took the reins at Sklar, one of the first things I did was increase my team’s vacation time to five weeks. They’re happier and harder- working because of it. 4. Be the Boss You Wish You Had — I’ve never had a great boss. So, when I was an employee, I spent a lot of time thinking about what the ideal boss would be like. They wouldn’t mismanage or micromanage. They’d treat me well. They’d compliment my work. Now, I try to be that boss for my employees. I must be doing something right, because I have the most responsible, modest, hardworking team out there! I’m truly blessed. If you implement these tips, you can build and keep your dream team, too.

WHY DOES THE QUIP TOOTHBRUSH REALLY WORK?

Have you seen a toothbrush that’s always showing up in Facebook ads? If you don’t have one already, it might surprise you that quip, the company that invented it, currently has a net worth of over $1.14 billion. How did they get there? Unlike most consumer product companies, quip didn’t start with a product first. They focused on a problem first: People weren’t brushing, changing brush heads, or flossing nearly enough. Using those shortcomings as a starting point, they began to revolutionize the dental product industry. Inventing a New Design After seeing the sleek, modern design of a quip toothbrush, it won’t surprise you that two industrial designers invented it. Co-founder and CEO Simon Enever got the idea for quip toothbrushes in 2012 after a visit to the dentist in Queens, New York. His dentist mentioned that, despite electric toothbrushes working so well, people still didn’t use them enough. That day, Enever called Bill May — who’d worked for Lifetime Brands like Farberware and KitchenAid — and they started working on the company and product idea. But how do you break into a market dominated by two corporate brands? Existing electric toothbrushes worked great. But Enever, like most Americans, just couldn’t find one he wanted to use. The toothbrushes were heavy, the charging stands were clumsy, and the brush itself often felt too big, too small, or too oddly shaped. From there, Enever and May stripped down many expensive, unnecessary features that toothbrushes had while keeping the most useful features, like a buzzing timer. That led to the signature, simplistic, and familiar quip toothbrush design we know today. Creating a Worldwide Trend With a competitive, affordable price ($25) and subscription service, quip makes it easy for users to stay on top of their oral health. Quip also works directly with dentists, who offer patients free quip subscriptions if they come in for six-month checkups. With quip’s sleek, light, and convenient design, and even a Bluetooth app for tracking and rewarding customers with healthy brushing habits, it’s no wonder quip toothbrushes are a worldwide success. Enever and May’s innovation wasn’t really in the toothbrush itself, but the way they envisioned how a toothbrush can encourage people to keep brushing. We think it’s safe to assume that many other dental brands, even other health-focused brands, will take inspiration from this approach.

2 • www.sklartechnology.com .................................................................................... Security. Availability. Support.

HOW TO CRAFT THE PERFECT EMAIL And Save Yourself From Embarrassing Typos

3. Download Grammarly Randy swears by Grammarly! It’s an AI-powered browser extension that acts as a writing assistant. You can install it at Grammarly.com , and it will automatically check your spelling and grammar in emails, Google Docs, and other online communications. 4. Cut out Filler Words Unnecessary words like “that,” “basically,” and “just” can bog down your writing and make your emails seem long-winded. When you reread, cut them out. You’ll immediately sound smarter and more polished! Visit GrammarCheck.net/Filler-Words/ for a list of words to snip. 5. Learn From the Experts Last but not least, turn to the pros. If you’re writing business-related emails and other documents, Bond Halpert and Dan Kennedy are excellent guides. Check out Halpert’s book “The Halbert Copywriting Method Part III: The Simple, Fast, & Easy Editing Formula That Forces Buyers To Read Every Word Of Your Ads’’ or Kennedy’s “The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers. Boost Your Sales.”

How many times have you dashed off an email in the heat of the moment and hit send only to realize your message was riddled with typos?

We’ve all been there — and none of us want to go back. To save yourself from future embarrassment and level up your emails, implement these five tips today.

1. Pause and Reread This tip is simple, but it can make the difference between a terrible email and an effective one. Before you hit send, reread every word of your message no matter how long or time-sensitive it is. 2. Try the Talking Test After you reread silently, reread it again out loud. It’s amazing how effectively this trick reveals words,

phrases, and sentences that are awkward or incomplete. You’ll also discover mistakes, because your brain won’t be able to automatically skip words like it does when you read silently.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad (Yes, Really!) Inspired by BonAppetit.com

Bon Appétit magazine calls tomato and watermelon “soul mates,” and they’re right! This surprising gourmet salad will be a hit at your next barbecue.

Ingredients •

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4 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 8 oz feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp peppercorns, coarsely crushed 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

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1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

Sea salt, to taste

1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions 1. In a small saucepan, sauté spices and herbs in the coconut oil for 3 minutes over medium heat to create turmeric oil. Take the pan off of the heat, then let it cool. 2. Combine the watermelon, tomatoes, and feta on a large platter or in a bowl. Drizzle with cooled turmeric oil. Now, simply sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!

Security. Availability. Support .................................................................................... 804-730-2628 • 3

7462 Old Hickory Drive Mechanicsville, VA 23111 www.sklartechnology.com 804-730-2628

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Inside This Issue

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Is It Time to Fire Yourself?

Why Does the ‘quip’ Toothbrush Really Work?

4 Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy

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How to Craft the Perfect Email

Tomato and Watermelon Salad (Yes, Really!)

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Wake Up Without Coffee — Really!

3 NATURAL WAYS TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY WITHOUT CAFFEINE Don’t Reach for the Coffee

sit on the floor and lay your legs out in front of you. Stretch forward, then sit back up. Next, position your right foot on the opposite side of your left knee. Keeping your hips centered, turn your torso toward your right foot so that your right arm is on your right knee. Switch to the other side and repeat as needed. Finally, pull your head toward your shoulders to loosen your neck. Go for a Walk When you wake up in the morning, head outside! Movement stimulates your brain and improves your mood, and the act of walking is relaxing enough that it doesn’t require much effort on your part. Plus, it’s a great way to get your steps in, wake up slowly, and get outside before a busy day. Just Breathe This might sound like it will lull you to sleep, but there are actually some breathing techniques that can help you wake up! The “breath of fire” is a rapid-fire breathing technique, during which you inhale deeply, exhale deeply, inhale deeply again, and then exhale quickly. Repeat this as needed. Other practices that focus on breathing, like yoga, can be effective, too.

If you can’t start your day without your daily cup — or cups — of joe, you’re not alone. More than 450 million cups of coffee are consumed by U.S. residents every day, and

unfortunately, heavy caffeine consumption may not be healthy. (It’s a big reason why celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carrey, and Kim Kardashian don’t drink it!) Moderate amounts of caffeine can improve your mental health, and some studies suggest it could even prevent some chronic conditions. However, there are major downsides to overconsumption, which equates to more than four cups of coffee each day. These can include high blood pressure, addiction symptoms, and decreased mentality.

If you want to break out of the caffeine cycle and reduce how much coffee you drink, try replacing that cuppa with one of these methods!

Stretch After lying in one position all night, your body may feel stiff and achy. Stretching awakens your muscles and helps you break out of that groggy morning feeling. Start with your back and do some slow core twists. Then,

Waking up isn’t an exact science, but once you find a healthy method that works for you, you may never need coffee again. (Gasp!)

4 • www.sklartechnology.com .................................................................................... Security. Availability. Support.

IS YOUR WEBSITE LOSING YOU CUSTOMERS? Get a New Look for the New Year!

Have you had the same website for the last year? The last five years? The last 10?!

If you have, consider this your reminder: It’s a new year, and you need a new look.

When potential customers find you online, your website is your handshake, so you want to make the best first impression possible. Don’t greet them with a limp, sweaty palm! 5 SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE

If your website is ...

1. Tough to navigate from a smartphone 2. Antiquated, with an outdated design 3. Missing a chat box or other communication feature

4. Not up to date with the latest security and SEO optimization 5. Missing a strong call to action that grabs readers

Then YOU CAN DO BETTER!

Let us take your website to the next level, protect your >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

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