Getting Couture In The Wilderness Using A Virtual Assistant

May 26, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I joke that Laura and I live in the wilderness here in Parksville as it is missing some of the amenities like going to the movies which we have to drive 20 minutes south to Nanaimo for.

Parksville has many other blessings that include breathtaking nature at our doorstep, all the cycling, hiking and kayaking that you can handle, a fabulous community of friends and a pace of life and traffic that is like going back in time 30 years.

It’s that time again when I have to update my uniform ( suits ) because one can’t be speaking at NAIFA’s National Conference in Washington, DC in September without the couture … did I just write that?

So with the only fine men’s clothing store going out of business in Nanaimo a few months ago, I have to either go to Vancouver or to Victoria to purchase suits especially when I am north of 6’ 3” and 250 lbs. – meaning off the rack in a department store isn’t going to happen.

If you are like me, time is of the essence and I want to make the most of it and I don’t care for shopping.

To make the suit purchasing easier, Laura had a Virtual Assistant research the fine men’s clothing stores in Victoria and call them with the following questions.

I’m in Victoria this Thursday and Friday presenting workshops for Desjardins Financial and Edward Jones and I’m going to take the time to get one more thing off of my to do list so that I’m ready for the new financial advisor speaking season this September.

Based on my comments IN BOLD, I believe number 6 will be a winner.

1.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? Yes – about 7 different lines.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store? No. However, unless you are over 6’3” he does not recommend going to tall. Very often a regular will fit – MY THOUGHTS – THIS COMMENT IS A MAJOR DEAL BREAKER, I’ll LOOK LIKE A GORILLA IN A REGULAR SUIT AS MY ARMS WILL BE HANGING OUT THE BOTTOM AND I’LL BE EXPECTING A FLOOD AT THE SAME TIME.
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? They can do full custom suits from 2 custom lines – both from Canada. The length of time it takes depends on the fabric – stock fabric is within days; if custom fabric – about 2 weeks depending the cut.
What is the price range? Open at $695 – top out $1100, with an average of $800 (after tax) alterations are free of charge and done at the store – turn around is a week to week and a half

2.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? They do made to measure only. – MY THOUGHTS – GIVEN THE DISTANCE FROM PARKSVILLE, MADE TO MEASURE WILL NOT WORK AS I CAN’T MAKE IT BACK FOR FITTINGS, AN OFF THE RACK SUIT IS BEST WITH ALTERNATIONS.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store?
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? Yes.
What is the price range? $850 to $1300 plus tax. It will take about 4 to 5 weeks.

3.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? Yes.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store? Yes. $1100 and up - MY THOUGHTS – WORTH LOOKING AT.
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? Yes. About 4 weeks.
What is the price range? For a made to measure suit this depends on the cloth – $950 and up. He buys his fabric from Italy and England.

4.

Tried this number repeatedly – always busy. Checked online to make the number is correct and it seems to be correct.
Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s?
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store?
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them?
What is the price range?

5.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? Yes.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store? The only thing they have in store currently in that size is a black suit single breasted. In-stock orders (they have them but just need to bring them in) take about 10 days. – MY THOUGHTS – BASED ON #6, MAY NOT BE WORTH MY TIME.
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? They do custom orders. Custom takes 3 to 6 weeks depending on factory and fabric.
What is the price range? $998.00 and up (for in the store, in-stock and custom)

6.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? Yes.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store? Yes. Solid navy, strips, 2 charcol, 5 black. Start $795 and up to about $1,000. All Canadian made.
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? Custom – has to pick fabric first. 300 fabrics, 30 or 40 for business. Once the fabric is picked, then you select style. About 10 different styles for business. They have try-on’s in the store and then they make alterations based on the try-on. Suit sale on July 1st to 31st for custom suits with 30% off fabric. He said it works out that you get a custom suit for the price of a rack suit. – MY THOUGHTS – LOOKS LIKE A WINNER.
What is the price range? Depends on fabric more than anything else. About $995 – $1600 full price for the made to measure 2 piece

7.

Does your store offer higher quality FALL / WINTER business suits for a professional man in his 50s? She said yes but am not sure given their price point.
Do you have any 48 TALL in the store? Yes.
Can one choose from fabrics so that you can order them and then tailor them? Alterations only done in store – seamstress on site. No custom.
What is the price range? $310 for jacket $140 for pants. $399 for a suit – MY THOUGHTS – WITH RESPECT, THEIR PRICE POINT IS TOO LOW FOR A DECENT SUIT.

Free One Page Business Plan Webinars June 7 & June 23rd – Register Now!

Announcing Leading Advisor’s One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars and the One Page Business Plan(TM) Webinars!

“If you don’t get the words right, you might build the wrong business and may never get the numbers right.”

The date for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars are:

  • Tuesday, June 7th at 11:15am EDT
  • Thursday, June 23rd at 1:45pm EDT


Who should attend?

  • Do you have too many scattered ideas?
  • Do you need to focus on a few?
  • Do you need to jumpstart your business right now?
  • Do you have no time or interest in writing a 50 page business plan?
  • Do you need to determine if you’re focusing on the right things?
  • Do you need an effective blueprint to keep yourself and team focused?

Then consider a fresh, simple approach to business planning that will enable you to focus on what is important…the One Page Business Plan(TM) – a powerful tool for building and managing a business. It’s short, it’s concise, and it delivers results quickly and effectively. There can be no question as to where your business is headed when it is in writing, especially when you have the key essentials about growing your business clearly specified on a single page.

Is this another ho-hum course on business planning like the ten others you have attended – no way! I know how to capture the essence of any business in just a few minutes using the innovative key word and short phrase techniques using the One Page Business Plan(TM).

To Register for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars:

Call Laura at 250 248-6012 / 1 877 248-6012 or e-mail Laura at lreilly@leadingadvisor.com and you will receive your GoTo Meeting Webinar Link, Phone Number and Access Code.

  • Tuesday, June 7th at 11:15am EDT
  • Thursday, June 23rd at 1:45pm EDT

 

Filed under: Vision & Planning
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Overload! How Too Much Information is Hazardous

May 24, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Jonathan B. Spira’s book Overload! How Too Much Information is Hazardous to your Organization caught my eye a few weeks ago.

It’s hard to believe that Duran Duran’s song Too Much Information was published in 1993 at the dawn of the information / internet age.

“Too Much Information”

Destroyed by MTV,
I hate to bite the hand that
Feeds me so much information
The Pressure’s on the screen
To sell you things that you don’t need
It’s too much information for me

Hey TV Child look into my eyes
Here by intervention I want your attention

Promotion Boy in a suit and tie
He wants you to use it
You’re too shot to loose it

Feeling the pinch of constant information overload, back in November of 2010 I coined the phrase Imagifragmentation meaning that too much information is fragmenting my concentration and imagination.

So I am always looking for ways to manage information to create the space for concentration and imagination.

Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.
If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life.

- Wu-Men

Thank goodness that we consumers are being driven to action to buy and consume either an Android Tablet, iPad or PlayBook to help us to eliminate our distractions … challenge is which one do you buy?

Free One Page Business Plan Webinars May 25, June 7 & June 23rd – Register Now!

Announcing Leading Advisor’s One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars and the One Page Business Plan(TM) Webinars!

“If you don’t get the words right, you might build the wrong business and may never get the numbers right.”

The date for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars are:

  • Wednesday, May 25th at 12:30pm EDT
  • Tuesday, June 7th at 11:15am EDT
  • Thursday, June 23rd at 1:45pm EDT


Who should attend?

  • Do you have too many scattered ideas?
  • Do you need to focus on a few?
  • Do you need to jumpstart your business right now?
  • Do you have no time or interest in writing a 50 page business plan?
  • Do you need to determine if you’re focusing on the right things?
  • Do you need an effective blueprint to keep yourself and team focused?

Then consider a fresh, simple approach to business planning that will enable you to focus on what is important…the One Page Business Plan(TM) – a powerful tool for building and managing a business. It’s short, it’s concise, and it delivers results quickly and effectively. There can be no question as to where your business is headed when it is in writing, especially when you have the key essentials about growing your business clearly specified on a single page.

Is this another ho-hum course on business planning like the ten others you have attended – no way! I know how to capture the essence of any business in just a few minutes using the innovative key word and short phrase techniques using the One Page Business Plan(TM).

To Register for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars:

Call Laura at 250 248-6012 / 1 877 248-6012 or e-mail Laura at lreilly@leadingadvisor.com and you will receive your GoTo Meeting Webinar Link, Phone Number and Access Code.

  • Wednesday, May 25th at 12:30pm EDT
  • Tuesday, June 7th at 11:15am EDT
  • Thursday, June 23rd at 1:45pm EDT

 

Filed under: Clear Your Roadblocks
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NAIFA-Iowa Financial Advisor Speaking Testimonial

May 16, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I received a wonderful compliment recently from a great colleague and client, Michelle Grassley Clarke, Executive Director for NAIFA IOWA. I just had to share it!

Thank you Michelle!

“In November 2010, NAIFA-Iowa launched a new program to bring MDRT quality speakers to four locations in our state. Simon Reilly of Leading Advisor was one of our speakers. Simon was a joy to work with, and our attendees gave his presentation very high marks. In response to our survey, 95 percent reported taking at least one thing away from the event that they could put to work in their practice immediately and 97 percent felt the program was worth their time away from the office. I personally got so much from his talk that I’ve retained him as my business coach. We’ve been working together for just over four months now, and I’ve already seen a vast improvement in my management company’s productivity and our bottom line.”

Michele Grassley Clarke
Executive Director
NAIFA-Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA
mgc @ grassleygroup.com
www.naifaiowa.org

 

Filed under: Testimonials
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Book Your Next Holiday Right After Your Current Holiday

May 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

It is said that the best way to book a holiday is to book it right after your current holiday and this we have done:

  • July 25th – July 29th, 2011 – Staycation – Why leave Vancouver Island in the summer?
  • August 29th – September 2nd, 2011 – Staycation – Why leave Vancouver Island in the summer?
  • January 20th – January 30th, 2012 – projected dates in the British Virgin Islands

Along with this notion, I’m offering the following question; What must be completed to enable me to take a holiday – July 25th – July 29th, 2011?

 

Free One Page Business Plan Webinars May 11th & 25th – Register Now!

Announcing Leading Advisor’s One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars and the One Page Business Plan(TM) Webinars! 

“If you don’t get the words right, you might build the wrong business and may never get the numbers right.”

The dates for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinars are:

  • Wednesday, May 11that 11:15am EDT
  • Wednesday, May 25th at 12:30pm EDT


Who should attend?

  • Do you have too many scattered ideas?
  • Do you need to focus on a few?
  • Do you need to jumpstart your business right now?
  • Do you have no time or interest in writing a 50 page business plan?
  • Do you need to determine if you’re focusing on the right things?
  • Do you need an effective blueprint to keep yourself and team focused?

Then consider a fresh, simple approach to business planning that will enable you to focus on what is important…the One Page Business Plan(TM) – a powerful tool for building and managing a business. It’s short, it’s concise, and it delivers results quickly and effectively. There can be no question as to where your business is headed when it is in writing, especially when you have the key essentials about growing your business clearly specified on a single page.

Is this another ho-hum course on business planning like the ten others you have attended – no way! I know how to capture the essence of any business in just a few minutes using the innovative key word and short phrase techniques using the One Page Business Plan(TM).

To Register for the One Page Business Plan(TM) Free Webinar:

Call Laura at 250 248-6012 / 1 877 248-6012 or e-mail Laura at lreilly@leadingadvisor.com and you will receive your GoTo Meeting Webinar Link, Phone Number and Access Code.

  • Wednesday, May 11that 11:15am EDT
  • Wednesday, May 25th at 12:30pm EDT

 

Filed under: Vision & Planning
Tagged: , ,

Do The Books You Read On Holiday Keep You(R) Mindful?

May 2, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

In a way, mindful was one of the reasons that I wanted a one week holiday in Nuevo Vallarta because my mind was just too full and too busy with business development projects and it was time to give my mind a rest.

According to the book, The Mindfulness Revolution mindfulness means; conserving the energy of the mind.

Our eight days of rest in Nuevo included sitting and reading by the pool, going for beach walks and romantic dinners.

By the fourth day of our holiday I was still looking for the book that would give me the reading bliss that I was looking for.

I had started looking for that special book a few weeks before our holiday and picked up a few books in my travels that included:

• Drive by Daniel H. Pink

• The Mindfulness Revolution edited by Barry Boyce

• Tell To Win by Peter Guber

Feeling that I hadn’t quite found the book two days before leaving for Nuevo, I went searching between flights at an Edmonton airport bookstore and really felt like I had found the perfect book:

• The Dreamseller – The Calling by Augusto Cury

Still not feeling sure about which book would do the trick, I brought them all on our holiday.

I had read three quarters of The Dreamseller, the best parts of Drive, the first chapter of Mindfulness and the first chapter of Tell To Win and again I just wasn’t feeling it the fourth day of the holiday.

Laura wisely commented that I had unconsciously brought along books that were too closely related to my work and as an example, even though The Dreamseller is a fictional inspirational book, it is too closely related to coaching.

So what to do?

Laura pointed out that someone had left a book behind in our condo called Any Known Blood by Lawrence Hill author of The Book Of Negroes. Laura had read The Book Of Negroes and she just loved it.

Thank you to Laura for your wisdom, to the person that left behind Any Known Blood and to Lawrence Hill for the incredible writing that allowed me to conserve the energy of my mind and take me on an eye opening and heartfelt journey through Any Known Blood.

 

Filed under: Clear Your Roadblocks, Personal
Tagged: , ,

8 D’s Before A HoliDay!

April 22, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

Laura and I are headed for Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico April 23 – 30 returning back to work on May 2nd.

I’m leaving you with a re-post of 8 D’s Before A HoliDay!

Wishing you a Happy Easter.

1.Deadline because the plane is leaving, there is no looking back so we have to

2.Decide When to

3.Do It or

4.Delegate It or

5.Defer It or

6.Dump It and then it is

7.Done in our mind so that we can leave the business

8.Door Closed for the time that we are on holiday

 

Filed under: Vision & Planning
Tagged: , ,

LENT – Learn & End Negative Thoughts

April 18, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 

I ran across two very interesting articles in the Saturday, Feb 9th edition of the Vancouver Sun as I’m always keeping my eyes open for both old and new ideas about inspiration no matter what the media or the creed:

• The revival of Lent offers lessons for all – People of any faith can benefit from ‘fasting from distractions’ and opening our hearts to love, even in the midst of grief

• MRI technology used to treat anxiety, depression – Patients who observed their brain activity on screen were able to engage in self-reflection and learn to control negative thoughts

If found it interesting that these two articles, one from Science and one from Spirituality are both talking about the same thing – Learn & End Negative Thoughts.

 

Filed under: Clear Your Roadblocks
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