Remember that song: "Hello, it's me and it's been a while?" Somehow, with all of the efforts I'm putting into my dog blog and then my family's annual Adirondack vacation, I've neglected to put in some time here.
Thought I'd get two things done at once to make up for my absence. Write a post that introduces you to someone I first met in 2005 and do a book review of her very first book! Let's get the show on the road.
Wisdom in a Traffic Jam, by Angella Luyk
The typical profit and loss statement for the janitorial industry is pretty bleak. Most companies grow by just one-to-two percent annually. “Many,” says Angella Luyk, the CEO of Midnight Janitorial, “ see only a marginal amount of money or end the year with a deficit. They end up chasing their tails.”
She knows what she’s talking about. In 2005, she started a commercial cleaning company with her husband, Harry. Angella assumed the role of CEO and Harry became the CFO. Together they grew a company that defied the odds and went on to achieve stellar success.
They worked hard that first year and saw a 20% growth in business by year's end. Deciding that an annual growth of 25-30% would be a realistic, manageable target goal, they put together a business plan to meet that percentage. And each did what they do best.
And for each year to come, they met that target goal.
In 2007 Midnight Janitorial was a Rochester Business Ethics award finalist, and a 2008 winner. Additionally, the company was named 2008 New York State Employer of the year (one of five companies in twenty years to win from Rochester).
And then, Angella wrote a book.
Rather than write about Midnight Janitorial, Angella writes about her personal philosophy for starting any business and then describes all of the things that she did that led to the incredible success of her company. Everything that Angella did can be applied to the majority of traditional business models.
If you have ever wanted to pick someone’s brain about what it takes to start a business, Wisdom in a Traffic Jam, by Angella Luyk, is the book for you.
By her own admission, Angella was naïve about some business practices when she started her company. And, she doesn’t hesitate to describe some of the things that happened to her – all with the intent of making sure that none of this happens to you.
For example, she arrives at one of her very first professional networking events wearing shorts and a shirt. After making quite the startling entrance – everyone else is wearing standard business attire – Angella realizes her mistake and also realizes that she’ll look even worse if she turns around and leaves.
She handles this with her trademark humor and is able to turn it into a learning experience for herself and for anyone in her reading audience who is as inexperienced as she was then.
While Angella may have needed some tips about successful networking when she was just starting out, she was fully prepared at putting together an appropriate business plan before she introduced herself to the business community at large. She focuses on the practical applications of putting that plan together in Chapter One. Everything that she outlines is easily transferable to a business that you may be thinking about starting.
The chapters about networking and branding are two you will want to read more than once. If you think you are already a pro at this, consider one fact that Angella forgets to mention in her book. She becomes so proficient at networking in her local community and in developing her brand, that she grows her business on referrals alone.
That’s a powerful statement. How many of you would like to be able to make the same claim? You’ll be off to a good start after you’ve read Chapter 5 – The Secrets to Getting Your Name Out There.
What you’ll discover as you read Wisdom in a Traffic Jam, is that Angella has included some of her professional colleagues’ insights as well. Want to hear how one financial advisor set her sights on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa and how that trip almost magically came about? Maybe you’d like to read about how a guy in the auto industry decides to build his professional brand around what women say is important to them in car repairs.
These inspiring stories are just two that are woven into the book. You’ll also get valuable tips and suggestions about how to have an online presence, effective sales strategies, goal setting and much more.
Angella’s conversational writing style makes you feel as if she’s talking directly to you. The result is that she delivers her message in a light-hearted, unabashed celebration of belief in whoever is reading her book.
Starting a business isn’t easy nor does success happen quickly. But, if you want to take the plunge by starting your business with a cheer leader in your back pocket to keep you on track, buy Wisdom in a Traffic Jam today. Then, as Angella writes, “ Share your wisdom with everyone and the world will be a wiser place.”
Please note: I am an affiliate for Wisdom in a Traffic Jam and will receive some monetary compensation if you buy ths book from any of the links in the post or by clicking on the badge in my sidebar.
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