How to Choose the Right Coach for You

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COACH FOR YOU

The coaching industry attracts consultants, therapists, and people with good intentions who want to help. But because there’s currently no regulatory board or set of, the prospective coaching client should choose a coach wisely.

Evaluate their credentials
A business coach should have some formal training, and have some understanding of organizational dynamics including how to navigate corporate culture.

Other questions: Is the coach part of any organizations? Does the coach publish books or articles? Does the coach offer products and services in addition to coaching?

But don’t take degrees and certifications at face value. They tell you nothing about the quality of the coaching.

Evaluate how they work with clients
Many organizational consultants direct you toward answers without involving you in the solution. That’s not coaching. A skilled coach will engage you in dialogue, give you a new look at an issue, and ultimately let you decide what’s best.

The coach’s role is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that you already have. Coaches are trained to listen, to observe, and to customize their approach to meet your needs. Coaches will elicit solutions from their clients; but a skilled coach also knows when to jump in and provide direction when you get off track.

Make sure they’ve been in your shoes
Make sure your coach has experience in your area and speaks your language.

Many therapists jump on the coaching bandwagon. While the therapists may have skills and knowledge that help them work on personal transformation, they’re not necessarily best at helping you adapt your leadership style or improve work performance.

Other ways to learn about a coach:
-- Read their bio, and ask about their background.
-- Ask them if they’ve worked through the issues you’re having.
-- Visit their website and see how they market themselves.

Look for testimonials and get real referrals
Most coaches will post a client list or testimonials on their website so you can see what their clients think. Beware of anonymous testimonials.

Ask for names and numbers of clients to contact, to validate the coach’s work. Call them. Ask specific questions such as:
-- What was it like to be coached by this person?
-- Did they help you achieve your goals?
-- Would you hire this coach again?

Make sure you fit with your coach
Trust your instincts when deciding whether or not the coach truly understands who you are and what you need. You may want:

-- A coach who’s direct and will act as a constant “swift kick in the behind.”
-- A coach who provides advice and talks about their experiences.
-- A coach who listens as you pull the answers from inside yourself.

Ultimately, you will want a business coach with whom you have great rapport, who you would trust with certain details of your life as well as your observations, who will not judge you.

Communication

Mike Tafoya discusses the importance of communication and how meeting agendas can keep your lines of communication clear with your employees and managers. If you would like to see more business video tips like this, check out Mike's video tips of the week.

Denver Business Coach Denver SEO Business Training Denver Estrada Strategies Mike Tafoya

Out of Touch Means Out of Business

(Source: Rieva Lesonoski)

"I am a positive person, an optimist, almost a Pollyanna. I generally see the upside of most situations and keep the light at the end of the tunnel in my sights. However, even I have my limits.

Things are bad out there. Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton and current professor at University of California at Berkeley, said Tuesday morning that we are rapidly heading from a recession to a depression. Hopefully we won't get there, but does this really surprise anybody? From November 2007 to November 2008, 2.5 million Americans lost their jobs. Just last week the Wall Street Journal reported that an additional 45,000 people were about to lose their jobs. And we all know it's not going to end there. Bankruptcies and foreclosures are up and it's anyone's guess what big name retailer or manufacturer is going to shut down next.

A few weeks ago I asked if you were a lion or a mouse. So how do you feel after reading that last paragraph? Do you lions take all this bad news as a challenge, inviting you to be more creative, innovative and, well, thrifty? Or are you a mouse, scurrying for a corner and waiting for the storm to pass? Or perhaps worse (and this is what has my dander up) you are an ostrich, burying your head in the sand, refusing to listen to or even be aware of what's going on in our world.

Apparently, there are a growing number of people out there who think that this will all go away if they don't think about it. Seriously. I won't name names, but there's a well-known, feel-good author/speaker who's telling people to stop listening to the mainstream media for 30 days. That way they can stop hearing all the negative things being reported and just focus on the positive. I was trolling around Twitter the other day and someone wrote how she told a journalist at her local newspaper to stop "being so negative." And she blamed the paper's falling circulation on all that negative reporting!

Get real, people. The media, mainstream or not, is not making the bad news up. Nor is writing about it the reason they're losing circulation (could it be the Internet?). Not paying attention to the bad stuff doesn't make it go away. When you open your eyes in a month, it's still going to be bad out there and you'll just be more ignorant than you were 30 days earlier. And while a few of you may believe that "ignorance is bliss," believe me, it's not. Ignorance is, well, ignorant. And you can't start, grow, or even maintain a business if you are out of touch with reality.

Don't get me wrong. I am a big believer in the power of positive thinking. But in business, positive thinking is more than learning the "secret" of willing yourself a great parking space. Everything you do needs to be put in context. Your customers and clients are changing their behaviors based on today's economy. You need to know what's going on, so you can tweak your offerings to appeal to their new mentality.


I don't want to sound unsympathetic, but someone else's bad news can be good news for you. If you don't know that Circuit City is closing its doors, you're going to miss out on some great deals. Or if you sell electronics, wouldn't you want to know that one of your biggest competitors is gone and their customers are now up for grabs?

Tuesday's New York Times reported that the transition industry is booming right now. These are the companies that prepare and train laid-off workers for future employment. Is it possible someone reading this article will decide to start a transition company and join the ranks of successful business owners?

In the long-running musical The Fantasticks the young heroine is encouraged to put on a mask every time she spots something bad to block out the reality. But she only finds true love and happiness when she sees the world as it really is (warts and all) and makes the decision to live her life with her eyes wide open.

In the closing lines of his inaugural address President Barack Obama told us "with [our] eyes fixed on the horizon" we can get through "this winter of our hardship." That doesn't mean bury your head and hide from reality. It means keep your head up and focus on the better times ahead.

Six Keys to Developing a Successful Business Plan

Written by: Mike Tafoya

“To build a successful business, you have to begin at the end.”

Creating a clear business plan is an essential task for every leader who wants to operate a successful, smooth running, self-sustaining company. While it takes time and effort, having such a strategic roadmap will enable you to view your business from a higher plane and to quickly evaluate its strengths and inefficiencies. It will also empower your employees by freeing them to accomplish your company’s goals and to fulfill its mission and vision without your constant, hands-on involvement—which also frees you up from the day-to-day work, or, as we call it, “Doing the do.”

I have identified six key elements every successful business plan should include. The first three encompass what we call the organizational “Culture,” while the second three comprise its business “Systems.” Lacking these business elements almost inevitably leads to employee confusion, conflicts and other workplace problems that undermine product quality and business performance—and makes it almost impossible to remedy them. Since most businesses do not have a clearly defined culture or defined systems, by taking these steps you will gain an immediate advantage over your competition. Below is a brief description of our Six Keys:

CULTURE

1. Vision
A one-sentence statement that defines the ultimate impact your business is going to make on the community. It should state what you want to accomplish in terms of an almost unattainable goal or dream. A good vision statement makes the connection between your business's passion and its purpose. My rule for Vision is: “People will work harder for a vision then they will for a paycheck.” Your vision statement should inspire, motivate and excite your employees, clients and the community where you do business. It should be short, concise and easy to remember.

Remember, a vision is not merely a large goal. It differs from a goal, in that you almost never quite achieve your vision—it is a virtually unattainable ideal that motivates your employees to meet and exceed your company’s practical objectives. In other words, goals are used to measure systems and processes, while vision is the fuel that ignites people to go beyond goals to excellence. A company’s top leadership has the responsibility to drive its vision. Without the support and encouragement of upper management, your vision will fail to have the impact the company needs to outperform your competition.

Example—“Estrada Strategies: “Creating an Opportunity for All Businesses to Succeed”

2. Values
Core Values are the rules of conduct in your business: a clearly defined set of standards that describes your organization’s approach to relationships. It is a written code of conduct defining how all stakeholders will treat people internally and externally, including other workers, clients, vendors and the community.

Without defined rules of conduct, people have little or no direction as to what constitutes acceptable behavior in your business. In the absence of such values, individuals will create their own rules. Experienced employees will default to values acquired outside the company in prior work environments. Some may have a positive impact, others may not. With no defined values, managers have a difficult time leading people, whether it means handing out accolades or taking disciplinary action. Your business’s core values are non-negotiable within the company environment. When they are broken, swift disciplinary action or termination is usually in order. When management fails to uphold written values, employees soon figure out that they mean little or nothing—they become token values that everyone winks at and no one takes seriously. However, if core values are upheld, the company can use them to guide every aspect of the business.

Example—“We believe in frequent, open and honest communication.”

3. Mission
A short, concise declaration of the four essentials of every business: 1) What you do; 2) How you do it; 3) Whom you do it for; and 4) Where you do it. Your company’s mission statement is truly the roadmap for your employees; it is also a management tool to communicate how your company will operate in the community.

A mission statement is not a long dissertation, like those from corporations in the 1970’s and 80’s. Those lengthy proclamations were often viewed as unrealistic, empty rhetoric aimed at impressing bankers and the like. Today, they are used to guide the company’s overall direction, as well as its daily business activities. Beyond providing essential guidance to your employees, it empowers them to make swift, effective decisions by establishing critical boundaries. Without a clear mission, a company will often become paralyzed whenever it encounters a new situation as it attempts to figure out what to do.

Example—“Our Mission is to lead our small to medium-sized clients to greater success. Our
Method is to bring about behavior modification through business training, one-on-one
coaching and business monitoring. We Advance our Vision by being the business example
for our clients.”

SYSTEMS

4. Growth
A well-thought-out plan for growing your business that clearly defines these four elements: 1) Your target market; 2) How to market your product to the target; 3) An advertising strategy; 4) Brand creation that establishes a unique visual and emotional identity.

The rule for growth is, "You are either green and growing or you are ripe and rotting." Without growth, a company will likely fail. A growth plan is the lifeblood of your organization. It includes your company's sales process, marketing, advertising and branding systems.

1) Sales—the entire process that defines the demographics of your future clients (your target
market or “suspects”), as well as the foundational activities that drive new relationships and will
lead to future opportunities, sales, customers and referrals.
2) Marketing—the activities in your company that create visibility, credibility and demonstrated
ability in the marketplace. Low cost/high impact is a critical element of this process, which
communicates to your market who your company is, what it does, where it does it and how it
does it. Marketing supports sales, but must not be confused with sales. Remember, marketing
is about visibility, credibility and demonstrated ability. These elements build trust and branding
in the marketplace.
3) Advertising—Systems in place that bring potential clients through your doors, make the phone ring and create leads. Advertising is all about making sales. It is the promotional aspect of growth, and concerns how your company attracts its customers. It also tracks where and how
your customers discovered your company. Ultimately, advertising is all about return on
investment (ROI).
4) Branding involves the processes that create product or name recognition in the marketplace. It
comprises the visual and emotional impact people connect with your name, logo and tag
lines. Think of Nike’s “check mark,” or McDonald’s golden arches. Does the market know your
logo, name and tag? That’s the test.

5. Operations
Operations encompass the “nuts and bolts” of how a company satisfies customer needs, wants
and expectations—the blueprint that defines how a company produces its products or delivers its services. The focus here is on the five components of your company’s processes or way of doing things: systems, quality control, labor standards, material management and Internet technology.

1) What your systems/processes are. These define how your company executes, produces and
provides its products and services, including procedures, materials and process manuals.
2) How your company will control the quality of its products and services.
3) Productive labor standards that define the labor-cost relationships of providing your products and services. Think in terms of a piece worker who may be expected to produce X amount of product per X hours, a day, a week or a month. Also, think in terms of labor costs vs. overall revenue or net income. Such labor standards provide the needed benchmarks for your employees and for your managers to track and measure performance.
4) Material management or the cost of goods sold. How your company physically manages and
stores its raw material before and after products are produced. It also focuses on keeping material, shipping and storage costs to a minimum. The goal here is to minimize inventory without running short on needed materials.
5) Internet technology—how your company will use the Internet to advertise and sell your
products. The focus here is how your company effectively uses its website to promote and sell its products and services. Some companies have glorified brochures on the web, and that might be all they need. Most companies today are moving into the e-commerce where prospects can purchase items over the internet.

6. Finances
The financial aspect of your business involves how you manage budget planning, cash flows, capital and debt servicing, KPI’s or Key Performance Indicators—like pipeline and sales values, total revenue, gross margins, operating expenses and net profit to name a few. In the end, KPI's serve as the monetary numbers that define the health of your company. The process, in short, means developing a budget that covers three years of monthly projections for your business in these three areas: 1) Income statements; 2) Cash flow statements; and 3) Balance sheets. An experienced leader tracks his KPI’s weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. He knows exactly where the company stands financially at any given time. KPI’s make up the financial information a leader needs to make strategic decisions: to buy a building, increase inventories, or purchase new equipment. Running a business without KPI’s is like driving a semi-truck on a mountain road with blinders on. You are likely to drive the truck right off the cliff.

While having a successful business plan defined in terms of these six key components won’t absolutely guarantee that your company will be successful, not having one will almost inevitably lead to failure. Estrada Strategies exists to help businesses like yours succeed, in part by providing business training, executive coaching, and business monitoring you need to create a dynamic business plan.

Mike Tafoya - Denver's Best Business Coach

This is a great little introduction of Mike Tafoya, the Estrada Strategies Business coach in Denver. He works out of Englewood, CO and can help both small and corporate businesses.

Converting Good Salespeople to Great Salespeople

(Source: Greg Nanigian)

After 18 years of helping Chief Execs, Sales Managers and Sales People capitalize on their strengths and overcome weaknesses, here are my Top Five ways to Convert your good salespeople to great salespeople!

1.) Create a contest. That's right and here are some categories: Most Improved; Most Guts; Most 'Coachable'; Best Prospector; Best Closer and Most Receptive to New Ideas. Notice many of these have as much to do with getting results as they do with being able to improve performance. So, many of these categories recognize growth and improvement in sales effectiveness and that's what it takes to bring a good salesperson to greatness!

2.) Get them on a good Goal Setting Program. Believe it or not, most salespeople are more motivated by their personal goals than company goals! It makes sense doesn't it? Don't you want salespeople working for you that are motivated by money? Now, let's get them focused on making money, let's get then into a good goal setting program. Ask them to come up with three or four things that they'd like to buy in the next year. Have them spread the total amount over twelve months and add it to their monthly expenses. Now, help them to figure out what sorts of behaviors are going to be necessary in order to achieve those goals. Specifically, how many sales calls, contacts on the phone, dials and sales. All of this must be boiled down to daily activity. In the end they'll actually know what they need to do each day in order to achieve their goals! This will give them renewed focus and motivation! And it will be the most compelling kind of motivation, the which comes from within - self motivation!

3.) Start coaching them daily to their behavioral goals. Meet with them in person or have a telephone appointment each day, even if it's just ten or fifteen minutes to review their actual behavior against goals. Use this time to review their behavioral goals for the next day as well. If they had a rough day, it's your chance as "Coach" to "put then back together" so they go home with a clear head, wanting to perform tomorrow. Also, daily coaching sessions are your opportunity to 'tell it like it is'. When someone isn't performing to goal, let them know. Then make suggestions as to how to improve performance and let then know you'll be there tomorrow, same time, same place to coach and help again.

4.) Recognize successes, even the little ones. Be sure to give out those compliments, but keep in mind compliments for performance MUST be earned. We must not compliment negative and thereby reinforce non-productive activities. However, to help build the salesperson's self-esteem and build more of positive activities we need to be sure to compliment it. So if a salesperson's goal for the day was to make 30 dials and they had never done that many before, be sure to commend them for it and even praise them for it during a sales meeting. It doesn't have to be a sale in order to be worthy of a stroke. Sales will come if the proper activities are happening combined with the proper techniques and attitude. Our commendations add fuel to keep these necessary activities, techniques and attitudes going and growing to help the average salesperson become the winner.

5.) Enroll them in a professional Sales Training Program. Non-Traditional Re-enforcement Sales Training is the most effective available today. It is highly effective with prospects and clients yet a very natural and comfortable approach for the salesperson. Always have your salespeople assessed for growth potential and strengths and weaknesses before you start them in sales training. In this way you will be sure to have the right training for each person, from the start and save time!

Following these suggestions on average will bring another eighty-five percent effectiveness from your salespeople. That's a huge increase in sales with no increase in benefits or having to hire anyone new! Plus it will be great for morale and your people will respect you even more for what you have done. Anyway, working with winners is always more fun, exciting and the profits are greater!

For more business training tips, click here: www.estradastrategies.com/dtc

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Advice for Setting up Your Business

Are you thinking about setting up your own business? Have you an idea for a new business but are unsure about how to proceed? If you have answered yes to either of these questions, this article could be of benefit to you. I am going to write about how to plan and create a successful small business.

Many people are looking at ways in which they can become self-employed as they have had enough of being dictated to and fed up of long and frustrating commutes to work. They want the freedom of being their own boss and to be able to choose their own hours of work.

Leaving a full time career can be quite a scary prospect however. The security of having a regular income and other benefits such as a pension and a share save scheme can seem hard to let go. I am sure many people whether rightly or wrongly have opted to stick with this security and to merely keep their business plan as an idea, which they never see through or use.
Other people are willing and happy to take the risk and see it as a way of getting out of the rat race.

When you have an idea for a new business you then need to think of a name to call it. I would keep this name quite short as it makes it easier to remember for people. It obviously needs to have something to do with the business sector you are entering.

You will now need to work out how much money you will need to set up the business. This can be quite daunting but is essential. In the short term I would advise to keep these start up costs as low as possible, you can always buy or rent better machinery in the future as an example.
Once you are aware of how much money you need, you then have to find it. You may have enough yourself via savings or a redundancy payout, however most people are not in this position. If you do not have enough money, you could try and raise money via the family, by seeking a partner or by releasing the equity from your house. There is also the option of a business loan.

The next stage is to market your product or service. There are many ways of doing this including:

• The internet via a website
• An advert in the newspaper
• Direct marketing in the form of leaflets
• An advert in the yellow pages
• Exhibitions
• Trade fairs
• I would advise finding out where other people from your industry advertise as they will have tried and tested many of the above options.
• Speak with a Business advisor or business coach in your area to help develop a business plan

You then need to work out how much to charge for your product or service. I always keep these charges fairly low at the outset in order to attract as many people as I can and to get some income in. I then hope that word of mouth will take over and the idea is that after a few months I will be in a position to increase my fees.

It is also important to realise that we will make mistakes along the way. When this happens we need to think positive and not to beat ourselves up. It is an experience we can learn from.
Always have belief in yourself. At times any business will go through a rocky period, this is when we need to be strong. In my opinion the more work we put in, the more rewards we are likely to obtain.

Self-discipline is one of the keys to your success. Being able to choose your own hours of work may seem like a dream but it can prove to be many peoples downfall. We have to ensure that we work the required amount of hours. It is far too easy to stay in bed for that extra hour or to arrange yet another game of golf. These things are fine once you are established, but this is a long way off at this stage.

(Source: Steve Hill)

Thinking about 2009

written by Kevin Kragenbrink

Wow, it is hard to imagine that 2008 is almost at its end. It has been an incredible year. An economy in turmoil, a presidential election of historic proportions, and a greater degree of uncertainty than I have seen in the business community in more than a decade of business coaching. Despite all of that, I am optimistic about next year. I have a plan in place that I think will help me reach new heights with my business. Speaking of plans, I wanted to talk with you all about how you are developing yours for next year.

Here is a planning principle I hope all of you have in mind.

Plan from the Vision Back

Over the years we have helped hundreds of businesses develop strategic business plans. Along the way we have seen some of those plans produce tremendous success and some of them fall far short. The difference between success and failure is often where the plan starts.

In my experience, the most successful strategic plans start with the vision and plan backward from there. Those that fail are most often those that start with what happened in the past and try to build on that alone. Here is the problem, if your plan is based only upon what has happened, you are always limited by what you know you can do. You will plan to grow or change only in comparison to your accomplishments in the past. You may indeed grow in this way, but you are not likely to reach your potential.

Think of it like climing a mountain. When you start out you fix your eyes on a distant peak that you want to reach. Along the way your path will take many twists and turns. You will likely find that sometimes you have to down or back before you can continue your climb up and forward. Still, if you keep your sights set on that peak, you will always know where you are headed. If, on the other hand, you turn and look back and try to decide your next move based on where you have been, you will not be able to set a clear path. You may gain a sense of accomplishment and pride from what you have already done, but that will not get you to the top of the mountain.

When you plan from your vision back, you change the process completely. Vision in business is about your potential regardless of obstacles and roadblocks. It is about that future level of accomplishment or success that creates and sustains your passion and gives your team something to work toward. It is that mountian peak that you believe you can reach even though the entire path is not yet clear. When you start your planning with this in mind your plans define a path to that vision and gives you the tools to make the right decisions along the path.

Here’s a tip: As you prepare your next strategic plan, take the time to review your vision. Make sure that everyone on the team has a clear idea of that vision and talk together about the path you will take to make that vision a reality. Now ask the question as you develop each piece of the plan, how will this contribute to accomplishing our vision. If you make every part of the plan meet this standard, your plan is much more likely to be effective and your chances of success will be the highest they can be.

Of course, I also want to encourage you to plan with your business coach alongside. Remember that your business coach is a valuable asset who can help you expand your perspectives and see that mountain peak with greater clarity. They can act as a guide along the path, helping you to avoid pitfalls and wrong turns because of their experience. You don't have to go it alone.

The Importance of Seeking Business Advice

Aligning yourself with a trusted business advisor is one of the most valuable pieces of advice that anyone can give you. Entrepreneurs are by nature mavericks—--daring, inspired, “idea-people" with the grit to overcome extraordinary obstacles. They are visionaries who are empowered by an innovative idea, a passionate drive to set out on their own, and a burning desire to succeed. This independent, pioneering spirit is not only the power that drives entrepreneurial innovation, but it is also the perennial Achilles heel for entrepreneurs seeking the help of others.

Perhaps, the biggest mistake many entrepreneurs make is seeking business advice from a professional business advisor only when they are in trouble! A truly proactive entrepreneur surrounds himself with talented people, has a realistic vision, and is able to communicate his vision. Successful entrepreneurs bring in advisors to help them architect the future, chart a course, and stay on track when things are good, not just when things are bad. If you’re starting or jump starting a business, the importance of assembling a team of business professionals cannot be overstated.

Succeeding in business demands a proactive rather than a reactive approach. Seeking business advice is a good thing --- it is proactive, rather than reactive. The key to entrepreneurial success lies in the ability to plan, implement, execute, measure, and adjust. It is very difficult, in most cases, for an entrepreneur to accomplish all of these on his own. Having an impartial advisor--not an emotionally invested friend or family member—--can be an asset. Choosing a general business advisor is a serious decision. It is important that you select a business advisor who is competent, experienced and has both integrity and expertise---an individual that you can trust in this newly formed fiduciary relationship.

There are no hard, fast rules for making the decision to engage a business advisor. However, certain commonalities in business situations suggest the possible need for the advice of a business advisor:

• Management believes that performance could be better, but is uncertain on what steps to take to achieve these improvements.
• Management does not have the specific knowledge and skills necessary to solve the problems that it has identified.
• Management has the necessary knowledge and skills, but not the time or personnel to solve problems.
• Management’s efforts have not produced the desired long-term improvements.
  Management requires an independent, third party opinion, either to confirm a decision or to provide alternatives.

Business Consultant with New Approach Arrives in Denver

Written by T.P. Beh

“You can’t sell. Your business isn’t worth anything,” were the startling words Mike Tafoya received from his business mentor. How could that be, after he had turned a failing Southern California company around, making it into a multi-million dollar success story in just five years? What kind of counsel was that from a wise, trusted advisor? “You are the business, Mike,” he said, “Without you, it doesn’t work.” With those words, the lights began to go on, launching Tafoya on a new career path that would eventually land him in Colorado.

“What I came to realize,” Tafoya says, “was that my business was completely dependent on me.” Needless to say, Tafoya’s goal of selling the business for enough money to retire would have to wait. The stark reality of his situation forced him over the next three years not only to come to grips with his company’s deficiencies, but to take an entirely new approach as a business owner. With his mentor’s help, his redefined career goal became building a self-sustaining business that was profitable and thriving (which he could sell for enough to retire). In the process, he discovered Estrada Strategies.

Tafoya’s destiny in business became clear early in life. A Colorado native born in Pueblo, his family moved to Anaheim, California when he was a young boy. From the age of 12 he was busy babysitting, gardening and selling subscriptions for the Orange County Register, taking his first “real” job at 16 at a stained glass business, The Glass Hopper. By the age of 18, Mike had established himself as a successful real estate agent with one of the largest realty firms in Southern California, buying eight apartment units along the way. At 20, he was able to purchase the Glass Hopper, which he operated for four years.

Tafoya next took a marketing and sales position with WindowMaster Products, a San Diego window manufacturer, where he pioneered business for the firm in most of So. Cal’s largest counties. Due largely to his marketing efforts from 1984-1989, the company grew from $12 million to $50 million in sales. Upon leaving WindowMaster, Mike became the product and operations manager with a small glass installer in Mission Viejo, Heinaman Contract Glazing, helping the sub-contractor grow from doing $3 million to $12 million in business over the next five years (’90-’95). During his time at WindowMaster and Heinaman, Tafoya gained valuable leadership experience in employee management and coaching.

In October 1995, Tafoya became the owner of the struggling Richelieu Glass Co., changing its name to RGC, Inc. and multiplying its sales more than 10 times from $287,000 to $3,000,000 over the next five years. Having achieved a fair degree of success by the year 2000 at age of 43, Mike was hoping to do other things when he was smacked in the face with his mentor’s, “You can’t.” It forced him to take a hard look at the extent—and limits—of his business knowledge, experience and resources. Faced with problems he didn’t anticipate and couldn’t solve himself, Mike says he did what most entrepreneurs and CEOs do: “I hired a consultant.” Fortunately, he eventually introduced Mike to Reuben Estrada, owner of a business development firm, becoming a client of Estrada Strategies (ES) in 2001.

Rather than the kind of “quick fixes” provided by most consulting firms, ES offers clients a fully developed, long-term, business solutions program centered on training, coaching and mentoring. While companies commonly seek help with specific issues they have in, say, management or administration, ES focuses on modifying the perceptions and behaviors of the business owner. A guiding principle: “If you fix the business owner, the business fixes itself.”

Mike soon learned that one of the prime deficiencies at RGC, Inc. was a lack of what ES calls “a defined culture”—no clearly articulated connection to the passion and purpose of the business as well as rules of conduct or behavior, outlining the what, why, how, who and where of the company’s operations. As Mike now informs others, “Without defining these areas, there’s really no leadership, and the company lacks the ‘fuel’ it needs to drive the business.” Instead, it leads to conflict and chaos in the workplace. It also makes it almost impossible for the business to be self-sustaining, or to operate independently—much less to have real value.

The second piece of the puzzle ES helps businesses put in place are systems. “A company that isn’t systemized has little impact,” Mike states. Systems, including Growth, Client Retention, Administration, Operations, Information Technology and Finance, provide an operation with self-sustaining structures. Creating such an infrastructure allows a company to establish benchmarks for evaluating employee performance and to identify practices that lead to increased profits. As Mike puts it, “It helps the owner see the business from a higher plane, where he’s able to achieve measurable results, identify efficiencies and empower his employees to greater accomplishments.”

The Estrada Strategies program enabled Tafoya to put lacking systems in place at RGC and to define its culture. Once that was done he promoted his sales manager to V.P. of Operations and established a mentoring/reporting relationship with him, freeing Mike to be on site only half a day a week. Within two years, RGC had become a self-sustaining business that went from $287,000 to $3 million in profits, which enabled Tafoya to realize his goal of selling it with enough to retire in 2005.

Taking a year off to pursue personal interests and to focus on individual growth led Tafoya to “define the culture” of his own life. Realizing that over his 30 years of business experience, his true passion was people and that what he loved to do most was help others be successful, he came up with: “Building Lives, Building a Future.” From there it was an easy step to becoming an ES franchise owner. Moving to Colorado in 2007, Mike settled in Castle Rock with his wife Sharon and serves the Denver and South Metro areas.

Asking, “Do you know?” at his presentations, Tafoya likes to relate these kinds of statistics on new businesses from the federal government:
· 97% of all fail within 2 years
· 52% with employees fail by year 4
· 57% start with less than a $5,000 investment
· Only 20% of business owners have a college degree

As described by Estrada Strategies, “vision (another thing lacking at most companies) is an almost unattainable dream that serves as a driving force in the business.” It might sound unrealistic, but Tafoya’s is: “Turning the tide on the business failure stats in the Denver area.” Who knows? Natural that he is, with 30+ years of experience, he might just do it! He can be reached at miket@EstradaStrategies.com/DTC.