by Gina Blitstein

Christie Batterman Jordan is a seasoned and experienced CEO, entrepreneur and mentor to younger leaders and entrepreneurs in their workplaces. Describing herself, Christie says, "I am 61 years old. I'm a classic boomer who went to UC Berkeley in the 1960's, was an earlier staffer on Rolling Stone, did the Summer of Love (boy was it fun!) then founded a company that grew to be a multi-national. On top of that, as a working mom, I have raised five children and step-children." Has this dynamic person had her season in the sun? Is it time for her to hang up her tye-dye and sit in a rocking chair for the rest of her days? To the contrary - This is a lady who has a colorful lifetime of experiences to share with the younger generation. As Christie says, "Age is not a matter of scorn, as it was for my generation: (Never trust anyone over 30.) And, yes, I did know Jerry Rubin and Abby Hoffman."

It turns out that those of the "baby boomer" generation make ideal mentors for up-and-coming millennials in the current workplace. Boomers have experience, wisdom and know-how to impart to their younger counterparts - if only it is given and accepted in the right spirit. The key lies in recognizing this value and using it to complement - not challenge - the junior workers' energy and fresh approach.

Brock Whitfield of Catch Your Limit Consulting says that it’s a popular misconception that there is some kind of unspoken rift between millennials and baby boomers, while in point of fact, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Millennials are very open to guidance, and are eager to learn from the mistakes and successes of their superiors. Boomers are usually more than happy to share these experiences, and can benefit from the eagerness and vitality of the new employee.

Overall, Brock reports, boomers make effective mentors because:

• They like to share their knowledge with others, so their role as a mentor is a natural one.
• Most boomers have millennial-aged children, so they are naturally comfortable with the boomer/Gen Y relationship.
• They have many of the same values as Gen Y being big time optimists and sharing a deep concern for social causes and making a difference in the world.

Though boomers and millennials have more in common than would be expected, it’s important that both the mentor and the new employee have an understanding and appreciation of their generational differences. An informational session about generations can help millennials and boomers understand each others’ values and head off future misunderstandings. A good understanding of generations is essential in a diverse workplace, and should be integrated into the company’s culture. It serves as a foundation for dealing with difficult situations down the road. If a person believes they are experiencing a generational difference rather than simply an unexplained conflict it can help when attempting to move forward beyond those differences.

Generational differences can still sometimes cause conflict, however, Brock explains. Boomers are very career focused. This tends to conflict with Gen Y’s work/life balance values. Gen Y believes that work is one of the many things they must do in the day, whereas Boomers see it as the center of their universe. After all, it was the Boomers who invented the 60 hour work week. This value difference may cause some potential conflict if Boomers see Gen Y’s attitude as lazy. Boomers should understand that Gen Y values time with friends and family as much as a great career. They have seen their boomer parents overwork themselves and don’t want to go down the same path.

There is much potential benefit from a mentoring relationship, so long as it is built on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. The mentor process shouldn’t be looked at as one-sided; there is much to be gained through the process of reverse-mentoring. Millennials can be a great resource to boomers for newer technologies like social media and networking sites, and can offer fresh perspectives to existing projects.

Brock proudly says, "When I started at Catch Your Limit, I was given a mentor to help me get accommodated to my responsibilities, and I don’t know how I would’ve made it to where I am today without him. There’s a lot to be gained by the mentor/apprentice relationship, and if it’s instituted correctly, can be a great asset to your company."

Are the different generations in your business helping or hindering one another?

by Gina Blitstein

Would you like to do business with the government and partake of the hundreds of billions of dollars paid to businesses yearly for providing the goods and services which keep the 'American machine' running? While it may seem beyond your reach, too complicated and potentially frustrating, an impossible dream it is not. With targeted information pointing you in the right direction, these lucrative government contracts are attainable.

Here are some success strategies from Patty DeDominic who has built businesses which over the past decade have earned over $200 million in government staffing contracts. DeDominic says the government's needs change all the time; they contract for all types of goods and services. So rather than allowing the process to intimidate you, remember that the government buys "like everyone else."

In a recent talk on this subject to the Inventors' Workshops and the National Association of Women Business Owners, DeDominic advises:

• Understand your costs of goods and competitive pricing. We knew a little bit about our competition, and that's important to understand and regularly get competitive intelligence.
  
• Market your strengths against your competition's weaknesses. Tip off your buyers as part of the client education process - without badmouthing competitors. Suggest what to be concerned about in areas that play on your strengths - for example, to have backup plans for providing staff, and to respond quickly with the desired skill set.
  
• Under promise and over-deliver. Set people's expectations as low as you reasonably can, and make sure that what you deliver is always more than the expectations.
  
• Develop time management skills. Learn how to prioritize and do the most important things first.
  
• Differentiate. Make sure you have a good product or service to offer. Look for ways to differential yourself in an arena that the buyer already knows they need then prove your worth.
  
• Value Your Team Members. Empower the people who give your organization the strength and depth it needs to serve big and demanding clients well.
  
• Contract With Care. We also read all the fine print in the contracts. Understand that insurance is not only expensive it is also not always covering all that you had hoped it would.
  
• Make Quality Paramount. If you are serious about government contracting be sure you remain as strong and committed to your quality as you possibility can.
  
• Get Top Advice. Surround yourself with the best insurance, accounting and legal advisors you can get, then listen.

Additionally, DeDominic says it's prudent to speak the customer’s language by familiarizing yourself with government contracting terminology. She also highly recommends subcontracting as a place to get experience and gain good references.

"You may be able to get a piece of a larger contract and get your foot in the door as a subcontractor." Finally, she stresses, "Your credibility and track record are extremely important and in many ways the government is a very sophisticated buyer."

Just think of the government as you would any other big corporation with whom you'd want to contract. Make yourself as attractive as possible and bid responsibily, having done your homework. Armed with these smart strategies and advice from someone who has been awarded these contracts, you too can participate in keeping America running while obtaining profitable contracts for your business.

by Gina Blitstein

As you well know, insuring your business against loss is one of the most important elements of your strategy for success. Having the right insurance for your business is not only prudent but can provide a level of confidence as you grow. Insurance is one of those specialties, like banking and accounting, where it is best to rely on a professional's expertise, rather than attempting to navigate the ins and outs on you own - even for a relatively small firm. Let's hear what the professionals advise when it comes to being insurance savvy.

Here are some basic truths about Business Insurance from Ryan Pinney, CSFP Chartered Senior Financial Planner and Brokerage Director:

• Almost any risk can be lessened through some type of insurance policy.
  
• Large firms often have the luxury of hiring full-time risk managers, but smaller businesses almost always have to face this challenge solo, without the assistance of a specialist.
  
• Most smaller firms can limit their insurance to three basic types of protection: property, liability, and workers compensation.
  
• Often businesses can bundle property and liability insurance needs into a Business Owners Package Policy, also known as a BOP saving time, money and duplication of coverage.

"Unfortunately," Ryan reminds us, "Many miss the boat when it comes to their application. Each year, businesses spend over $100 billion on insurance premiums. Yet many firms have the wrong coverage, or pay too much for the protection they get."

What factors should you take into account when choosing insurance protection for your business?

Ellen Bohn-Gitlitz, a Massachusetts insurance broker for over 15 years suggests the following:

1. Work with a broker who understands your industry. When I am referred an account that is outside my specialty either I refer it to someone else in my office or I walk away from it because I can’t do the best for the client

2. Think of best value and not lowest price. Price is a very important consideration but value is more important. I have picked up a number of clients because their old broker didn’t read the forms and the main focus of their business was excluded from the policy. This was in the fine print. Even though their old policy was a lower price, what good did it do if it didn’t cover what they needed it to cover?

3. Find a broker that you can trust and consider your broker part of the management team. If you don’t tell your broker what is going on in the company, how can that person suggest the appropriate insurance?

4. Don’t put it out to bid every year but every 2 to 3 years. When you are dealing with middle market or larger accounts, if an underwriter has quoted it every year for 5 years and didn’t get it, they either won’t quote or won’t be serious about getting you the best value.

5. Check the financial stability of the carrier and how their claim services are rated. Also find out if the carrier writes a lot of business in your industry.

Insurance is one of the the biggest expenses for a business, yet the peace of mind gained from knowing you are adequately covered against loss is priceless. Keeping these factors in mind will help you obtain the right insurance coverage from a reputable source for the optimum protection of your business.

Are your business' insurance needs being adequately and competently met?

by Gina Blitstein

Employees of a "certain age" may begin to fear for their job security. After all, younger, highly educated employees are churned out of universities every day. These younger employees are often willing to work for less money and bring fresh perspectives and high energy to the workplace. Even with decades of experience and dedication under their belts, employees of the "baby boomer" generation may be thinking they will soon be put out to pasture, in preference for their younger counterparts in the workplace.

Do seasoned employees have anything to offer to the workforce of today? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" - as mentors for these younger professionals.

How can the boomers' experience benefit an organization? According to Brock Whitfield of Catch Your Limit Consulting, where the mentoring process has been a part of their corporate culture since the company began ten years ago, boomers are an invaluable resource for the success of a business. Brock explains, "We felt it would help us create strong connections between individuals and help bring together a diverse team. Additionally we felt it would allow the wisdom and experience of those who had been in the workplace longer to be a resource for those who were new to the industry and the workplace. Our plan was to hire young individuals and by creating mentors we allowed them access to the wisdom of those more experienced; the advantage being that hiring young employees brought great energy into our culture without sacrificing some of the necessary wisdom and people skills."

What values and ethics do boomers bring to the relationship that makes them well-suited as mentors? Brock says, "Baby boomers are optimistic, team-oriented thinkers, so if they see a new employee begin to struggle, they’re quick to help them get back on the right track in order to get the team working at full capacity. Their optimism is a great motivator, and rubs off on the new employee, which in turn raises company morale."

Brock suggests three strategies for facilitating the boomer/millennial mentoring relationship:

1. It’s important that both parties stay patient and flexible when dealing with each other.
2. Boomers expect a certain level of respect so millennials should remember that even though they may have a close relationships with their mentor, they should always treat them as a superior.
3. Millennials are known to be very eager to share ideas, so it’s important that the mentor be open-minded and patient, and not stifle the new employees’ creativity.

Pairing newer employees with experienced professionals, particularly boomers, is an extremely conducive way to get a new team member acclimated. Other than acclimation to a new company, what other benefits over the long term does mentoring provide? Brock responds, "Mentoring develops strong relationships within a company, which aids in employee retention. By giving employees strong connections within the organization, employees are less likely to jump ship. It also serves as a valuable cross-training tool, as the mentor can teach the new employee other skills not specific to his job title."

It comes down to recognizing the great merit in experience and wisdom. Awareness of these as valuable, teachable attributes goes a long way toward creating a well-balanced, inclusive work environment. Implementing the right mix of employees and utilizing what each individual has to offer makes for a stronger and more cohesive team.

How can the baby boomer generation benefit your business and employees?

by Gina Blitstein

There are those who are happy with the steady pace and paycheck of a 9-5 job. They enjoy the complete separation of their work-self from their home-self, and never - or rarely - do the twain meet. These folks make up the backbone of the workforce -thank goodness for them! Then there are the entrepreneurs...

Entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs whether they are working for someone else or for themselves because entrepreneurs are born...not made. Entrepreneurs are the type of workers who just naturally take ownership of their job, taking on far more responsibility than is necessary - because they can't do otherwise. It is their nature to approach work with that attitude, as if their work is a direct reflection of themselves. They are often the type of employees who 'outgrow' their position after a short while, feeling unchallenged, under-stimulated and under-appreciated. Often they have run-ins with superiors because they have very definite ideas about the way things should be run - and that doesn't always mesh with the company line.

Recognize yourself? Maybe entrepreneurship is for you. If you are an entrepreneur at heart, you know (probably by experience) that you will never be happy working for someone else. You know that you need to run the show. You know your issues with work don't stem from a problem with authority or an aversion to hard work. On the contrary - the entrepreneurial mind savors the discipline and hard work that starting a business of her own will entail. Knowing that it will be difficult and fraught with challenges doesn't dampen her entrepreneurial spirit - rather, it feeds it. There seems to be something that compels the entrepreneur to turn passion into their life's work.

Often the impetus for 'taking the plunge' into entrepreneurship is internal - satisfying that innate need to work your own business on your own terms. Sometimes it is external, due to a lack of other, or adequate, choices. Sometimes it is a little of both.

Julie Roads, writer, consultant, speaker and founder of Writing Roads, a marketing and copywriting service says, "I chose being my own boss versus getting a job with a steady paycheck because I so desperately needed to be home with my tiny baby (2.8 lbs at birth). I also rarely liked any job I'd ever had, I'm not a big fan of having a boss (though the best one I ever had was a total mentor). I chose to write because I've always been a writer. From as far back as I can remember that's how I identified myself to myself - you know, in my head." When asked where she found the fortitude to make the professional leap to entrepreneur, Julie says, "In terms of needing to work from home that was 'mama bear survival strength' - there is no match for that strength anywhere else on the planet. In terms of choosing writing? I just knew, in my gut, that it would work out. Nothing has ever felt so right. I don't even remember worrying about it. I dove in and never doubted for a second that it would work."

It is worth investigating the entrepreneurial path if you find yourself chronically unsatisfied working in traditional employment. It just may be that your passion has come knocking at your subconscious. While in the long run, you stand to reap great benefits, bear in mind it can be a bumpy road compared to that steady and predictable stream of income from your run-of-the-mill job. The fact is, not every entrepreneurial endeavor is successful; many entrepreneurs start and fail at several businesses before one gets off the ground. The secret is not to be discouraged by setbacks and slow growth. A big part of the entrepreneurial spirit is the resiliency and tenacity to go the distance.

Are you an entrepreneur trapped in the cubicle of an unhappy employee?