Failure Your Stepping Stone to Success by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

Can being fired from your job be a stepping-stone for your success? Napoleon Hill said, “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.

In 1978 Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were executives of “Handy Dan” part of Daylin, Inc. Their division, Handy Dan, was making lots of money, while Daylin, Inc. was going bankrupt. They were suddenly fired!

Before they were fired, Marcus and Blank, had been experimenting at Handy Dan’s by lowering the prices on some items. “They observed that when they marked down items, volume increased and costs as a percentage of sales decreased.” From this successful idea they developed their step-by-step plan of action. They decided on Atlanta as their store location. Then they located two large empty stores and put on the shelves 18,000 products from plumbing, hardware, electrical, paint, and lumber.

They charged close to 1/3 less for each item. Marcus and Blank selected and trained their employees to “deliver the best customer service”. They chose knowledgeable salespeople who knew about their products and were able to answer customer’s questions, and direct them to the best equipment for their needs. Their employees were able to tell customers how to do the work.

Their stores had everything that a homeowner or contractor needed ,under one roof, for the lowest price possible.

On the first day that they opened their store, Marcus and Blank gave their children $1 bills to give out to customers as a thank you for coming in. By evening, 5pm or 6pm, their children were in the parking lot giving out a $1 to each person they could convince to come into the store.

Blank said, “It was a crushing disappointment.”

Marcus said, “It looked like curtains for us. My wife wouldn’t let me shave for days. She didn’t want a razor in my hand.”

On the third day, “a satisfied customer returned” bring with her a thank you gift of “a bag of okra for Marcus” for helping her solve her problem.

She gave them hope and then “word of mouth” brought more customers into Marcus and Blank’s, “The Home Depot” store.

Today, The Home Depot has 371,000 employees’ worldwide. They sell hardware, plumbing, lumber, tools, home appliances, electrical supplies, paint, flooring, building materials, and gardening equipment and supplies. In 2014, Home Depot earned $78.812 billion in profit an increase of over $4 billion from 2013.

What are the three lessons you can learn from Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank about stepping-stones into success?

1) Remembering their successes with lowering the prices on certain items and saving in purchasing on volume, Marcus and Blank wrote up their step-by-step plan of action. They located two empty large buildings stores in Atlanta. On the shelves they put 18,000 products from plumbing, hardware, electrical, paint, and lumber. They charged close to 1/3 less for each item.

 2) Trained employees to “deliver the best customer service”. They chose knowledgeable sales people who knew their products and were able to answer customer’s questions, and direct them to the best equipment for their needs.

3) Their stores sold homeowners everything they needed in one store and their expert sales people told them how to repair it. Contractors were able to find everything they needed in one store for the lowest price possible. It was a “Do it yourself” store.

If Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank hadn’t been fired at “Handy Dan’s” they would never have created “The Home Depot” and employed 371,000 people worldwide, giving them good jobs to take care of themselves and their families. Their store was a how to do it store that housed all the products needed under one roof for homeowners and contractors. Their store filled a need!

 Napoleon Hill said, “Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure."

 Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

So the next time you fail at something, remember the failure of Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank and how they responded to failure by developing a new plan of action to develop their “Do it yourself” store - The Home Depot.

By the way, have you ever heard of “Handy Dan’s” before this article?

Don’t let any failure stand in your way, let it be your stepping-stone to success.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, John Maxwell Team Member, and Certified World Class Speaking Coach is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" available in print or as an e-book. To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: mfrankviola@gmail.com

"Management Techniques for Business Success" by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

What are 5 management techniques that would improve your business? How do you solve your problems at your company?

Maxey Jarman was a red headed, shy young man who was intrigued by science and raised to be a devout Baptist. He enjoyed working with radios and cars while attending a public high school in Nashville, Tennessee that had a program in engineering and technology. Maxey also helped start the first radio station in Nashville, WSM. After high school he became a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, in electrical engineering. As he was finishing his junior year at MIT, Maxey’s father, James Franklin Jarman, asked him to come home to Tennessee and help start a new shoe store, eliminating his previous partner who had done unethical things.

His father had Maxey work, for a year as a laborer, in the Nashville plant to learn the shoe business from the ground up. Later Maxey worked in the shoe store of the new Jarman Shoe Company. After 9 years learning the shoe business, Maxey Jarman became President and his father became the Chairman of the company.

Maxey saw an opportunity for expanding their shoe business and decided on a logical step-by-step plan of how to do it. He changed the Jarman Shoe Company name to General Shoe Company during the depression and moved into retail. In Michigan, Maxey, “bought a tanning plant”, produced shoeboxes, and supplied his manufacturing plants with chemicals, cement, and finishes. He purchased other companies increasing his shoe line to include children’s and women’s shoes and apparel. He increased profits by selling his products through retail stores General Shoe Company purchased.

In 1959, General Shoe Company changed its name to Genesco, Inc. By 1968, Maxey’s Jarman’s Genesco, Inc. had reached a billion dollars in sales with 83,000 employees worldwide.

Maxey Jarman, President and CEO of Genesco was a devout Baptist who pursued many philanthropic Christian causes. For many years Mr. Jarman taught Sunday School Classes at his Baptist Church.

Fred Smith, Sr. came to work for Maxey Jarman at his General Shoe Company when he was 20 years old. Maxey became his mentor and friend for over 43 years. Fred Smith, Sr. became the mentor of Zig Ziglar and Dr. John Maxwell.

What are 5 of Maxey Jarman’s leadership lessons that you will want to remember?

1)    Maxey Jarman “listened respectfully” and “stressed” clarifying ideas by putting them down on paper. When a problem comes up, write the problem down, and write a solution for solving it! When Fred Smith had been working for Mr. Jarman for 3 months, he came in with a list of problems that he saw at the company. Mr. Jarman said after listening to Fred’s list, “Fred, I want you to take the next three weeks and write out solutions for each and every thing you found wrong.” When Fred returned to see Mr. Jarman, 3 weeks later, he had no solutions to the problems. Fred Smith said, “Mr. Jarmen stuck his long finger in my face and said, “We want you here and we want your suggestions, even criticisms, but don’t you ever criticize anything until you have a better way worked out on paper to prove what you say and improve the condition.” Bacon said, “Writing makes an exact man.” Mr. Jarman worked on his personal development by making a list of the things he wanted to work on each year. He would put it in writing so it was specific and clear. In his company he said, “Emergencies were the evidence of poor planning.” He had few emergencies. He was reading to gain new knowledge every day and developing his mind.

2)    Mr. Jarman was driven by responsibility, discipline and for getting results. You could always count on him. Mr. Jarman’s ” favorite story was how Jeb Stuart would sign his reports to General Robert E. Lee, “Yours to count on”, (YTCO). When Jeb Stuart wrote it he meant it and so did Maxey Jarman.

3)    Mr. Jarman was always looked for opportunities for the future. He said, “Be grateful for all things.” He told Fred Smith, Sr. “It’s not the plants we have built, but the people we have helped develop that makes me the proudest.” Mr. Jarman was always helping others. He said, “Don’t try to strengthen people in their weaknesses; it’s less productive than utilizing their strengths.”

When someone said something about another executive saying, “He acts like he owns the place.” Maxey responded, “I’m glad he believes that, and I wish everybody here believed it and acted that way.” Fred Smith said, “He wanted everybody to have a genuine sense of ownership because he knew the motivation that develop”.

4)    Before he made a decision he was open-minded. Once he made a decision he was decisive. Fred Smith said, “Mr. Jarman would quickly review a decision when he thought it involved a moral mistake. Once he had the books opened just to give an employee a $2.85 refund because “The question isn’t how much trouble, but do we owe it?” Mr. Jarman was honest, filled with character, and integrity.

5)    Mr. Jarman did not believe in wasting time. He always stayed on the topic at hand and liked people to get to the point and be clear and decisive. His conversations were always business like and stayed on the topic.

What was Maxey Jarman’s mission statement for his company?

“Genesco’s mission is to become the most customer-focused company in the footwear industry, with consistent performance in the top quartile as measured by market share, sales growth, return on assets employed and operating income.”

By following Maxey Jarman’s 5 lessons on leadership you will have a stronger company with happier employees.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, John Maxwell Team Member, and Certified World Class Speaking Coach is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations “Tune Up their Businesses”. Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter “Madeline’s Monthly Article & Musical Tips Blog” and a monthly radio show “Madeline’s One Minute Musical Radio Show”. She has just published her new book “Leadership On A Shoestring Budget” available in print or as an e-book. To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: mfrankviola@gmail.com

From little ones to legends, how can music play a role in your child’s success? by Madeline Frank, Ph.D, DTM

How can you teach your child to concentrate, focus, and be disciplined about their schoolwork?

Legendary jazz musician, Louis Armstrong was a latch key kid who came home after school to an empty house. His mom was out working and he was hanging out with the wrong crowd. At the age of 9, Louis was arrested for the first time with five other boys "for being dangerous and suspicious characters” according to the Daily Picayune newspaper. He and the other boys were taken to the Colored Waifs Home on Oct 21, 1910 and on Nov 8, 1910 Louis was discharged to his Aunt.

Louis continued getting into trouble, this time at the age of 11, he shot off a gun, with blanks in it, into the air in New Orleans. The police took him back to the Colored Waifs Home where the new warden, Captain Joseph Jones and assistant, band director, Peter Davis had him join their new band. This time Louis learned to play the cornet in the band. He learned to read notes on the musical score, how to concentrate, focus, be disciplined, and work with others in the band.

After 18 months, a year and a half, Louis was released, no longer a youth in crisis. He started playing jobs on the cornet they loaned him at the Colored Waifs Home. Louie Armstrong credited learning to play the cornet in the band with Peter Davis and Captain Jones as the turning point in his life.

Katy Wright’s article “Big Noise Orchestras” of Scotland has for six years worked with underprivileged children, ages 6-13.  Researchers have noted the “exceptional achievement” in these children’s academic work.

What are the three ways your child can toot their own horn just like Louis Armstrong?

1)   By learning to play that horn or other instrument, your child will learn to read the notes on a musical score, improving their reading skills.

2)   Your child will learn to concentrate, focus, and organize their minds, to be disciplined, and to work with others in a band or orchestra.

3)   They will also learn the importance of cleaning and taking care of their instrument, which will give them self -esteem and self -worth.

What are the 3 things you will have to get used to when your child studies a musical instrument?

1)   The first sounds coming out of your child’s instrument are not going to sound pretty. So keep an open mind. On a side note, as a child of 8, practicing my violin for the first time, my Momma had to close the door of my room when I was practicing and invested in a mute for my violin so the sound would not carry out of the room. A few years later, when I had improved and began winning prizes and scholarships, she opened the door.

2)   Your child will learn to take care of their musical instrument and will begin to clean their messy rooms as well.

3)   Your child will begin to get better grades in school.

What are you waiting for? The summer is a terrific time to have your child begin studying a musical instrument. Their future is in your hands. Help them to be a success!

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, has for over 30 years helped children and adults overcome problems through playing a musical instrument. Dr. Frank, an award winning teacher, college professor, researcher, speaker and concert artist has found a scientific link between studying a musical instruments and academic and societal success. Her Amazon.com bestseller, “The Secret of Teaching Science & Math Through Music” is newly updated as an e-book on Kindle, Nook, or iBook with links to her monthly radio show, "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She also writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips Blog”.  To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: mfrankviola@gmail.com

http://www.madelinefrankviola.com