How Tom Lost Over 100lbs. On The Next Open For Business

Over the past few months you might have heard some guests commenting about my recent weight loss. In the past year I've lost over 100 lbs thanks to my following a weight loss program of one of our KMMS sponsors called Go Figure.

I'll be interviewing the owners about their weight loss program and how it works on the next edition of "Open for Business" on Saturday, February 12 at 11 AM Mountain Time.

To keep things in a business vein there are many similarities between weight loss and business success. For example, when times are good, we tend to overdue, we overspend, just like when food is plentiful we overeat. You don't gain 100 lbs overnight and business waste also increases gradually overtime.

Eventually we reach a weight where we realize that our personal heath is at risk as well as reaching a point where our business health, also known as profit, or lack of it, is slowly putting us out of business.

Over time we have formed some bad habits. Eating too much, eating at the wrong times and for the wrong reasons. In our business we also develop some bad habits. We do things wrong and have to do them over at an additional cost to the company. We don't appreciate the customer as we should and they go elsewhere. We have poorly trained employees or high turnover that results in poor service.

A business diet is a lot like a personal diet. It's making a lifestyle change. On the business side you would review all your policies and procedures and isolate the problem areas. You might review your training procedures and manuals to make sure each step in the sales process is productive and profitable.

Take a look at your pricing. Like a balanced diet, are you taking in the right amounts of nourishment? Or another way of saying it, are you charging the right amounts for your products or services? Many business just keep charging the same amounts year after year not taking into account changes in costs or inflation.

Any diet is going to be more successful when there is movement... exercise. Marketing and advertising create excitement and activity in your customers. It's more than just bringing customers in the door. Weight loss with exercise is not just activity, but its getting your heart rate to the right level that your weight comes off faster, while also building muscle. In your marketing and advertising, it's bringing in the right customers, and doing more with them when they contact you making your business stronger.

In weight loss, the first goal is losing a pound. In business, it's making a dollar. Neither is easy but both are possible but there will be sacrifices and changes.