Tag Archives: SAGE SUMMIT

Saying goodbye to Tom Miller – or – what do you do when Superman retires? by Peter Wolf on February 6, 2013

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Tom Miller @ Sage Summit

Tom Miller @ Sage Summit

Tom Miller has announced that he will retire from Sage North America on March 29, 2013.

This is not new news – it’s been out there for a while now. It took me a while to figure out what I would like to say.

I would like to use this space and honor his legacy.

Personally I’ve always been the type of guy that likes to sharpen the saw by reading smart ideas by smart people presented in new and interesting ways. Yet, while reading these sources of information and inspiration, I’m always reminded of the classics – Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie, Peter Drucker, Napoleon Hill – which, to me, are the fundamental sources upon which most other business philosophies are built upon.

I am not going out too far on a limb to say: Tom Miller is the embodiment of these fundamental sources of business inspiration.

He’s a living, breathing example of those classics.

I would challenge anyone to name a time where they interacted with Tom and didn’t come away richer for the experience. Whether it’s direct advice or, more likely than not, you walking away thinking you came up with a great idea even though he skillfully planted it, fed and watered it and helped it grow.

Tom has mastered the unbelievably difficult skill of helping others reach their potential. He’s not in the fish-handing-out business, he’s in the teaching-people-to-fish business.

He embodies the positive thinking, get ‘er done, 1 + 1 can equal 3 mentality that I aspire to maintain. Tom doesn’t see obstacles and problems, he sees opportunities and exciting challenges. Tom believes in the power of free enterprise and the ability of sharp business owners to find ways to create value for their customers, their partners and themselves.

And, as a software reseller, you can rest easy knowing that Tom has walked a mile (or two) in your shoes. He understands what it means to hump for sales and to motivate teams and to struggle to find talent and to keep customers happy.

He’s been there and done that. He knows your pain and, when he commiserates with you, you believe it and you feel it.

As such a staunch channel advocate, he has overseen a very difficult transition as Sage has made controversial (some would say necessary) moves to a more aggressive and more self-deterministic future that has changed the Sage channel dynamic. During this period, he has continued to advocate for Sage and the future of Sage while also continuing to provide a rich and deep set of partner services to help Sage channel partners transition to become Firms of the Future and learn self-sustaining skills in the Sales, Marketing and Consulting Academies.

Partners that have taken advantage of these – and other – programs provided by Tom’s team have come away stronger for the experience. I know that my company has.

Tom is also sharp as a tack. He understands the big picture and can dive down into the details when necessary. Present him with a problem that has been plaguing you for a while and he can distill it to its essence in a single conversation.

And he’ll have you walking away thinking you solved it on your own and the two of you just had a nice long chat.

I have only known Tom for a few brief years and – mostly due to his personal charisma and style – I consider him a teacher, a mentor and a friend. I feel fortunate to have met him, to know him and to see such a class act firsthand.

Tom epitomizes the ability of one man to create a cascading positive influence in the world.

If you’d like to leave a comment on Peter’s LinkedIn Post please click on this link  http://linkd.in/VOmvZN

Thank you, Tom.

The 7 Deadly Mistakes of Using LinkedIn & How To Avoid Them

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The 7 Deadly Mistakes Using LinkedIn & How to Avoid Them

Since starting 3 LinkedIn Network Groups, the largest is the Sage Partners, Employees, Alumni & Analyst with 7,500+ members in 60+ countries and the United States & the group has become a daily reading staple for many of the Sage NA executives. The group was created with the idea of members sharing ideas & opinions on current Sage changes, events & general take on the Sage environment with each other.

Since May 2008 I’ve seen many mistakes that members continually make about setting up their LinkedIn profile & utilizing it to its maximum benefits.

Below are some of the most common mistakes. This was taken from a presentation that I gave recently at Sage Summit, Sage’s Annual Partners & Customers Conference In Nashville

#1 / Never Complete Your LinkedIn Profile
Don’t Open Your Professional Profile to 175mil LinkedIn members worldwide
Don’t List Your Accomplishments & Certifications
Don’t Include Your History, Current Position or Core Competencies
For mediocre results keep you profile at less than 100%

#2 / Use The Ghost Avatar
                        
Does Anyone Really look like this?
Does Remaining Anonymous Really Help?
Don’t Build any Social Media Credibility

#2a / Use A Cartoon As Your Avatar
Pets & Children’s Photos Have NO Value on LinkedIn. If You Go To Spring Break Every Year & Consume Copious Amounts of Alcohol & Lose Your Clothes, Please Keep Those For Your Private Collection.

#3 / Don’t Contribute To Your LinkedIn Profile
Stay Secretive About Yourself & Don’t Let Anyone Know Who You Are
Don’t Share Your Industry Knowledge
Let Others Determine & Shape Your Online Brand

#4 / Don’t Ask (Or Answer) LinkedIn Questions
By All Means Keep Your Unique Business Acumen All To Yourself
Don’t Become An Expert in ANY Industry, Remain an Enigma

#5 / Don’t Invite Others to Your Network
Keep Your Network Your Own Private Domain
Reduce The Number of Your Relevant Connections(Or Just Don’t Get Them In The First Place)
The Less Connections You Have Will Result In Fewer Search Results That You’ll Appear In

#6 / Don’t Give Or Ask For Recommendations
Don’t Let Your Colleagues Say Anything Positive About You
Remain An Enigma In The Virtual Word
Don’t Send Any Recommendations To People You’ve Worked With

#7 / Don’t Include Any Current Contact Information
Make It Impossible To Contact You
Make People Guess Where You’re Currently Working
Don’t Answer Messages or LinkedIn Invitations

These are but a few of the mistakes that I see people making but they seem to be the ones that continually show up.
Remember that an intriguing & complete LinkedIn Profile will help you Take The Work Out of Networking

Bill Kizer
Creator Sage LinkedIn Partners, Employees & Alumni Networking Group
LinkedIn Profile: http:// www.linkedin.com/in/bkizer  ~  williamkizer52@gmail.com
760.518.2493

Robert Wood; 2012 Co-Presentor
DDF Consulting Group, Inc.
Linkedin Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bertowud  ~   robertw@ddfcgi.com
352.615.5898

Who Should Attend Sage Summit 2012 & Why

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Bill ~ Trent ~ Trevor Kizer

Gary ~ Connie ~ Jennifer ~ Erick @ Sage Summit 2011

Robert Schayes, Himanshu Palsule, Bill Kizer, Pascal Houllion Sage Summit 2011

Mark Kauffmann & Her Girls

Sean Leanne Tuohy Wayne Schulz Bill Kizer

Summit 2011 Twitter Meetup

There has been much discussion about the value of attending the Sage Summit 2012 Conference. I am one of those who have found Conferences to provide me with great value and I’ve learned a great amount of useable information. The technology industry changes daily and there’s no way to know about those changes if we don’t talk to the source. You can find the source(s) and other partners who have utilized those changes very successfully by attending events such as the new and improved Sage Summit.

Look at the business partners who consistently make the Top 10 list. Go to their website and see what they’re doing that you’re not. It’s probably a safe wager that they’ve been involved in Summit, BPAC membership, etc. It’s time to be accountable to ourselves for our failures or successes. It’s time to stop blaming others when we fail.

First, there is the long term value of creating lasting relationships with other BP’s or third party solutions and there are many knowledgeable partners and company representative who will gladly share that knowledge with you.

There has been a shift at Sage to offer more transparency and seeing the Management attend different social events & the Trade Show is a testament to this new shift. Don’t be surprised to find yourself engaged in open and honest dialogues with top management.

How do you put a price tag on product information you receive at Summit? What about face time with Sage executives? Truth be told, you can’t put a price tag on these items. The sessions alone that Sage is offering this year are numerous in count, while covering all Sage products, upgrades, changes and of course Social Media.

Too often we get caught up on doing business as we’ve always done it, not knowing that there are better ways of streamlining and making our individual businesses more cost effective. But if we don’t go to Summit and attend sessions, talk to other BP’s, then we’re going to stay in that same spiraling vortex & will get the same results. One of my favorite quotes is:

“If you keep doing what you’re doing you’re going to keep getting what you get. If you want something new you’re going to have to try something new.”

~ Author Unknown

I have spoke to BP’s who have concerns that they have never “pulled” any new business from attending Summit and other conferences occasionally or even those who go each year. Then there’s the camp that has bought booth space, collected business cards & found that most of those cards belonged to other BP’s & not potential new deal opportunities. Where’s the ROI they ask?

First, if you’re heading off to Summit with the sole intent of closing deals then you’re going to be disappointed. It’s kind of like going to a Barnum & Bailey Circus expecting Shakespeare; or going on vacation to Northern Minnesota in January wearing shorts, flip flops & sun tan lotion looking for a sun tan. You’re going to be disappointed by unrealistic expectations.

Unfortunately most companies don’t look at non revenue generating items as having any value. Unless there’s a dollar amount involved most BP’s don’t “get it.” To the partners who don’t get it, there are three questions you need to ask yourself.

What value am I adding to the equation?
What Solution can I provide?
What am I adding to the success of my business?

Come to Nashville & see the changes that are happening at Sage. You’re going to be surprised & more importantly you’re going to go back to your business with a new attitude & isn’t life itself about how you approach it? I think so & I hope to see each of you in Nashville

Bienvenue vers l’Amérique, Pascal Houllion

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Bienvenue vers l’Amérique, Pascal.

I hope that is the right verbiage for welcoming you to America.

For those that don’t know Sage had it Annual Conference this year at the Gaylord National Harbor. It was the first time that we had combined customers and partners together and the result has been, in this writer’s opinion, phenomenal.

What has stuck out for me is the transparency that the Sage executives have shown. They have been accessible, friendly and seemingly willing to listen to what is being said.

Our new CEO, Pascal Houllion comes from France and has been with Sage for the past 22 years. What has impressed me is his ability to “hang with the employees & partners” yet maintain that CEO image. On the bus ride back from the Museum last night, which was a fantastic evening and I hope that you all got the opportunity to try your hand at flying a jet in the simulators. I don’t think that we even came close to gunning down one enemy jet but the laughter that came from trying was worth it. 

But I digress, on the ride back we were talking about what I had been hearing from partners in terms of concerns, etc. and I also wanted to know what his priority list looked like. But he told the story of travelling with Himanshu Pasule and getting to a city where he was going to be for several days and his agenda had been filled with meetings. He kindly asked them to cancel all the meetings because what he wanted to do and has been doing since his arrival is going out and meeting partners and asking them what they needed, etc. When was the last time that we’ve had that from a CEO?

Laurie Schultz comes the closest with her Road Shows.

I want to single out another long time Sage executive, one that I got to spend some time with and that’s Himanshu Palsule. We were sitting outside the hotel and just started talking about things. I reminded him of the time that my sons came to the airport with their mother to pick me up from Insights in Orlando. He was so genuinely kind to them and was interested in what they had to say even though they were just 5 & 6 at the time. Small gestures like that go along way with me. They are the gestures of a genuinely kind person. We probably spent 45 minutes just talking about alot of different topics and I left to go to my room impressed one more time with Himanshu. So if you’re reading this at some point, Himanshu, thanks for your time that evening.

I want to point out one more Sage executive and then I’m going to head in another direction with this blog because I don’t want to feel like I’ve left anyone out. Laurie Schultz is as accessible an executive as anyone. This goes back to the Road Shows that she conducts and criss crosses the country to hear what we have to say, even when it can be a bit harsh she stands tall and doesn’t attempt to defend Sage’s position, she attempts to explain what Sage is doing, where Sage is going and the anticipated time it’s going to take to get there.

But what really showed me what type of a person she is was an email that I received from her back in April. My younger brother Tom had passed away and I wrote an open letter in the form of a blog to him and posted it. Her note was one of genuine concern and I was very touched by her small gesture of kindness.

Just an aside, please attend these Road Shows. Sage wants to know what you think and if you’re not attending these free events how can you expect any change? It’s incumbent upon us to let people know what we feel.

I could go on and on about the accesibility of the Executive Team, people like Tom Miller, (Does He Ever Stop Smiling?) Dennis Frahmann, Connie Certusi, the Events Team, you name them they have been very visible at this event and I’m sure that most partners would be happy about that.

Frankly, I don’t know how the Events Team is going to top this one but it will be fun to see and I hope that everyone comes back next year as we head to Nashville to see what we’ll do for Pascal’s 2nd Summit.

How Do You Shuttle 3,000 People In One Hour?

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We have spent a good deal of time considering this very question. We were presented with this challenge as we considered how we will transport 3,000 of our favorite customers and business partners from the Gaylord National Conference to the Air and Space Museum for our special evening event on Wednesday, July 13.  We are confident that we have come up with a great solution. 

Here’s how this will work.   

The Trade Show Exhibit Hall will serve as pre-departure “port”.

Starting at 6:55 p.m. customers will be asked to board buses in alphabetic order by the name of their company. This way, if there is more than one person with the company, employees can get on the same bus. For those of you who would like to join your customers, you will be able to board any bus at any time to accompany them.  
We will have two dedicated shuttles for Exhibitors. We will have an Exhibitor Express Shuttle shortly following the close of the trade show for those that can be packed up in a flash. We have an Exhibitor Last Call bus run at 9:00 p.m. for those who need a little more time.  
The bus schedule will be communicated in print, signs, live announcements, social media, text messaging, and by staff giving directions. It will also be printed on the back of museum tickets that will be distributed to Sage Summit attendees beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at the trade show entry area.

There will be plenty of Sage staff available to assist you at the time with any questions.

This is going to be more fun than riding the roller coasts at Magic Mountain & Disney Land combined.

Remember, we’ll all get to our destination and your patience will be rewarded with a Fantastic Night!!!

We’re looking forward to seeing you at Summit 2011

Did You Forget To Pack Anything For Sage Summit 2011?

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We’re only 3 weeks away from attending the Inaugural Sage Summit 2011. Prior to leaving San Diego I think that it’s time to get out the checklist. If you’re like me, you’ll discover that if I don’t prepare a checklist I’ll always end up 1 pair of socks short, Too few business cards, forgot toothpaste, brought 2 bottles of shampoo, no conditioner. You name it, I’ve forgot it on one trip or another. That’s why I pack like I’m leaving for a year around the world. I can pack just as much for 3 days in Las Vegas as I can for a 1 week trip.

Airline Ticket √
Sage Summit Registration √
Room Reservation √
Luggage √
4 Suits √
2 Pair Slacks √
1 Pair Jeans √
8 Shirts, Dress, Casual √
3-4 Pair of Shoes, Including Flip Flops √
6-8 Pair of Socks √
6-8 Pair of Underwear √
3 Belts √
4 Tee Shirts √
Assorted Toiletries √
Laptop √
Camera √
Cell Phone √
Chargers For Laptop, Camera, Cell Phone √
Extra Batteries for Wireless Mouse √
Verizon Broad Band Card √
Extra Batteries for Any Emergency √
Necessary Travel Documents √

Just writing this list wore me out to the point that I had to go upstairs and take a nap. I get teased a lot because I just don’t know how to pack lightly. I operate under the “You Just Never Know” Theory. I enjoy wearing suits so I mostly wear suits at conferences so I need those. I have to wear different shirts so I need those.  Of course extra socks & underwear are a must, Duh. Different shoes for each suit are very important. There’s nothing worse than wearing a black suit & let’s say you forgot the black shoes, all you have are your brown ones. It doesn’t look good & I trust me when I say, you will spend the entire evening looking at the brown shoes wondering how many people are figuratively wondering why you’re wearing brown and not black shoes.  I know this to be a fact because I’ve see me do it.

Should be all set, right? Wrong. Don’t forget your wallet! I’ve done that before also. If it can be forgotten I’ve forgotten it on some trip to somewhere.

I think that someone could make a decent living hiring themselves out as professional packers. Hand them your list, they go through it with you, and voila your only job is to start your car and head to the airport. She’s already packed your luggage in your car and included your entire itinerary and any other necessary documentation.  After giving her a credit card number she pats you on the head and wishes you a safe flight and reminds you of the Power User discount. I might be willing to pay for that because when I say it takes me hours to pack, I’m not exaggerating.

Alright, I went out and purchased a new piece of luggage. One of the local luggage stores was having a killer sale on London Fog luggage. Had to have it! Retail Therapy is so rewarding & satisfying (until you get the credit card bill)

 Now if we could just someone else stand in the TSA lines for a reasonable price.

Williamkizer52@gmail.com
760.518.2493

What???? No Profile Photo??

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Does anyone actually look like the Ghost Profile pictured above? If you know a person who does then do one of the following:

1. Get them to Urgent Care Immediately
2. Send their picture to a family member for identification confirmation
3. Just smack them upside their head for missing out on fantastic online opportunities by not including a profile photo. (Not too hard, we don’t condone violence, just reprimands)

Let me ask another question. Why would you not want your photo to accompany your profile?

1. You’re afraid to let people see what you look like?
2. You’re afraid the authorities will find you and serve that extradition order on you?
3. You just don’t fully understand the term “Social Network.”

Would you attend a Networking Event and wear a bag over your head? Hopefully your answer is no. Then why do people not include their photo online?  I was once one of those  people who didn’t like to include my photo because I’m vain and I don’t think that I photograph very well. I don’t like the way that I really look to the camera. I have a perception of what I’d really like to look like but reality is reality and there’s nothing but alot of expensive surgery that is going to fix that.

Joseph Paris from Xonitek told me that he puts his photograph everywhere, not because he’s narcisstic but because a photograph makes people feel like they know you. It can be a differentiator to people. Joseph is a keynote speaker who speaks all over the world and has many global connections, he told me about the dozens of times that he’d be minding his own business at the airport, cigar lounge, etc. and someone would walk up to him as if they knew him and introduce themselves all from remembering his photo online.

Because I respect Joseph I tried it and at the first Insights that I attended after starting the group was in Nashville. I was walking with the Sage Rock Star of all Sage Rock Stars, Ed Kless and people were saying hi to me and introducing themselves and I remember Ed saying something to the effect that it was my turn to be a Rock Star. That’s not why I included my photo but I must admit it was kind of cool.

Last Insights in Denver I dragged John Shaver into the Churchills Cigar Lounge in the lobby of the fabulous Palace Hotel. I was enjoying a cigar, John was enjoying his double malt, aged 58 years in an oak barrel Scotch. (I’m exaggerating about the Scotch and have no clue what the difference is between a single malt or double malt Scotch is as I’m not a drinker, but ask me about the characteristics of a Cuban Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial or a Cuban Vegas Robaina Famoso cigar and I will talk until either you get up and walk away mumbling to yourself or your eyes start to droop from sheer boredom.)

Anyway, back to the story a gentleman walks up to our table, introduces himself as David Faye, owner of Faye Consulting located in the San Fernando Valley. He recognized me from my LinkedIn profile and as a result David and I have become friends. We’ve shared meals together, smoked a few Cuban cigars, all as a direct result of including a photograph.

The point that I’m trying to make is that if you’re going to take the time and join a social network group include your profile photograph. Tell us a little about yourself and get involved in discussions. Ask & answer questions, add people to your network, connect with other groups. What’s the worse thing that will happen? You just might meet your next employer/employee, get your next project just because you set your profile up to garner interest from others.

Don’t be a lurker and sit by as the social media train rolls through. It will leave you waiting at the station.

To take a poll on LinkedIn regarding profile photographs please follow this link; http://tinyurl.com/bkizerpoll

BTW: This is the faceless Avatar from LinkedIn when you don’t include a photograph. Alot of you all look alike.