Every
year SAGE holds its annual convention. What or who is SAGE? They provide small and medium sized organizations
with a range of easy-to-use business management software and services - from
accounting and payroll, to enterprise resource planning, customer relationship
management and payments. Their customers receive continuous advice and support
through their global network of local experts to help them solve their business
problems, giving them the confidence to achieve their business ambitions.
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| Robert Gibbs & Karl Rove |
This
year the convention was held here in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. While being a
business convention SAGE Summit provided the attendees a very interesting
roster of Speakers including Jessica Alba, Magic Johnson, Biz Stone, Robert Gibbs
and Karl Rove (for a complete list go to - www.sagesummit.com/.)
What do these speakers have to do with a business convention? They are all entrepreneurs
or influencers who have experience with small to medium businesses that have
faced challenges with starting and maintaining their business momentum. As for
Robert Gibbs and Karl Rove they were there to talk about what is happening to
small and medium businesses with the current administration. They also strayed onto
the topics of immigration and other political issues which had the crowd
clapping (mostly for the conservative Karl Rove’s point of view.)
Among
Karl’s statements “Everyone should run for office, make your voice heard!” He also said that we as Americans should not
stand for compromise in leadership and he wished for stronger leadership and a
stance from the White House on immigration. Robert Gibbs
stated that he also agreed that there should be a message sent of “don’t send
your kids here” and let’s work on a bi-partisan stance.
Rent
the Runway’s Co-Founder Jennifer Fleiss also spoke about the challenges she
faced on getting her company off the ground.
One very well-known fashion designer (wrap around dress) absolutely
disagreed with the concept in the beginning but they persisted and now are the
number one place to go to rent a designer dress/accessories for a special occasion.
Her message to business owners “Listen to people, no does not mean no just means
not right now.” Another one of her
messages was create for yourself and love what you do.
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| Josh Altman |
Also
speaking at a workshop was TV Reality Star Josh Altman from Bravo’s Millionaire
Listing LA. Josh is 35 and it was very interesting to listen to how he went
from building a successful mortgage company in LA only to see it fold years
later due to the economic collapse. He then entered into the Real Estate market
as a realtor. He recounted how one company hired him and promised him great
leads! Well in sales it is all about the leads, on his first day he came
bounding into the office ready to get started and was handed a phone book. Here
are your leads! But Josh was not to be deterred from success. He worked and
worked and now is on top again.
Josh’s
Rules For Success:
1.
Got to love what you do
2. Be
available 24/7 and be ready for when opportunity is looking you straight in the
eye Because it does not happen all the time so take advantage of it when it
does.
3. Separate yourself from the pack. Be better at
your job. Attitude is everything.
Asked
what he learned from his first business venture closing and what he would recommend
to a business owner “Never overextend yourself. Yes it might be fun to have
three cars and a huge house. But you don’t need it and if times get rough those
items are the first to go.”
SAGE
2014 was a great success and small and medium business owners saw great speakers and had an opportunity to view what programs, software would help them manage
their businesses and get to the next level.
