Bruce Outridge

When did you graduate?

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Bruce

When did you graduate? You’re probably thinking about when you graduated high school or college when asked that question. If you think about it when you leave school is not the end of your education, it is the beginning. I was thinking about this the other day when reflecting on my career and where I am today. If you look back, I dropped out of school at seventeen, went back when I was forty, and am still learning every day. So looking back I could ask the question, did I graduate at all, at forty,or am I still on the road to graduation. What I have learned is that graduating from school just gives you the basics to go to the next step. Because I left school early and went back later I have never been to a school reunion and often wonder what they might be like. Watching a movie not too long ago there was a scene with a reunion and I wondered how that might go for my class, it won’t!

Now at fifty I feel comfortable enough that if I was in school I would be ready to graduate. You say why fifty? At fifty, I have had a thirty year career working for both large and small companies, I know what I want from my career, I know the lifestyle I want, I know what is really important in life, and I am old enough to know what the future might hold for me. You can’t learn any of that from a class. You can’t read enough fairy tail stories to wonder what life is like in other places. That comes from traveling, keeping up with the news, meeting people of other cultures, experiencing both hardship and friendship, be celebrated and beaten down, then you begin to understand the world. All of that takes time and experience.

I see people that have missed on the many experiences in life that are my age and I feel bad for them. They have worked at one place all their lives, never traveled, spent their hard earned money on frivolous items and have missed some great things life has to offer. Do they feel they are ready to graduate? That would depend on whether they are content with their lives, if so the answer is “yes.” As I watch young people get all dolled up, renting limos, having parties because they have graduated from high school or college, I often say to myself they don’t even know what’s about to hit them? Maybe we should move graduation to fifty? At fifty you get to rent a limo and have a big party for graduating, by then you have a totally different outlook on life and have learned enough to say I am ready to go out into the world. Of course I am still learning so maybe the real word for graduation is “retirement!”

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an artist, author, and entrepreneur. He is the author of several books named Driven to Drive, Running by the Mile, and How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps. To learn more about Bruce and his work visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca

The Internship Movie-Old School Business!

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Bruce

Leave a Comment

Not too long ago I was watching a movie called “The Internship.” It was a very funny movie about two old school salesmen that lost their job selling various lame products and in a desperate attempt to save their downward spiral of life they apply for an internship at Google with people half their age. The essence of the movie is that they know nothing about computers but end up being the most creative people using old school relationship tactics. I won’t spoil the movie for you but certainly anyone over forty will appreciate the scenario and humour of the movie. It got me thinking however as to how we do business today.

There was a time when you could block off time to meet customers and have their full attention. There was a time when relationships built through business meant that you had secure business and loyalty from that client. As in the movie it showed that the most creative people were the ones that didn’t let technology take over their lives. Now we meet people for a meeting and often they are checking their phones while in the meeting, we don’t have their full attention. I say maybe it is time to go back to the old school way of thinking. Let your creativity come from your mind and your heart. Technology may be great, but remember a mind is what created the technology!

If you are in the habit of checking your phone or laptop often try blocking off your time. Check email at certain times of the day instead of every time a message comes in. Turn off automatic ringers and notifications sounds so that they don’t distract you from listening to the person you are meeting with. Take time to exercise without taking your phone and use your mind to solve issues in life. You may find your mind is the best technology that you have.

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an entrepreneur and author of the books Running by the Mile and Driven to Drive, and How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps. For more information or to purchase a book visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca

Hanging Out With a Group

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Bruce

Leave a Comment

In the arts there are many that don’t feel that artists should hang out with others artists in case they steal their ideas, in fact that could be said among many different industries. That being said in my experience I have found exactly the opposite, whether I am attending a convention for cartoonists in a luxury setting, attending a local art gathering, or working with a local association I have found that I am always learning and helping others. Actually I am on the board for a group called Like Minded Business Networkers for that very reason, we all are working towards the same goal. Many join groups and associations to promote themselves and meet new clients but that strategy often back fire. If you join a group based on just meeting people with no connection then you may be missing the boat. I have friend that often says we deal with the people that we like and that is very true.

When I began my illustration business I didn’t know where to go to meet people and start networking. Often thinking about how to network with people is the worst way to join clubs and associations, that’s because you go in with large expectations and will look too needy in approaching people. I think if you are going to join a club or association then you should focus on some other aspect of the club, the meeting people will come later. For instance when i wanted to start showing my work I joined the Oakville Art Society in my area because they allowed members to show their work in group shows. Oh sure I met other artists, I learned techniques, I was given opportunities from being a member, but those were side benefits. My main goal was to show my work. I have been a member there for over ten years and have had multiple solo shows, have taught many courses, and made many connections for business that are still intact today.

When I began my consulting business I joined a safety organization called the Fleet Safety Council in hope that I would meet potential clients and I have. When I joined my goal was to keep myself educated about the industry and the safety world that I had become a part of. I knew I would meet people and I have gotten lots of business from the group, but my focus is on keeping up with the industry.

If you are looking for groups to join then try these ideas. Join groups that will give you education, opportunities, or experience. Be active in the group and participate, don’t be the invisible silent person in the back. Try joining a local group, a national group, and an international group related to your field. Last but not least stop trying to meet people, that will happen in its own, just go enjoy yourself! Sometimes when i go to my lunchtime meeting, I am not in the mood to meet anyone, sometimes I just go for lunch and that’s okay. At least I am being active!

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an artist, author, consultant, and entrepreneur. He is the author of several books including, How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps, Driven to Drive, and Running by the Mile. You can learn more about Bruce and his companies at http://www.outridgeenterprises.ca

Are You a Star?

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Bruce

Leave a Comment

I love reading biographies especially about old bands that I used to follow as a kid. KISS is one of those bands and I have read most of the biographies from the band. I am currently reading the new release from Paul Stanley the front man of the band and although it talks about the antics of the band it also talks about focus. I have a few friends in the music industry and many of them talk about luck, the big break, or being in the right place at the right time. Some also talk about the work, the headaches, bad bars and so on. That is where the difference is between getting so far and being successful. The same thing happens to entrepreneurs, many want the dream, but they get to the headaches and hard work and it overtakes them. They lose their focus. The successful entrepreneurs or stars have such a strong focus that they will break through anything to reach that area of success.

Bruce is awarded the Road Today Trucking Ambassador of the Year award at the Road Today Truck Show in 2011

So do you think of yourself as a star? Do you have the focus to take you through the hard work phase and the headache phase? Do you have the drive to take your business to the next level? I am not suggesting that you don’t have a job to help bring in money into the household, but you need to keep focusing on the true dream. You need to get started and keep honing the operation to where it works like a well oiled machine and that may take years, but you need to keep at it. There will be luck involved, there will be being at the right place at the right time, but there will also be focus that will help get you through. Think like a star, don’t ever let go of your dream, and you too will be successful. Go ahead, try it!

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is an artist, consultant, speaker, and author of the books Driven to Drive, Running by the Mile, and How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps. To learn more about Bruce and his work visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca

Want social media success? Pay attention to the low numbers.

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Bruce

Leave a Comment

Recently I gave a presentation to a local association on social media. Many know they need to be on it, but really don’t know why so there are still many questions. Often times when talking to companies about their social media programs I get information like I am on Twitter or Facebook because of the amount of people on those platforms. I’ll receive statements like there are 300 million people on Twitter, or 1.3 billion people on Facebook so we should be very successful on those platforms. Many folks think being on the platform will give you the exposure to that audience, but it is unrealistic because you can’t connect with everyone and unless they are connected to you they don’t see you anyway. So I often try to steer people away from focusing on the big numbers because they really don’t mean anything anyway. What really matters is the small number and the people that you know.

With social media you have to think more like your doctor. Your doctor when he or she takes your blood pressure is more concerned with the lower number than the higher number. If your blood pressure is 135/90 the doctor is watching that number 90 more closely. If the 90 creeps up that is when the health problems really start. The same thing happens in social media, the large number of people on the platform means nothing. The smaller number which is the people connected to you is the number you should be concerned with. For instance on LinkedIn there are 300 million members. Many of us have less than 500 people connected with us. Those 500 people however, have the power to buy your product or services, recommend people to your business, or possibly hire you for a job. That being said you want to make sure those 500 people know who your are, what you do, and how to connect with you. That is why we only connect with people we know. In my case I only connect with people I know or people that’s in an industry I work in. The same thing goes for the other platforms, there may be 1.3 billion users on Facebook but your concern should be the 150 people that like your page or are connected as friends. Those are the people that want to know what you are doing or what you have to say.

If you want to create a strong network and get your name out there the best thing to do is put out information that people want to read or hear. Put out some good content and people will naturally gravitate to you and your network will grow. If you sign up on a platform and do nothing then you really aren’t helping your brand. If you are using social media as a marketing program make sure that your audience is on that platform. Social media is no different than any other marketing campaign, identify your target market, define what they want, and deliver it. Keep to that program and you will have sociable media success.

About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant and author of the books Driven to Drive, Running by the Mile, and How to Start an Artistic Business in 12 Easy Steps. To learn more about Bruce and his work please visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca