|
-
 What I have tried to create with this
book is a very simple to use process, the book is a very quick, easy
read and I’ve tried to provide enough tools and ideas in it so that
you can put it to work immediately. 
|
|
|
 
|
Mike Ferrell
Mike Ferrell is President and CEO
of The Pinecrest Group,
he works with companies and sales practices helping
them create focus in strategic planning, business
development, marketing and the sales process. He has
been involved in 8 different start-up companies and
has worked with numerous companies , big and small
throughout the U.S. He conducts seminars and coaches
in the areas of branding, leadership, marketing
systems, sales process and delivering exceptional
service. Over the past 20 years he has worked with
thousands of people helping them create a game plan
for success. Mike is a graduate of the University of
St. Thomas and lives in the Twin Cities.
http://www.ultimatebreakthroughplanning.com
Books-and-Authors.net: Where did you grow up and was
reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest
influences and why?
Mike Ferrell: My mom was probably my biggest influence growing up as
far as writing and reading she was always writing and an avid
reader. In high school one of my best friends worked for the local
newspaper as a sports writer and I thought I would enjoy that. My
first major in college was journalism but decided writing fast on
the fly was not one of my strengths.
Books-and-Authors.net: Briefly discuss your new book ULTIMATE
BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING - How is this book different from others in
the business help genre?
Mike Ferrell: What I have tried to create with this book is a very
simple to use process, the book is a very quick, easy read and I’ve
tried to provide enough tools and ideas in it so that you can put it
to work immediately.
Books-and-Authors.net: Describe your title ULTIMATE
BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING as it relates to the book.
Mike Ferrell: The reason I came up with the title is because if you
look at the traditional way of business planning it is very static
and the traditional plan that is created very rarely helps a
business grow, with this title I really wanted to create a
breakthrough idea that this is different and a process you can use
every single day to grow your business.
Books-and-Authors.net: In ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING you
discuss the "Funnel Approach" and say that the traditional approach
is flawed explain.
Mike Ferrell: As I said earlier the traditional planning process
creates a static document that the business owner rarely uses, the
business funnel approach gives them a different process that creates
a logical approach to breaking down the things they need to do each
and every day into bite size pieces that are measurable and can
easily be implemented. The problem with most business plans is they
miss the most crucial step and that is execution, the business
funnel approach focuses on execution.
Books-and-Authors.net: What is your definition of a Leader?
Mike Ferrell: I believe a leader empowers their organization to help
them create the vision they see for their company. A great leader
doesn’t micromanage but puts people in a position to succeed and
allows them to execute.
Books-and-Authors.net: What is BRANDING? And why is important
in business?
Branding as I refer to it in the book is really creating a message
that says who your are, what you do, how you do it and what makes
you unique. Branding is not created overnight and if you create this
message everyone in your organization must understand it, use it and
live it. If you create a brand that way it will clearly
differentiate you from your competitors.
Books-and-Authors.net: When building your team, you write, "
Play too the strengths of your team" Explain
In most cases managers and business owners manage to minimize
peoples weaknesses when in most cases if we managed to maximize
peoples srengths both they and the organization would be much more
effective. The key though is you must find your teams strengths and
then make sure they are in the right position to succeed.
Books-and-Authors.net: What do you hope to achieve with
ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING?
Mike Ferrell: I would hope that Ultimate Breakthrough Planning would
give businesses throughout the world an alterative approach to
creating a game plan that can help them grow their businesses. And
although it wasn’t’ necessarily written with the current economic
environment in mind I would also hope that it can give those
individuals that decide to start a business because they have lost a
job a blueprint to create a successful business right out of the
blocks versus the usual trial and error method.
Books-and-Authors.net: What was the last book you read?
Mike Ferrell: World Wide Rave by David Meerman Scott, I think his
ideas of marketing in today’s world are extremely relevant and like
my book break down some of the old ideas on how to do things!
Books-and-Authors.net: What's next?
Mike Ferrell: I am just finishing up a new E-book titled Business
Planning on a Bar Napkin which will be available free on my website.
And I am working on my next book which I will be taking the process
I discuss in Ultimate Breakthrough Planning and looking at companies
that have been on the brink of failure and come back to succeed.
Books-and-Authors.net: Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
How do they enhance your writing?
Mike Ferrell: I am an avid golfer and in order to be a decent golfer
you have to practice and prepare, I think the way that influences
not only my writing but my work is that I don’t just jump into I
prepare and do my homework.
|
|
