The first question people ask me regarding my workshops or free newsletter is "what is a Savvy Intrapreneur?".

First, let's answer the question "What is an Intrapreneur?" Gifford
Pinchot coined the word "Intrapreneur" in the 70s. Gifford was and still is ahead of his time in vision. An Intrapreneur thinks like an entrepreneur seeking out opportunities, which benefit the corporation. It was a new way of thinking, in making companies more productive and profitable. IBM was one of the 1st companies to execute the Intrapreneur approach, when it spun off a separate company as its personal computer division, in the early 80s. The entire leadership of the new compoany was made up entirely of Intrapreneurs. Visionary employees who thought like entrepreneurs.

A Savvy Intrapreneur takes a good idea and makes it better.
A Savvy Intrapreneur steps out of the comfort zone of corporate security, to insure s/he creates additional income which at least matches their take home pay. An Intrapreneur works overtime helping to run someone else's business, for the company's future. A Savvy Intrapreneur runs themselves like a business putting in 1 hour a day of overtime for their own financial future.

Developing a career while maintaining position at work requires staying focused as a Savvy Intrapreneur. This takes courage. Click here to listen to a brief speech from a person we all know as an expert on courage.

Then step out. Dare to make yourself "fireproof" at work.

The article below, by Andrew J. Birol, shows the pros and cons of Intrapreneurship vs. Entrepreneurship. It's a great article in pointing out the benefits of being an intrapreneur, but there is little too much emphasis on the risk factors. Remember Gifford Pinchot's Intrapreneur Commandment #1, as you read this article.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?
When a company’s growth begins to dwindle, boardroom meetings grow strained and the finger pointing starts. Executives cry out, "We need a new strategy! We need to hire better people! Our culture is to blame! Our compensation is wrong!" The founder, if he or she is still around, sadly states, "We have more people, resources, and money than ever. But now we are so big we can’t even get out of our own way!" Embarrassed, a politically perceptive staffer serves up a popular buzzword. "Intrapreneurs! What we need are Intrapreneurs!" The "hip" executive explains that Intrapreneurs are "Inside Entrepreneurs" who will follow their founder’s example. The Intrapreneur, he or she promises, will buck the corporate malaise, risk his or her career to get things done and, is willing to "do the right thing to serve the customer". As everyone looks around the room for this potential savior of growth, what do they see? Executives’ eyes around the table react in three different ways:

Read more . . .

Cheers!!
Savvy Intrapreneur

After much soul searching and filtering out all the nay sayer advise, you decided to put in that 1 hour of overtime with your own business. That's fantabulous!! Making this life changing decision means the main battle is over. Now you can give yourself a raise any time you want. You only have to put in a little extra effort with your own business. It's the finest hour of being a true Savvy Intrapreneur.

Now you're in "marketing mode" to spread the word to people about your business.

Although you're excited and want to tell the whole world, be gingerly about mixing your business with your career business at work. Your best friends at work, could become your worst nightmare. Why? Crabs in a barrel syndrome. Instead of being happy for you and asking how they can help, right away people may think you're making more money them AND getting ahead of them, faster, in creating a better life for yourself/family. Not good.

Just be careful who you speak to at work about your part time business. Consider offering those you really trust a commission for referrals. This puts them in check, because you now have someone who will make money on the side, if they help you make money. It's a win-win situation. It also insures their allegiance in keeping your secret at work. If they tell, they lose money too.

Your new venture also benefits your employer. No waay. Yes waaaay. Your whole oulook with your employer will change in a major positive way. You will be more upbeat and positively energized. Disagreements at work won't be that important. Your day will go smoother and you will be more productive, because you are empowered with your own business. Due to budget cuts, the Boss can't give you a raise. So what? You can give yourself a raise, with your business. You won't be angry or upset when she/he says "no can do" on your raise. Any flakey excuses are inconsequential. You own You!!

Aren't you a special person to the company you work for? Your positive attitude will become contagious. When people ask you at work "how are you doing?" you say "fantabulous" or "great". This strange phenomenon increases your self worth, while increasing your employer's bottom line. They now have a happy employee. Hoo Wa!!

P.S. - putting your own business name and your role, is OK to put on your resume.

Concentrating time and effort on obvious marketing tools is important to succeed. This arsenal of marketing tools includes our wardrobe, communications skills and staying on top of other skills to maintain our personal marketing image.

Voicemail is an under utilized marketing tool. A well planned voice mail marketing campaign can continously pay Big dividends. Since we all hate going to voice mail, let's make the best of it to our advantage. As we are each a captive "voice mail" audience, turn your position into a tactical business strategy.

Voice mail should be made into a memorable experience. This provides you with a distinct signature people will remember.
What is the purpose of voice mail? 1) For callers to leave you a message and 2) For you to leave a message - Right? . . . I don't think so. It's actually not that simple, if making a lasting impression is the goal. Using a different approach separates successful people, who truly become the movers and shakers, from everyone else. It does not take any more time to stand out and go beyond what people expect from voice mail usage.

Let's break it down.

"BAMM!!", as Emeril would say.
Kick it up a couple of notches by using good voice mail etiquette. This awesome tool can easily pump up the volume on marketing ME, Inc., if you tune your success dial to the 3 Goal channels.

Goal channel 1: Your outgoing message should provide an experience that makes people excited to speak with you as they happily leave you a message and

Your outgoing message people hear when they call you, should be upbeat and positive. Your voice tonality and words should get people motiviated and excited about leaving you a message. Make the caller feel like their call is special. Make yourself unavailable so you appear sought after by others. People want people who are in demand. Which movie stars are demand? Those that create demand. By the same token it easier to land a client or job, when you are appear to be in demand (already working).

Goal channel 2: Leaving a voice mail must give people a compelling reason to call you back quicker.

Although it may not a appear like it, leaving a voice mail is truly an opportunity to market yourself. Be upbeat and positive. Take your time leaving a message. Do not rush. Make the other person feel that you're truly interested in speaking with them, even if you are just returning their call.

Most importantly, leave your call back number twice. The first time, say your number at a slow even pace. The second time, pause between each group of numbers to give the person a chance to write it down. This adds a personal touch in showing a person that you value their time.

How often do you call someone back, if they race through the number to the point of not being understandable or you have to replay the message several times? How does it make you feel when a person talks at a million miles a minute to rush through their message. Does that person make you feel important? How about the voice mail message from a person who says "it's me, call me back" without leaving a number. Do they really value your time? Are they really considerate of your time, now that you have to take time to look their number up. Keep this in mind when leaving your next voice mail message for a friend, family or business associate.

Goal channel 3: Receive intelligence about a person's demeanor, before calling back. A good friend and business associate, Cesar Montesano, taught me this very powerful technique.

You can get valuable feedback about a person by listening to the tonality of the voice mail they leave you. Are they excited, sad, annoyed, laid back or even interested in what you have to say? This allows you to more intelligently formulate your call back strategy.

Always listen to the entire voice mail, before calling someone back, even if you know the person. This makes a person feel extremely important, when taking the time to listen to what they have to say. It also saves them and you time, because the message does not have to be repeated.

Congratulations!! By tuning into all 3 goal channels, you've created an expereince for each personal encounter that is unquely your own electronic signature. With practice, voice mail can combine high tech with a very high personal touch.

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I found people to call me back faster, while commenting on my outgoing message, using these techniques. Voice mail has facilitated longer lasting connections and helped me acqure lucrative business contracts.

For those times when voice mail kicks in, embrace it as a very cool tool for you to shine. Voice mail can make people want to do business with you quicker. It's as simple as me treating another person the way I want to be treated.

Cheers

C.E. Reid
Savvy Intrapreneur