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Tel Aviv – ahead of the conflict and beyond the start ups

28 February 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Spend four days, consecutively, in Tel Aviv? I cannot remember the last time I did that. After all, for me and many people in the Jerusalem area, when we think of the city, we conjure up visions of a dense humidity, traffic aims and no where to park, claustrophobic high rise buildings, and a boundary lines that seems to take over other towns.

Wrong!

The problem starts with how people describe the city of Tel Aviv. They relate to it in terms that do not have that much importance to many of us outsiders. For example, Tel Aviv has been called the ‘start up capital’ of the start up nation. The first Arab-Israel start up school is to be launched near there. Flattering. Impressive. But this is not necessarily a reason to visit.

Alternatively, Tel Aviv is often referred to as possibly the most openly gay society in the world. In a region of geo-political conflict, such pluralism is a rare phenomenon and which must be treasured. But again, this is not something that advertises the cities best features for those outside that spectrum.

Yes, there is a better way to describe Tel Aviv. Simply look at its people and what they are creating.

Wednesday afternoon, I had two meetings in the heart of the city’s financial district. My young hosts were located in brand new structures, which had been carefully placed between old buildings that are protected by local by-laws. This is not just about protecting the past. This policy shows the next generation where they have come from and how they should not forget the lessons of the founders of the state.

On Thursday evening, I found a wonderful restaurant called LaSagna. Ostensibly, this sounds like another expensive way to serve up gluggy ravioli. Wrong again! I had one heck of a minestrone soup, followed by a wonderful plate of fresh paste.

The atmosphere was warm and friendly – a family business. The manager found my wife and I a quiet table, even though they were packed on an out-of-season February evening. And the talk? Yes, I deliberately listened to the conversation of others. Be it in Hebrew, English or Italian, most were discussing how they were going to get to the starting line of the Tel Aviv marathon. (This is to be held the following day.)

I too was in town for the run. But I had found myself a great location to stay in. I urge people very strongly to check out Alexander’s Hotel, relatively new and just next to the old ‘port area’. It is ideally situated for the local tourist, visitors from overseas or travelling business folk. And, it is literally a couple of minutes walk from the beach.

The hotel can be found in a quiet street. The staff appear to be locals and they go out of the way to be friendly. The décor is modern, yet relaxing. They kindly provide fruit and wine in the lobby, an unexpected treat. It was a delight to spend a couple of nights there.

As for the marathon, about 40,000 people of all backgrounds, including many from overseas, turned the streets of the Israeli metropolis into a sea of red and green tea shirts. It was a brilliant celebration of getting together, whatever you age, religion or colour. But more of that in my next blog.

For now, I just ask you to remember. Tel Aviv is open for business, to all, and its fun!.

Israeli high-tech does it again – 3 new champions

24 February 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

In a recent post, I described why how and why the Israeli economy is still advancing its strengths in human capital. The concept of the ‘start up nation’ is still very much in play. This week, we have seen three examples of that innovation come to the fore.

The big news is Oracle’s purchase of Ravello for a suggested US$500 million. Behind the numbers, what is important to recall is that the founders of Ravello, Rami Tamir and Benny Schneider, have five previous exits between them to their names. The total value of these deals is estimated at around at over US$600 million during the period 1999 to 2012.

What makes them special? They learnt at the Technion University in Haifa. They are known to be great team players. They are known to be open to critique. They do not claim to have all the answers but look to push the boundaries in the quest to discover more.

A secondary item has featured Nadav Tsafir, former head of the Israeli army’s legendary 8200 unit. His Team 8 Group has already raised US$18 million to sink into local cyber technology. They have just added a further US$23 million to their war chest. The backers include AT&T, Nokia, and finance houses from Japan and Singapore. Not bad for a company that has barely been around for 18 months.

And then there is the little known company called Lightricks from Jerusalem. Somewhat under the radar of press, they have developed two leading applications, Facetune and Enlight, among the most successful paid apps in the world. Three years on and they are looking to recruit a further 40 developers, even offering to pay US$25,000 if people will relocate to Jerusalem.

Whose next? Difficult to say. Last week, I met with one most creative lady in Jerusalem who came up with a brilliant, while skiing down a slope in Italy. Watch this space!

Israel’s economy – what can be done?

19 February 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

It really bugs me! Despite wars and global recession, Israel’s GDP – the size of an economy – practically doubled in a decade to 2014. And today? According to stats released by the Central Bureau of Statistics “Israel’s economy expanded at an annualized pace of 2.2% for the final six months of 2015. This is the lowest six-month growth figure in Israel since the first half of 2009, when the world was in the throes of the global financial crisis….” .

What is worse is that you get the feeling that the government just does not understand. And as I mentioned earlier this week, the main economic impetus of Prime Minister Netanyahu currently is to create a casino for tourists in Eilat, a plan deeply opposed in Parliament.

There are warning signs everywhere that the economy is slowing down.

  • While the economy did grow by 3.3% in the last quarter of 2015, the surge was primarily led by higher consumer spending. Fine, but this is not what expansion should be based around.
  • Since June 2015, there has been a steady monthly decline in the growth of the number of new job vacancies. In fact, the number has fallen in numeric terms since November.
  • Government support for high-tech? Yet again, it seems the big companies are benefitting the most, while innovation is often found amongst the start ups.

Possibly the most significant sign of imbalance came with the headline: “Negative inflation is gaining momentum, but home prices rise 8%” (in January). That is one heck of an economic anomaly.

And the response from central government? Well, none frankly. Meanwhile, due to coalition politics, I believe the Prime Minister still holds about six portfolios. I suppose he is too busy with other important issues to have time to care what is or is not entering the pockets of his public.

Why do I need a business model?

18 February 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

When faced by investors or bank mangers, business owners are often called upon to describe their business model. Many do not know what this phrase means let alone how to explain their own definition. And then there is the question: Who needs a business model?

Let me answer through the use of a brief case study. Last week in Jerusalem, I met with a very experienced and erudite business woman, who was describing her new project. She had researched in depth and had created a team. There is a proven market, waiting to be tapped into. Now it was time to approach investors. How could I help?

As a business mentor, I gently asked what was the final service? How would it be packaged? How was it to be sold? Why? Who were the actual buyers and the decision makers behind the scenes?

As fewer and fewer answers were forthcoming, the conversation became quieter in tone. There was a realisation that as  a business coach, I was asking the questions people do not want to face. And as had become obvious, what I was really asking was what is the business model. This lays out the detailed theory of how any company intends to convert ideas into cash.

Time and again, I raise these questions. For example, consider what happened when one client recently ‘confided’ in me that they felt their market had shrunk overnight. When I prodded them for ideas, they replied with variations on a theme about what they are already selling. No, I demanded. What other skills and advantages can you sell to a new community and how?

Last month, I was challenged by a software company, who wanted to know why their agents were not selling. The discussion revealed that specific parameters had not been set – which potential clients agents should approach and why, and what is the company’s unique innovate offering. The result of the changes in operation? Several overseas contracts have been concluded.

The fact is the phrase ‘business model’ is banded around by many. What it means is understood by far fewer. And if I was to rank its importance? Define it properly (and test it), and you can make a lot of money.

7 big lies from Jerusalem of powerpoint presentations

3 February 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Yesterday in Jerusalem I attended BOLEO 2016  – Business Opportunities in Israeli Lasers & Electro-Optics. This is a rare opportunity for entrepreneurs in this field in the Jerusalem region to show off their capabilities to potential clients and others.

The day included a 2 hour session, where eight local start ups were offered seven minutes each to pitch to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs and experts. This is the part that I was looking forward to. And all my senses as a business coach and mentor were fully turned on……….only to be extinguished fairly early on.

Apart from the presenter for Belkin, a one-second, non-invasive laser treatment for early stage glaucoma, none of the speakers could generate even a spark of interest. Quite simply, each of the presenters blew a golden opportunity to put themselves in front of potential investors. and here is why.

  1. Most failed to appreciate the dynamics of the audience. Had they asked beforehand? Yes, most of the listeners were scientists, but the key members were the panel, who are also investors. Most of the presentations had a technical slant and thus were of lesser importance for the panel.
  2. The alloted time was seven minutes. One spent 30 seconds thanking the organisers. Two did not leave enough time for questions. If you think that the most important item in your presentation is your voice, you are wrong. Ironically, you also need to listen and show you are listening.
  3. Most of the presentations had lovely pictures and graphics. I do not recall one slide that made me sit up and say “wow”. That is just key, especially right at the beginning.
  4. Especially when you are short of time, presentations should begin with a ten word intro of what you are doing and why. What is the need? At least deliver this message before people go back to their phones. One speaker did have a slide entitled ‘the need’ and then proceeded to chat about his technology!
  5. Prepare, prepare and prepare again. The session was conducted in English, which is not the mother tongue of all the presenters. Fair enough, but then that fact alone should have pushed them to rehearsing even longer. They were boring in the main.
  6. Most of the speakers used much of their time to talk about their technology, and in detail. However, it is a fallacy if you think that you can get away without explaining precisely how you will sell the product. The validation of the business model is a vital slide.
  7. Most of the slides were long and complex. The classic rule in such presentations is to keep them simple and short. Your slides should emphasise your key point, not state it.

The speakers ignored these rules of powerpoint presentations. I did not invent them. They are all over the web in countless blogs. By ignoring these guidelines, the presenters were deceiving others, hoping they could ‘get away with it’. They failed. They merely wasted the time of many listening.

The power of describing your business in less than ten words

29 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Business Networking Forum held its first “speed dating” event of 2016 earlier this week. This is always an incredibly dynamic spectacle, where dozens of people frantically try to conduct a conversation in two minutes, when it usually takes 20 minutes.

The results? As ever at JBNF, most of those who I have spoken to have walked away with valuable contacts. And all this by saving time by a factor of ten.

Let me explain how this is done. The participants line up in rows. They are given 120 seconds to explain who they are to each other, ask pertinent questions, and swop contact details. When the time is up, one row moves on and then the next round begins. Every so often, the moderator – myself – allows a break and introduces a guest speaker.

JBNF was privileged to have three excellent presenters. Gilad Newman from Dale Carnegie described how to improve your presence, simply by smiling. Melissa Beinefeld, an employer advisor, stressed the importance of keeping messages brief and direct. Picking up on this theme, international branding expert, Jonathan Gabay, urged participants to consider their audience.

Gabay described the amazing story of the creators of the film “Aliens” who as newcomers to Hollywood were desperately seeking a way to impress backers. They hit on the phrase: “It’s like Jaws, but in space”. People ‘got it’ immediately, doors opened, and the rest is history.

The message for the rest of us may be obvious but it needs to be stated. Be ready for the question ‘what do you do?’ Prepare  an answer that takes up no more than ten words. If longer, your floundering could indicate that you are not sure yourself, and thus you will not be leaving a strong impression on your partner in the conversation.

Here’s why Israel can boast that ‘innovation’ theme

24 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

When Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, turned up at Davos this year, he stressed the country’s strengths in the field of cyber security and how that can offer benefits for potential new friends in the region.

I am not sure if Netanyahu’s speech was well-attended. However, he has a crucial central point. More and more conglomerates are turning to Israel in order to learn how to take a big stride ahead in the world of commerce. Intel, Google, Microsoft et al have long r&d and/ or manufacturing processes in the Holy Land. Even Telstra, the Telco giant from far-off Australia, have now sent senior execs to Israel to meet with key players in one of the world’s fastest-growing tech hubs.

The ‘start up nation syndrome’ keeps driving ahead. This coming week in Jerusalem, the Our Crowd investment group, led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, will host thousands of overseas investors. OurCrowd is entering 2016 with some amazing stats: $200M of investments, 10,000 investors, investors from 110 countries around the world, and 93 portfolio companies. (Last year, in 2015, investment in Israeli tech companies reached $5B, a growth of over 100% over the last two years.)

Our Crowd’s efforts are not alone in the market place. For example, reverting back to the Australian theme, in November I met an amazing 50 person-strong delegation from Australia. Young entrepreneurs to seasoned bankers, they explored all facets of the Israeli high-tech set up.

At a cocktail function, I entered into an extensive discussion with Stephen Rutter, manager of UTS Business school’s Business Practice Unit. As he later recalled: –

I saw in Israel that a culture formed from 2000 years of overcoming adversity underpins innovation and entrepreneurship there. The start-up community’s innovative spirit is also formed in the crucible of military conscription, where lives are at risk and everyone is personally involved and affected. It is something of the national character that Israelis are alert to possibilities that can make a difference, and willing to take action, quickly!

Israel is ranked 5th in Bloomberg’s innovation index. At the recent CES show in Las Vegas, dozens of Israeli firms were present. I know of European commercial leaders waiting to join the bandwagon in 2016. It is Israeli technology that continues to make an important and positive difference to the lives of billions globally.

The disaster of Israeli customer relations – part 2

20 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

As previously discussed, Israeli companies are not generally known for ‘best practices’ in customer relations. At the heart of the matter is that they simply forget, “it is not about me” (the supplier), but the client who you are encouraging to impart with a whole load of cash.

Just take yesterday. I was checking in at the El Al desk at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. The lady behind the counter almost threw my passport back at me. She was not angry. It was just sloppy. (To be fair, another El Al official later on was most empathetic when discussing an issue I raised.)

Now, I want to refer to Pelephone mobile company. About two years ago, I felt that I was misled into purchasing some equipment. The company argued otherwise. I eventually appealed to a consumer body at one the government ministries. Months later, Pelephone agreed to reimburse me. In return, I had to return all the equipment. Up to here, an annoying story for me, as Pelephone quietly retreated.

But my point is elsewhere.

A few days later, I received an email from Pelephone, which informed me how much I would be reimbursed. No explanation was offered, but it was approximately 30% of what I felt I was owed. Naturally, I was incredibly irate. But I did not give up. More highly irritating phone calls and emails led to a triumph for my bank account.

However, more significantly, any goodwill that Pelephone may have engendered when it had originally backed down was simply flushed out of the window in a micro second. Why would I use them again?

And there ended over two years of needless distress, initiated by a over greedy sales policy from an Israeli mobile giant and then encouraged by a disastrous customer management procedure. Sad, but oh so true of many others as well.

“I want to grow my business. Find me the magic solution”

12 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

One of the most common approaches I receive as a business mentor in the Jerusalem area is people asking me how I can help them to grow their business. Their face is covered with the words: “Please show me the magic formula, and now”.

On reflection, it was not by chance that the home page of my website features the word ‘growth” very prominently. When handling new clients, this may sound presumptuous, but I often know in advance where the solution lies. Let me expand.

Mentoring sometimes takes a while to reach the heart of key issues. There is a certain process to undergo, as the coach learns the business and begins to unravel the ancient cobwebs of how the organisation was established and is now operating. However, sooner or later, he is faced with the client’s near inevitable question: Who should I bring in to strengthen the sales / marketing team?

Obviously, there are many externalities that will contribute to the final answer. However, and at the risk of over-generalising, I repeatedly find myself coming up with the same response. One of the key players in promoting the enterprise is the owner / founder / CEO themselves, but they just do not appreciate this deeply enough.

Why do I say that? In an era where the consumer suffers from an overload of information, to appear as genuine is one of the key tactics to defeat or go around the filtering system we all have. And the most practical way to appear genuine is to use the passion that most owners and founders tend to possess. They are the best sales people of their own product or service.

However, something very interesting often happens at this point of the mentoring. You can predict that the client in front of you will physically pull away from the discussion. It is at that moment that they realise that they have to do something not in their assumed comfort zone and also that their is no better candidate. A double whammy!

You see the reason why these CEOS have approached me to help them grow the business is that they have been too preoccupied with other tasks. They have not spent enough time on the key area where their added value is most significant – selling and talking to potential clients and being most passionate about what they care for.

And it is this juncture that the business really begins to turn around.

3 rules for setting up a website for a small business

8 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Well I finally did it. This week, I released my new website. Months of thinking, procrastinating, creative thinking and fine tuning – it’s over and finished.

Now as a business coach and mentor, I should not really admit to all being hassled. Yet, that is just the point. It needs to be stated outright – setting up a website may sound simple, but it is not…..and especially for a small business with limited manpower.

Let me explain. Many of my clients are located in the Jerusalem area. Several can be described as small or medium sized enterprises, where everyone has over 25% too much to do every day. Yet,  a second common factor is they often have 50% too little to invest in strengthening the corporate structure.

So, regardless, a decision is taken to create a website by themselves. After all, Wix and WordPress are so easy to learn, aren’t they? And here is where it all goes wrong, very quickly.

Today, when my clients ask me about starting up a new site, I point out three critical issues that need to be considered in advance, and at length. (I would like to add that I bounced off some of these ideas with Nadine Wildman from Meeple Communications, whose excellent skills resulted in the innovative design of my own site).

First, the setting up of a website does not just take up a lot of time. Content writing, finding pictures, editing, etc – all of these tasks requires days and yet even more days, usually from more than one person. I constantly challenge business owners if they do not anything better to do, such as recruiting new clients to secure revenue. Leave the ‘dirty’ work, where you are not a specialist, to others.

Second, consider your message very carefully. What are you trying to say? What is it that you are selling? Have you looked at how your competitors have set up their sites and why? What trick are they missing that will make you stand out from the crowd?

Finally, discuss in detail who is your audience. For example, what is the age group of the target population and will they react positively to the style of your copy writer?

Nadine added a fourth factor. In her experience, she has seen several ‘home made’ websites, where templates have been used. Unfortunately, these usually include standard pictures and content that slip into the ‘new’ site. The results can be embarrassing, and that means loads of time has been wasted.

Launching a new website should be a fun and creative experience. Make sure it is, by outsourcing the pain. Meanwhile, I urge you to check out   https://michaelhoresh.com/.

 

 

Creating genuine equality in society – innovative Israeli approach

6 January 2016
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Just about every country in the world, where the culture promotes social equality, struggles to meet their noble aims. Even Sweden has its issues to resolve.

Israel is a veritable melting pot: The ‘religion agenda’ sets up barriers between peoples over matters of land. It also creates a divide between the sexes. There are several dominant minority groups such as Druze, Circassians and Bedouin. And so the list goes on.

Life is not perfect, but overall Israel maintains a democracy and encourages minorities to participate. Golda Meir was one of the first female Prime Ministers in the world. In Gila Gamliel, the country today has a very pro-active Minister for Gender Equality. Walk into hospitals, you will see Jews and non-Jews treating and being treated as one.

Is this enough? Clearly not. And into the breach has stepped Israel’s Ministry of Justice. Last week, the chief bureaucrat of the ministry – a female -hosted the second annual conference on “Partners Together”. The aim is to promote and to ensure a wider participation of all communities in the justice system in the Holy Land.

Quoting stats published in a local newspaper, of the positions available in the ministry:

  • 67% – women
  • 9% – non Jews
  • 1.5% – special needs
  • 0.75% – Ethiopians

There are some positives. 60% of the top positions are held by women, compared to 38% for the rest of the civil service. Salim Joubran is a Christian Arab and is a permanent member of the Supreme Court in Jerusalem. And the very fact that such a event takes place is a spur to other ministries.

What should be stated is that the conference, which took place in the full glare of the media, can only happen in a democracy.

Remember Israel has geopolitical problems oozing out of every river and hillside. However, while Israel’s detractors may point out the country’s failings – and yes, they do exist – compared to its neighbours and even some members of the EU,  Israel is light years ahead in actively seeking a more integrated society.

How to deal with anger in the workplace – one huge lesson

17 December 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

My wife recently passed me on a very interesting article about how to deal with angry work employees. Useful as the guidelines are, they ignore a critical point. Anger and ‘heated frustration’ emanates from several different points of contact in an organisation – the employee, the employer, the supplier, the client and who knows from where else.

My work as a business coach has led me to talk through a number of such situations in the past month or so. And yes, I also lost my cool for a moment with somebody. What can we do when faced with such a challenge?

Let me start with a big “no, no”. Do not be sarcastic nor mock. It is childish and unprofessional. They may deserve it, yet remember: At the end of the day, there is as situation that both of you want to resolve and assumedly end up on the same side.

Now for the big challenge, in two stages.

  1. Try to find the patience and emotional effort to take a mental step back. This can be a big ask. For example, much of my work is in around the Jerusalem area in Israel, where the heat of Mediterranean summers can often fuel sweaty tensions.
  2. And then, just ask what yourself what is the real story? Why are they angry? Is it what happened? Or are they actually cross with themselves? Maybe, you have forgotten to inform them about something. Is it something factual or a case of raw emotions? The list of possibilities can be long, but it is worth finding the actual answer…….for the sake of all.

My wife described one occasion where she simply listened out the complainant in front of her. During his forceful display of words, she realised that was important for him was not the facts, but protecting his status amongst his colleagues. She tactfully made sure he realized that this would be in tact, and then went ahead with her requests. He could than back down, and all left the room happy. Simple, no?

3 Unknown facts about the economy of Jerusalem

13 December 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

Mention the city of Jerusalem to people who live outside Israel, and they may associate the place with religion or tourism and even, unfortunately, terror. All understandable. But if you were to then query what makes the economy go round for its 850,000 inhabitants, then this may raise more questions than answers.

I did mention the tourism business, significant but not enough. The city also bristles with government offices, whose output is high, when measured in terms of paper pushing. But there is more, and often surprisingly so. Let me take a few lines to enlighten you as to Jerusalem’s economic value.

Biotech:

There are over 130 companies in the life science sector in the Jerusalem area. They are serviced by industrial parks as well as the research facilities in key campuses such as Hadassah Hospital. As I have written in the past, it is ironic that it is the complex diverse social culture of the city that makes this place attractive for overseas investors to look for the technology breakthrough in pharma and related fields.

The markets:

Jerusalem has three key markets; the primarily Jewish fruit and veg shops around Machane Yehuda, the four religious quarters of the Old City, and the stalls of Arab East Jerusalem. Each one is unique and worth a visit, but I want to concentrate on the third one.

It is not just that contrary to political hype, you do find a plentiful amount of Israel products with Hebrew packaging on full display. These traders have goods to sell that have originated in exotic countries that theoretically ban trade with Israel. You can find underwear from Dubai and cosmetics from Afghanistan. The latest addition is Syrian merchandise that has woven its way south via Jordan and the Allenby Crossing with Israel. And nobody complain about this free trade.

Future Thinking:

Over the past five years, Jerusalem has become inundated with networking groups. Two of the largest are JLM and JBNF. The point is that a whole community or generation is no longer prepared to be confined by the restrictions of religious leaders or the workings of bureaucrats. For example, as an active member of JBNF, I can vouch for the fact that at any one sessions, you will find a non-Jewish member sitting right next to an ultra orthodox Jew, all constantly looking for a new way to develop commercial realtionships.

The city is utilizing its diversity of peoples, languages and tertiary teaching institutions in order to bring the sum of the talent together for a greater good. One prime example of this is Glide, where you can see religious and non-observant working freely together to create a video app. This company has already raised several tens of millions. Bob Rosenschien’s Curiyo is another such example.

If there is a conclusion from this myriad of the unexpected, it is that Jerusalem has a n economy that defies the headlines of the newspapers. Yes, the key neighbourhoods may suffer a downturn, as per now. However the Holy City possesses an economic nature that defies belief (sic)!

Looking for a business mentor? Here’s what to look out for

7 December 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Jerusalem

I consider myself to be a pretty experienced business mentor and coach. My clients can be found in the greater Jerusalem area, while others are located overseas. Wherever, time and again, when communicating with a potential new client, I can see the question on their face: “Why should I be talking to you”?

And here lies the issue. They are asking the right question, but too early!

They first need to consider what makes a great business mentor.  Then they can decide if I – or anyone else – fits the ticket.

Now there are plenty of blogs on the subject, which could help any of my prospects. However, today I glanced over a new posting “7 important qualities your next mentor needs to have“, and frankly I was disappointed. Yes, it mentioned some good points. When it started demanding that a mentor be a ‘great champion and loyal ally’, I began to ask questions. I was also unhappy with the way that thee subject of ‘vision’ was relegated towards the bottom of the end of the article.

This forced to thinking about what would be my seven guidelines for choosing a good business mentor. So here goes.

  1. All round business experience – not necessarily in your commercial sector, but in multiple sectors and crossing over different areas of activity in an organization.
  2. The perception to decipher if the mentoree is ready for change, and why.
  3. The ability to help the client create a realistic commercial vision – this is really key.
  4. The patience and ability to motivate, especially in the more trying moments
  5. The creativeness and innovation to think beyond the boundaries, which a client can try to hide behind.
  6. The self-will to understand that they cannot want the success of the client more than the client themselves.
  7. The resoluteness to remain unbiased, ensuring that the client understands that they are responsible for their own actions.

To paraphrase David Clutterbuck – yes, do look up his book ‘Everyone needs a mentor’ – mentoring is not about teaching. You do not have to be an expert to be a mentor. You do need to possess the ability to “stretch” your client towards their commercial vision.

Boycotting Jerusalem? Try this out this hospital

3 December 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

The campaign to boycott and to sanction Israel and Jerusalem argues that such actions will promote the rights of Palestinians. As I and many other commentators argued earlier this week, the politically correct elements of this statement are actually coated in the repulsiveness of raw racism.

With no small amount of irony, this week has also seen the release of two news items that must count as ‘big fail notices’ in the BDS corner. First, Jordan and Israel have released the details for a tender to build a canal together that will link the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. In parallel, it appears that during the Paris conference of world leaders,  the honoured guests were protected by a healthy chunk of Israel aerial technology.

And then there are ‘the gates of the righteous’ in Jerusalem.

This is the translation of the phrase “Sha’are Zedek“, which is the name of what is probably Jerusalem’s biggest hospital. And it is an institution that I have written about before. In a city of around 850,000 citizens, they carried out around 3,000 operations in November alone.

Walk into the hospital, you see visitors and patients of all persuasions from ultra-orthodox Jews in their own garb to observant Muslims with their own dress code. In the children’s dialysis unit, the receivers of treatment from whatever their socio-ethnic-ethnic background sit side-by-side for weeks and become ‘almost’ friends.

As for the doctors, there are around 25 Israeli non-Jews. In addition, there are about 20 Palestinian doctors, who are receiving training and then return to the various towns and cities in the West Bank. And you will find these post grads in most parts of the hospital; gastro, diagnostic imaging, surgery, etc. And I should quickly add that Sha’are Zeek is not alone in this multicultural approach, even when it comes to treating terrorists.

There is an alternative to these practices in a hospital in Israel: A boycott. But then how many lives – in Israel, in the Palestinian territories or even elsewhere – would be lost? How many families would suffer? So BDS is not just racism, it can kill. That to me is a double evil.

If your client says “I can’t”, can they?

30 November 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Jerusalem

As their business mentor, two clients in the Jerusalem area have turned round to me in recent days and said “I can’t”. And they were adamant, one nearly had tears in their eyes.

In one case, the client did not feel they could manage their expanding enterprise. In the second incident, I was faced with an individual who felt that they could not take on a supplier, who was diddling them for a heck of a lot of cash. Challenging! And they would not budge.

The customary role of a coach or mentor is to listen. And then, when you spy an opening, you throw out a seemingly innocuous question and probe away. This time, I tried something different.

In both instances, I invited my clients to view a YouTube clip of a budding Australian ballerina. As a result of a car accident, the young performer would have been expected to have stood down from her routines. What she has achieved since that awful moment is simply staggering. I invite you watch here, and stay particularly alert for what happens after the 1 minute and 40 seconds mark.

What this item illustrates so clinically is that “can’t” is a lazy phrase. It is a cover up for fears. Most of us are capable of so much more that we realise. As a comparison, we are like the word or excel computer programmes, which offer vast options that only 95% of their users ever learn to apply.

In many ways, the elite Navy SEALS have a wonderful approach – the 40% rule. As Jessica Stillman writes, SEALS learn that:

…..when your mind is telling you you’re done, you’re really only 40 percent done….It turns out that the 40 percent rule is why so many people are able to finish marathons. When you hit that wall, you’re really only 40 percent through your stores of energy and determination. When your body complains, your will still has a lot to give. And as the success rate of runners makes clear, that’s true of just about everyone.

And where does it leave us in the world of commerce? You may not want to do something. You may not like the task in hand. But if you catch yourself using the “can’t” word, please understand that you are almost invariably distorting the truth. And such distortions damage your business.

For the record, both clients became empowered and sought alternative paths towards their goals.

Jade, Jerusalem and the true hope after Paris

24 November 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Israel, Jerusalem

When 130 people were slain in Paris, the world seemed to wake up. Almost double that number had been killed on the Russian plane that was brought down in the Sinai, a few days previously. 44 were bombed to death in Beirut and another 19 slaughtered in Mali. Outrage, but little more. Obama was silent when the American seminary student, Ezra Schwartz, stabbed to death in Israel, one of 23 recent victims in a rising toll.

However, it was the Islamic terror that pervaded Paris that did it. Obama mourned the American killed there. And regardless of the depth of each crime, you have to ask what hope is there for humanity after such a series of horrific incidences? Is there really somebody up there listening and watching?

It is to “Jerusalem” that I turned for an answer. It is the prime city of Judaism and is also vitally important to Muslims and Christians. Its literal meaning comes from the word peace . And if you were to play a word association game with the word Jerusalem, you may come up with phrases like “charity” or “giving”. The origin of “Jerusalem” can also be traced to oneness or wholesome.

Now we know that giving charity / helping others promotes a feel-good emotion, which in turn enhances resilience. As I read this week:

I know that helping others is beneficial, but I wasn’t aware of the research that shows how much it also benefits our own health.  I wasn’t aware of the extent to which it can lessen the stress and pressure most of us experience.

Three days ago, on Sunday, hundreds of Jewish communities throughout the UK celebrated “mitzvah day“. To translate “mitzvah” into English, you have a “good deed”. People actively gave time to charity – collecting items, distributing items, helping others and more.

Yes, for all the achievement, many have such events. What was different here is that in many areas the Jewish community involved willing local organisations. For example, I happened to be in the Swiss Cottage area of London. Here the South Hampstead Synagogue collected money for the homeless, which involved partnering the neighbourhood Catholic Church and others.

And then along came Jade, who I had never met before.

I was leaving the Synagogue after morning prayers around 9.30am, when in walked Jade and her friend. I guess she was about 20 years old. Very lively. Very presentable. And she was wearing a head covering. Not a covering of the type worn by married orthodox Jews, but clearly recognizable as belonging to a Muslim.

Yes, this devout Muslim and colleague were walking enthusiastically into the Synagogue. I admit: For all my pluralistic nature, I froze for a split second, until I recalled that it was mitzvah day……for all of the wider community. The rabbi, with his distinctive grey beard openly welcomed the two visitors. I later heard that the whole event was a success and those responsible are looking to repeat it.

I am unlikely to meet Jade again. I bet that out political views ‘do not coincide too directly’. And yet, this ‘meet up’ showed a way forward for all of us, in whatever country we reside. And this is the hope that rises out of the funerals in Paris, Beirut and Jerusalem, ensuring we can be more determined (resilient) towards becoming decent human beings for each other.

How to talk to investors, and win – the Jerusalem model

17 November 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

There are millions of guides, littered all over social media, proclaiming to be the perfect way to aim a pitch at an investor. Which one to chose?

For years, I used a model given to me by a seasoned investor, who told me that this is the way he always likes to receive proposals. And it never ceases to amaze me how often I am criticised, usually by entrepreneurs who are just starting out, that I am on the wrong track.

Similarly, I often recall the story of a Californian inventor, who was so nervous on entering the room of sharks that he forgot all his lines. In desperation, he threw the prototype on the table. Without prompting, the money guys started talking to each other about what could be done with the object. Ten minutes later, our hero walked out with guarantees worth millions.

So, what’s in a presentation? The answer still remains……everything. But you need to think things through fully and in depth, well beforehand.

Yochi Slonim is a seasoned entrepreneur. For over 25 years he has raised tens of millions of dollars for a range of software and internet companies in Israel. He is currently involved with Anima Biotech and Nextnine, a cyber security company.

Yesterday, I was honoured to moderate his latest talk at the Jerusalem Business Networking Forum, JBNF. Entitled “the start up maze runner“, Yochi explained how finding that illusive pot of investment gold was like working towards the centre of a maze. Each ring presents its own set of traps and disaster points.

Yochi identified four such layers: positioning, the market, the product and the team. Nothing new in that, but it was his insights that made the difference.

The keys points were:

  • Whatever you do, make sure you differentiate (position) yourselves away from the crowd, and in a manner that can be readily understood.
  • Validate your market. Just because you think it solves a real problem, you have to prove it.
  • The product must not only be “doable”, it must answer a defined market need and also demonstrate uniqueness.
  • The team must have appropriate skills and must have the determination to take the project through rough times, as well as the highs.

All exceedingly obvious? Maybe. Yet, how many of us actually apply these rules?

About six years ago, Yochi founded Leadspace, which supports B2B companies to find buyers on the internet. He raised over US$30m. Today Leadspace has over 100 ‘tier 1’ customers. If there is one set of lectures worth listening to on YouTube, I guess they belong to Yochi.

Small business owners – controllers or leaders or what?

13 November 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

What is the role of the owner of a small business? Are they supposed to lead by example or control their resources?

I was faced by this question on a few occasions just recently when meeting clients in the Jerusalem area. They were looking to me, their business coach and mentor, for some motivating words.

The situations varied.

  • In one case, one partner was keen for the other to control overall operation, especially on the manufacturing side. However, there was a major concern that financial and administrative issues were being ignored.
  • Elsewhere, a CEO was so busy trying to put out ‘all the fires’ at once that very little was getting done, especially in terms of developing new clientele.
  • I met with a CEO who now proudly possessed complete control of her concern, yet admitted that the workers did not trust her. The value of that control is….?

And so the list goes on.

In some of the cases, I offered a different approach. I always like to recall that in the best case scenario, we can only control two things – what comes out of our mouths and how we move our limbs. Beyond that we can try to ‘manage’ factors and instances that are shot at us from a multitude of random directions.

As for leadership, Everette Taylor summed it so effectively in a recent interview. When asked if he felt that failure had been close, as he had set up his business, he responded:

There was a point when I was trying to do too much and it started to affect my work. I started losing contracts with a few companies that I highly valued. I had stretched myself thin and some of my best clients were unhappy. I had to take a step back, humble myself, and ask for help………….It was an extremely valuable lesson to learn that as a leader, you have to be able to trust people. You can’t do everything yourself.

What I feel that Everette is saying is that he learnt how to become a manager, exploiting his meager resources effectively. That in turn enabled him to become a leader in a much larger set up.

Israel explains the benefits of a ‘binational incubator’ to other countries

12 November 2015
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Categories: Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem, Business, Israel, Jerusalem

As quoted on Business Insider, “these statistics show how insane Israel’s start-up scene is”.

  • At around 4%, Israel spends about twice the global average of its GDP on research.
  • In a country of 8 million people, there are nearly 300 development centres with about 60,000 employees.
  • Israel has around 3,000 start-ups, with the numbers growing exponentially.

New r&d experiments are common news items. As I observed last week, Microsoft’s purchase of Secure Islands for US$150 million will enable the American conglomerate to base its growing international cyber activities in the Holy Land.

Such initiatives are not just left to the ‘big boys’. More and more countries are now trying to learn from Israel’s experience. The visit this week of Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, was no coincidence.  The two countries had previously set up a joint tech hub about four years ago.

In the past month alone:

There is a common theme that brings together these developments. People and nations grow stronger through mutual support and trade. They learn to understand each other better, trust one another. On the flip side of the this coin of progress you can find boycotts and hatred. What do you prefer?

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