Opinions

Deborah Kohler, BizCoach wrote on 3/5/2010 8:51 am

As a member of the Gardner Chamber and nearby resident, I'm incredibly impressed and encouraged by reading these posts and ideas for the future. Great new beginnings start with having a vision and setting goals. Here's a portion of an article I wrote last week . . .

What Do You Want, Really?

The month of March marks the end of the first quarter and a great time to review your business progress. Did you start the New Year with a review of goals you achieved (or did not achieve) last year and the creation of new goals? Are you tracking your progress weekly and monthly? If not, it might be time to ask �What Do I Want, Really?�

Next, set aside some time for planning this month. Start by clarifying exactly what your want to achieve most this year. Here are 10 Steps for Success in creating and achieving your goals . . .

1. Randomly list up to six major goals you�d like to achieve this year.
2. Go back and rank them in priority.
3. Review them again and determine which one, two or three simply must be achieved for you and your business to make a profit . . . not just to break-even.
4. Write ach of those priority goals in one or two sentences each and in SMART language format.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, with a Timeline

5. Share these SMART goals with your business partner, mentor or most trusted advisor and ask them to give you their honest opinion about your ability to achieve them.
6. Make needed adjustments within 24 hours after that meeting. Make sure they still meet the SMART test.
7. Next, share these goals with your team and allow them to give open, honest feedback. Be willing to go back and make changes based on the opinions of those you rely on most to help you succeed.
8. Commit to achieving your goals daily. Try reading them out loud in front of the mirror every morning, so your mindset is focused.
9. Track progress weekly and share updates with your team and advisors in a manner most comfortable for you. If you need an extra push, ask those who rely on you most to hold you accountable to achieving your goals.
10. When your goals are achieved . . . celebrate!

When you take time to clearly identify �What do I want, really?� . . . then share those goals with others and track your progress regularly, you are highly likely to keep your business growing profitably.

Just Jay wrote on 3/5/2010 6:19 am

I want to Thank you for a well written, positive letter. All of us involved in the recall must be the first to extend our hands to HELP our community. I have lived in Gardner for 30 years and love it. I can remember driving all the way to Metcalf to eat at Red Lobster because it was the closest at the time. BUT Gardner needs to grow in a positive way. I would like to see a Community center like Paola now uses the old Ursaline Academy..they have concerts, show movies, etc. We also NEED to remember our YOUTH
they need a Youth center to hang out in, and have fun but still be drug free..have a positive effect on them.
WE are on the "edge" of something great..let's make it happen.

Dan Naden wrote on 3/4/2010 6:03 pm

We always wanted to open a skating rink here in town, but they're awfully expensive to build and not very profitable to run.

for the kids wrote on 3/4/2010 5:39 pm

skate park
skating rink
video arcade
movie theaters
riding stables
paintball
lazer tag
gym type tumbling & free play area
indoor soccer

Oh well, it's fun to dream!

terance wrote on 3/4/2010 3:57 pm

For years now I dreamed of having a small club of people who wanted to get together and learn. I would have to be secret leader, so I could black ball certain people who were disruptive to the process. (not taking turns to talk, overbarring, just not good for the club). You wouldn't have to be really smart, just know when not to talk if it's not going to help.
Anyway, once a week I'd schedule a speaker to talk about different topics. (history, science, finance, business, no religion and I'd have to pray about politics...)
If the club house had to be kept monthly, I'm sure I could open it up to different groups for a few nights a week. Maybe a women's group, youth group, co-ed group, and maybe some swingers) but for the most part a place where men of thought wanted to relax for a few hours a night a night or two a week.
I don't have the money to put it together and I'm sure it'd be hard for me to organize such a thing w/o my own money.

Jerry L Kellogg Sr wrote on 3/4/2010 3:20 pm

I understand there used to be a small bowling facility downtown, right about where City Hall currently sits. Back then we called them alleys, then they became lanes, now they are known as family-friendly bowling centers. For someone with a few bucks (okay, more than a few) looking for an investment opportunity here in Gardner, may I suggest they read this:

http://www.brunswickbowling.com/faqs

Dan Naden wrote on 3/4/2010 1:37 pm

Good ideas and thoughts, everyone!

I have great idea for a way to bring entertainment to downtown Gardner. Build a civic center with a great big auditorium for Gardner Community Theatre to perform in and plenty of smaller rooms for our camps! ;)

I know, I know. I'm dreaming. We'll leave that for someday.

In the meantime, if anyone has a building for us to borrow or that they want to donate to us, we'd be ever so grateful. ;) It'd be nice to be able to have a more permanent home for ourselves. We feel we'd be able to serve Gardner better that way.

jdelphiki wrote on 3/4/2010 7:51 am

Agreed. Gardner has a great Main Street area with lots of potential.

The trick is figuring out how to use that space in ways that will draw people in and how to find businesses who can be successful in that space.

Gardner has it tougher because our downtown is much smaller and competes with the entire KC metro. To make it work, we have to find good reasons for people to visit.

So we'd need restaurant and stores and entertainment, all of it interesting enough to make people want to come here to check it out and stay long enough to look around a bit.

But the reality of it all is that until we're able to find the right plan or the right mix of business investment, city investment, public interest, and cash-spending visitors, a downtown revitalization is a risky venture. If we can't afford to do it right at this time, we should wait until we can. On the other hand, we also can't afford to let downtown rot away.

We need a plan and some vision for the future of downtown and the future of Gardner. We can't be so mired in the past or wrapped up in the present that we ignore our future.

Jared Taylor wrote on 3/3/2010 8:43 pm

Aaron,

Well written story and I like the attitude it portrays. We all need to roll up our sleeves and get to work at making this City work. Thanks for being involved.

A Weatherford wrote on 3/3/2010 7:45 pm

I guess I should correct my letter lest people think I never graduated high school. Should read all building permit fees.

I love you too honey...

Emily? wrote on 3/3/2010 7:08 pm

Are you going to let him run for council? :)

Emily Weatherford wrote on 3/3/2010 6:22 pm

I love my husband!

Paul Jones wrote on 3/3/2010 5:54 pm

Very well writen and thoughtout. Wish I could do that. I know what I want to say, but dont know how to write it...