Last year I reported the amazing experience from Bora Bora ^[1] and this year I am glad to continue in that tradition. So with some outstanding minds around me, we had the privilege of examining our businesses and explore new improvement growth ideas. Below are my key take-aways from our September 2011 meetings of the Million Dollar Club in the beautiful Vila Aminta ^[2], located in Stresa, Italy, and situated on lake Maggiore:

Growth ideas:

• Reinvent yourself often.
• Become the catalyst to help reinvent your clients.
• Build and strengthen relationships with clients.
• Hold yourself and help hold your clients accountable.
• Consistent personal touch.
• Share best practices.
• Ask for referrals.
• Make sure your passion and enthusiasm is demonstrated through your work.
• Build communities.
• Build on your strengthens rather than correcting your weaknesses.
• Focus on creating new offerings to existing clients and then focus on existing and new offerings to new clients.
• The key to monetization of your intellectual property is to build and strengthen your brand.
• What action will you take right now? It’s all about execution!
• What opportunities exist that you may capitalize on?
• What apps should you consider developing and what is the value to your clients?
• Deliver “just-in-time” knowledge to your clients.
• Securing cash reserves to sustain your operation for many months will have a dramatic affect, which will free up your mind to focus on your business growth and vision.
• Explore new markets all the time.
• Create a powerful support system of people you trust.
• Does your team meet, don’t meet or exceed expectation? Reward those that exceed your expectations.
• Get rid of low margin business.
• Create rain makers.
• Create remarkable content and get it into the hands of buyers.
• Rather than interviewing people as podcasts, videos or articles, why not call them “conversations” which allows you to inject your own intellectual property and position you as a peer.
• To grow your business, get the right clients!

And some photos:

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Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Italy

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Left to right: Guido Quelle, Susanne Quelle, Suzanne Bates, Drew Yarro, Maria Weiss, Alan Weiss, Chad Barr, Stuart Cross, Phil Symchych, Kerri Symchych, Wendy Nour, David Nour

^[5]

Chad Barr and Alan Weiss at the poolside reception

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Chad, Stuart, Phil, Kerri, Guido, Susanne.

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View of lake Maggiore

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View of Lake Maggiore from my room. Doesn't get any better than that.