I am grateful for all that i have.

Today is a day of reflection and to celebrate the successes while being in gratitude for all that i have. Thank you for your friendship, support and love.

On my way to recovery

I wanted to thank you for your support, prayers and let you know I have made it out of my Gastric Bypass Surgery. In the long run this is what is needed to help with my diabetic situation however my diabetes is sure putting up a strong fight to stick around and cause complications with recovery. Day by Day things will get better and I wanted to reach out and express my gratitude for all of your prayers, support and friendship. It has meant the world to me during this very challenging time. Sarah has been an amazing gift from the heavens to pull me through this and keep my spirits high. Send her your love and support to stay encouraged and know what an amazing angel god blessed us with when then sent her to this world.

Get 19,530 new twitter followers in 30 days?

Hey check this out... I just found this site that shows you a way of getting 1000's of new followers on twitter, I just started using it myself and its starting to work already. http://tweetergetter.com/jjulrich Thought it might interest you.

My Creed!

To laugh often & much; to win the respect of intelligent people & the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of the honest critics & endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. 

This is to have succeeded!

Why advertise now? What Kind of fisherman are you?

I have been asked by many business owners, “Why advertise during a recession?” and “Why shouldn’t I reduce my advertising/marketing budget?” These executives perceive they will save money and ride out the storm. If we view these questions through the eyes of a business owner, we find that almost every company strives to win and retain their share of the market through creative and/or directional advertising methods. Let’s look at this as an analogy and think of market share as a lake full of fish. With all your competitors fishing from the same lake, you have “X” chance to catch your portion of fish. If you have 100 fishermen around the lake, your chances of catching fish are only increased by your skills as a fisherman, your tackle, location and luck. During a recession here is my perception of what may happen:

You have several types of fisherman who are seeking the fish:

Extravagant Anglers – These companies will fail during these economic challenges:

These companies have purchased the best equipment, advertising, locations, office equipment and have very little operating capital for their business. They love the idea of owning a business and calling themselves CEO’s, President, Chairman and Business Owners.

• These companies have little to no planning, budgets, benchmarks or accountability for their companies.

These companies will fail during a recession and will leave more fish for the rest.

Entrepreneurial Anglers – These companies have a high probability of going out of business.

These fishermen have the passion for fishing however often lack the planning, capital or knowledge to successfully build or retain their businesses in these challenging economic times. Often these company owners will have the work ethic to operate through their shortfalls. These companies also have little to no planning, budgets, benchmarks or accountability for their companies.

These companies can operate during a recession however the majority will go out of business.

Beginning Anglers – Depending on the skill set, work ethic and planning results will vary.

• These fishermen are the majority of the group. The results are significantly different depending on the company.
• There are three types of companies that fall into this category:
  

1. Company A: These companies have established a solid business plan, raised operating capital and have developed a solid marketing plan for their company.


2. Company B: These companies have a good idea, however little to no budget to build their business. They keep their overhead low and stay afloat.


3. Company C: These companies are still gaining experience and have been operating for a short time. They are cautious with decision making and adding additional financial strains on their business.

• Many of these companies will ride through the recession and prevail on the other side. Some of these clients will close their doors because they are not big enough to sustain the decrease in revenue and a few will close their doors because it is just too hard to stay open.

Novice Anglers – Knowledgeable and experienced in fish gathering methods.

These fishermen understand the need for information during these economic times. They are gathering more facts and data to make informed decisions. They calculate their return on investment from each advertising source and base their budget on the results. These companies understand the need to continue their advertising presence so their customers are aware they are still in business.

These companies understand the need for effective budgeting. They have calculated what they need to do and have made corresponding decisions to effectively steer through the recession.

Experienced Anglers – Grab The Net!

These fishermen throw away the fishing pole and grab the net! These companies know that many of their competitors are closing their doors. They have a successful operating plan and sufficient knowledge to jump on opportunities that arise. They have tracking systems in place to monitor effective advertising solutions and have now increased their marketing presence in both Creative & Directional advertising arenas to capture the fish their competitors are losing as their boats sink.

• These companies are the industry leaders and will dominate through a recession. They believe the recession is a blessing and will emerge even more success than they were when the recession started.

Now is the time to throw away your fishing pole and Grab Your NET! The market share your competitors are leaving behind is yours for the taking as long as you effectively utilize your marketing strategies and budgets. I believe we all concur that during this recession many companies will close their doors and a large number of companies will choose to wait to begin new projects. This is already evident with the significant decrease in new business license requests which is occurring nationwide. Take time to educate yourself and capitalize on the advertising media that is providing the maximum return on your investment. You may also wish to meet with an advertising consultant who can help you create an effective plan for netting the big haul!

Good Luck and Happy Fishing!

~Author J.J. Ulrich~

Executive Business Consultant

www.linkedin.com/in/jjulrich

Vision Board Success - The FREE Cruise - Day 1

As many of you know I keep a vision board. For those of you who don't know what a vision board is let me explain. My vision board is a place where I put pictures of the things I want to manifest or dream about in my life. It is believed by many that when you get clear on what you want to manifest the universe has a way of making it show up. It always amazes me how things show up because you would never anticipate or expect how things manifest in your life.

In January when I was reworking my personal vision board for 2009 I wanted to create a free cruise this year. I wanted it to be on the best ship and include all expenses including airfare, taxes, fees, excursions, tips, food well to say the least everything. I had no idea how it would show up and wrote down no expectations for the universe to manifest this for me. In mid January 2009 my best friend called me and said he and his wife got offered a cruise and wanted to see if I was interested in going with them. Well I started laughing because I would have never expected this. After getting the details I would still have to pay for the airfare and the taxes, port fees and all of the other fees. So I declined the invitation knowing it was the universe teasing me and seeing if I was committed.

On Wednesday February 4, 2009 I received a call from an associate who just had two cabins open up on his company cruise. Airfare, Fees, Tips, Hotel Accommodations, Excursions, every expense I had listed was covered. The ship was the Liberty Of The Seas which is Royal Caribbean’s Flagship. There was only one problem. Sarah and I had to be in Miami Florida in 48 hours lol. Well I called my mom and she could watch my daughter, Sarah called her brother who could watch our animals, and I asked my boss and he said go have fun. Everything worked out and on Friday Morning we were sitting on an airplane heading to Florida.

Now when I look back at how everything came together I just have to laugh. Because the universe has a funny personality and will always test to make sure you really want something.

So here is our cruse:

Day 1: The Everglade Tour

Before we boarded the ship the group we were with went on an Air Boat tour of the Everglades. This was a lot of fun. Even though I offered a good sum of money they would not let me drive one of those great Air Boats. One day that is going on my vision board LOL. We had the opportunity to hold an alligator and eat some alligator bits. (No not the same one) This was a great time while we waited to board the ship.

Day 1: Boarding The Ship

This ship is HUGE. It holds over 4500 people and is truly a modern marvel. It has everything from rock climbing walls, tennis courts, swimming pools, ice skating rinks, the flowrider, golf course, well if you can think of it in a small city it is probably on this boat.

Sunset from the bow of the ship:

Tips for creating a better life

I think this is a great list to live by. 

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
   
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
   
3. Stand for something
4. Live in integrity and always be a humble servant to others. 
5. Always come from heart.
6. Sleep for 7 hours.
   
7. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
   
8. Play more games.
   
9. Read more books than you did the previous year.
   
10. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
    
11. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
    
12. Dream more while you are awake.
    
13. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
    
14. Drink plenty of water.
    
15. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
    
16. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
    
17. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
    
18. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
    
19. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
    
20. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
    
21. Smile and laugh more.
    
22. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
    
23. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
    
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
    
25. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
    
26. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
    
27. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
    
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
    
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
    
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
    
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
    
32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
    
33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
    
34. The best is yet to come.
    
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
    
36. Do the right thing!
    
37. Call your family often.
    
38. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
    
39. Each day give something good to others.
    
40. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
    

It’s New Years Now What?

Every New Year always creates the space in me for gratitude, reflection, and planning. Years ago I started an annual tradition for myself and use it to this day. The last week of each year I reflect back and review what worked, what I could have done better, and to whom I am grateful for. After this process I sit in the space of my dreams and higher self to see what is the best I could imagine for the coming year and how I intend on opening the space for your universe to make it happen.

I believe so strongly in this tradition I felt the calling to share it. There is a powerful energy when you take a moment to write things down and send a message to the universe saying exactly what you are looking for. I have a funny story that always shows up for me when speaking about being specific when setting your goals and identifying your dreams.  Years ago I remember setting the intention/goal to have a Brand New Yellow Hummer show up in my space. I was not very specific other than my request and placing a picture on my vision board. Well to say the least I learned two very valuable lessons.

• Lesson #1:  The Universe has a great sense of humor.
  
•  Lesson #2:  The Universe gives you exactly what you ask for. So yes I did receive a brand new beautiful Yellow Hummer from my girlfriend. You are probably thinking what an amazing gift from someone. I would agree 100% however instead of keys it came with a 4 channel remote control and 1/100 the size of a real one. The new skill I got to work on was how I can be specific when setting my goals, intentions and dreams.
  

After learning these valuable lessons I learned a lot more about setting goals. I use a system often referred to as the SMART system. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for goal setting that helps you get clear on your goal and more importantly accomplish them.

·         S = Specific

·         M = Measurable

·         A = Attainable, Agreed Upon

·         R = Realistic, Reasonable

·         T = Time-based, Tangible

If you have not done so already take a moment and do the following. If it works for you implement the SMART way to send your messages to the Universe. Don’t end up getting the remote control go for the real dealJ.

·         Get grounded and centered in a quiet place.

·         Reflect on 2008 from this place and write down the answers to the following questions.

o   Who are at least 5 people you’re grateful for and why?

o   What are at least 5 things you’re grateful for and why?

o   What are at least 5 successes you have had this year and what was successful about it?

o   What are at least 5 lessons you have learned this year?

o   What are at least 5 new skills you have been working on this year?

o   Who are at least 5 people you can become closer to this year?

o   Identify at least 3 spiritual goals for 2009?

o   Identify at least 3 physical goals for 2009?

o   Identify at least 3 emotional goals for 2009?

o   Identify at least 3 financial goals for 2009?

o   Identify at least 3 behaviors you are committed to shifting in 2009?

Once you have identified this information. Write down an action plan to achieving your goals. If you’re unclear on how you can achieve your goals try this. Act as if your goal is achieved and work backwards from your goal to the action steps you did to complete the task. Another really good tool has to-do with one of my favorite quotes. “Always allow the opportunity for the Universe to show off ~J.J. Ulrich~” Set your intention/goal and always be in the space of it already being achieved. The Universe will fill the space with your goal/intention.

I am always amazed of how many people know that writing your goals down significantly increases the opportunity to achieve them. However only 3 in 100 people actually write down their goals and follow through with their plan.

Utilize 2009 to make your dreams happen. Write down your intentions/goals down and surround yourself with the support to create them. I am off to create my dreams for 2009.

Dream Maker…

Team Elite is back in Salt Lake City & The 2009 Directory is Here

What an amazing directory. This directory is on the rise in Salt Lake City. In 2008 we set industry records achieving a 50% increase in revenue. This great success added to the directory growing 902 pages in the last few years is a monumental achievement. It is a true honor to manage the flagship directory for our company and to set the pace for other directories. Our team is an Elite Group of advertising professionals known as Team Elite within our company. I look forward to the opportunity to tell you more about this amazing team. Until then check out our team video.

2009 Yellow Page Directory

2009 Team Elite Video

Fun Experience At Thanksgiving Point.

I had a great opportunity a while back to get some amazing pictures of The Salt Lake City sports teams Mascots. We came up with an idea to put all these Mascots on the front cover of our Salt Lake City Directory. During this photo shoot we had a great time and some great pictures. Here are a few.

Line Them Up - You're Under Arrest :)

Great Picture

Picture With Friends

Christmas At Our House

I am truly blessed with a wife who can make a front room look like this. Santa is a great organizer look how pretty he made all the piles. :) As you can see there was lots of paper to throw away and 2 foot of snow to get through to find the garbage lol. However it was an amazing day and I hope your family had the same experience. 

The Night Before: 

 

The Calm Before The Kids: 

The Kids & Kittens waiting to come down the stairs: 

"Glad she was holding that kat back"

My Daughters Birthday Party

Wow does time fly. We celebrated my oldest daughter’s birthday which is on January 5th and my youngest daughter’s birthday which is today December 23rd. As you can imagine she does not like her birthday being so close to Christmas because people usually combine her gifts lol. My youngest made it easy this year because she only wanted one thing, Pink Cowgirl boots and at made it very clear at 5 AM that it was her birthday and it was time to get her present. How could I say no… And for all you thinking she has me wrapped around her finger and thinking I gave in at 5:00 AM you’re wrong. I waited till 5:15 AM :( - I know – I know – She asked for them so cute. You look at how excited she was and you tell me if you would say no…

See it does not look so easy does it.... 

My oldest daughter got the digital picture frame she has been wanting for a long time. So about a week before the party I asked my wife who was invited to the party and she said it was a select few. Well those of you who know me should know that I do nothing small. So I invited every kid I could on short notice. I just got one thing to say… “WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I THINKING?” How in the world could all those kids destroy so much and be so loud. I am surprised our kittens survived the evening and thanked the lord above that we have a housekeeper. However she has been off for a few weeks so guess who had to clean up…. HA HA HA guess again. The kids got to clean up the enormous mess that was made. I learned a valuable lesson this year. All birthday parties will now be held off site in a location that is suitable for a disaster lol.

 

I am blogging

I have been asked time and time again for my blog address and until now I have been a “non blogger”. I know this is sad and everyone is setting one up so here we go I am officially a bloggerJ. Since this is my first blog I figured I would use it to tell you a little about myself, my family and my businesses.

About Me:
I am a believer in achieving the impossible while being a humble servant to anyone in my space. I am a stand to empower, enliven and ignite the human spirit. I support people to create their life by design. I am a proud father of three beautiful daughters whom are all my best friends. I have found the women of my dreams. She is a huge support to me and my beautiful children. I am an executive business consultant with over 12 years experience. I’m an industry expert in marketing, advertising, yellow pages and strategic business operations. I assist people and companies in gaining the competitive edge. My experience and education in personal development, coaching, training and business make me a skilled professional. My commitment to inner work, personal development and personally growth have been built by attending over 350 courses, seminars, retreats and training in a wide array of fields. These abilities have been an integral part of my success. I am a proven high energy leader and team player with numerous references from senior executives, international facilitators and executives. I am blessed with a career of my dreams. It fulfills my dream to be a leader, friend and great father. I dedicate my life to my children, friends, family and helping anyone I can. I am a man who stands in his truth, integrity, humility while remaining vulnerable, open and loving.

My Favorite Movies:
My favorite movies would have to be The Secret, Peaceful Warrior, Door to Door, Brave Heart, Legends of Bagger Vance, Facing The Giants, Astronaut Farmer, First Night, Walk to remember, Sleepless in Seattle, Rocky, Troy, What the bleep do we know, Angels in the outfield, and Flight of the navigator.

My Favorite TV Shows:
Ok be prepared to start laughing. My all time favorite TV show is MacGyver. What can I say; I love how he was always optimistic and positive no matter how bad the situation may be. I have also enjoyed The Apprentice, Cops, CSI, The Contender, Friends, 7th Heaven and Touched by an Angel.

My Favorite Books:
Think and Grow Rich, The Power of Intention, Shark Proof, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, The One Minute Manager, Getting Things Done, How To Win Friends and Influence People, It’s Never Crowded Along The Extra Mile, Rich Dad – Poor Dad, Success Mastery Academy, The Leadership Pill, Personal Power, Essential Guide For Healers, Energy Anatomy, The Sales Advantage, Ready For Anything, Winning, How to become a rain maker, The Future Investor, The 360-degree Leader, Execution, The new psycho-cybernetics, Developing the leader in you, True to our roots, Integrity, The 360 Degree Leader and Freakonomics.

My Favorite Music:
I am a big fan of audio books more than listing to music. I figure if I have the time to listen to something why not use it to increase your skill set so you can better improve your ability to serve others. So I focus my time listening to personal development, leadership, management audio books. If music is my only option I would listen to country, classical, jazz, meditation, soft rock and spiritual books.

My Heroes:
My children, my wife, God, Jesus, Albert Einstein, Anthony Robbins, William Wallace, Christopher Columbus, John F. Kennedy, Aristotle, Leonardo Da Vinci, Winston Churchill, Spiderman & Superman LOL, King Arthur, Muhammad Ali, Diana - Princess of Wales, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, George Washington, and David Livingstone

My Family:
I have an amazing wife who is my best friend and truly sent from the heavens to put up with me and for me to find creative ways to make her feel on top of the world. My two oldest daughters live with my x wife and my youngest lives with me. My youngest is autistic and is truly an opportunity for me to find creative ways to support her and for me to learn patience. I adore my children and strive to be a good father while creating the space of friendship with all of them. My wife has been amazing since the first day I met her. She is smart, beautiful and I can honestly say is my soul mate and best friend. I could not imagine a more perfect person to be my wife. It is almost like god answered my dreams and gave me a queen. We have two dogs and have recently added two cats to our family, however we are chicken to let the dogs and cats out together. Come on you can’t tell me that you are not a little worried as well lol. So we are slowly introducing them and taking our time. Ok more time than it should however we are working on it. Here is a picture of our family.


















Top: Mariah, Me, Sarah, Taleah
Bottom: Cocoa, Madison, Mocha

What Do I Do:

I have a lot of projects in the fire however all have to-do with living my dream. I have outlined my responsibilities below if you want some reading material lol, but this is the important part. Each of these companies supports me living in my dream. I love advertising and helping businesses succeed and gain the competitive edge. So PDC has been a perfect home for me and I value my career there. At the same time I am the ultimate Good Samaritan and have a passion for supporting people and helping them live their dream. Dream Makers Academy supports me in doing this in a big way. I do a lot of consulting as well and people I have worked with have enjoyed the results and have been willing to pay me to get my advice so that is why I am publishing my books and consulting companies.

PDC Pages: http://www.pdcpages.com/

• My primary career is I am one of the District Sales Managers for the Flagship Directory published by PDC Pages. Our team is accountable for up to 40 Elite Advertising Consultants and $6,000,000 to $10,000,000 in annual revenue. Our combined experience has been utilized to train and develop an elite team of industry experts that have lead the charge in achieving records previously thought to be impossible. Our high performance culture combined with our commitment to integrity provides a great work environment. Utilizing cutting edge strategies and marketing techniques creates an ostensible increase to our directory. We have increased our page count over 900 pages and our advertiser base over 4000 in just over 36 months. We are on the rise in Salt Lake City!

Dream Makers Academy, Inc: http://www.dreammakersacademy.com/

• My passion is helping people be empowered, enlivened and to ignite their human spirit. Dream Makers Academy, Inc. is the playground I use to help people “Create Their Life By Design”. Combined with the efforts of my partner Gary Acevedo we created this company to maximize people’s potential, train and develop the next generation leaders, and to empower people to get out of their own way. I provide the vision, direction and leadership in the business operations of the company. We have combined the best of our experiences to create a company that supports people to identify and live their dreams.

Sales Mastery Training: http://www.salesmasterytraining.com/

• I am currently in the process of writing a series of books that will be industry specific sales guides. In addition to these books Sales Mastery Training.com will become the online resource for executives and managers to find information and become a resource for one another. This will be an industry specific mastermind arena to help each other brainstorm ideas on motivation quotes, sales meeting ideas, team building activities, marketing ideas, effective sales aids and much more. The intention to this material is to provide the proper tools for every industry that will get things done.

The Final Answer, Inc:

• I have been Executive Business Consultant for over 12 years. The Final Answer is my consulting firm. I am an industry expert in advertising, marketing, branding, sales, public relations, business operations and business startups. Companies, executives, sales managers who have retained my services would say I use out of the box strategic ideas that give them a competitive edge and a strategy to succeed. My experience and education in personal development, coaching, training and business make me a skilled professional and a leader in the consultant arena. I am committed to inner work, personal development and I have personally attended over 300 courses, seminars, retreats and training in a wide array of fields to provide me with a great set of tools and skills. These abilities have been an intricate part of my success in my companies and entrepreneurial ventures.