2hats MasterMind Group In San Francisco

(415) 515-1252
tommy2hats@gmail.com

Coming To San Francisco on February 27th 
The 2hats Mastermind Business Group

• Write a Marketing Plan
• With a team of 12 entrepreneurs
• And a professional business consultant

...Four Weeks for $175

---

When: February 27th, March 12th, March 19th, and April 2nd

Time: Mondays from 1p.m. - 4p.m.
Where:  502 Andover Street San Francisco, CA 94110

New members also receive a Free 60 Minute Private Consultation with John, covering your specific business needs.

"...what was really valuable to me was the chance to co-work and talk with other entrepreneurs who had struggles of their own, which made me feel better about my own weaknesses. Above all, having access to John for questions and guidance made the wholeprocess really empowering. I finished the course feeling like I had the tools to achieve my goals.”  — Damian Sol, Composer

Course Details:
The 2hats Marketing Group is led by John Van Dinther of 2hats Consulting. We are bringing together a dynamic group of up to 12 entrepreneurs. We will be exploring Social Media Marketing, Branding, Marketing Plans, Business Relationship Development, and Networking.

Our first meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. on February 27th (Monday). This three hour workshop will include presentations by John, hands on group branding exercises, and networking opportunities.

We will then meet on four Mondays (2/27, 3/12, 3/19, 4/2) to support each other, brainstorm, and develop strong business relationships. Each participant will get a chance to present their marketing plan and get feedback from the marketing group members.

About an hour of each weekly session will include co-working, small groups of two or three people getting work done on our individual plans. John will visit the different groups, offering marketing plan suggestions and making sure everyone is feeling productive.

Offering:
Free 1-hour new-members coaching  session with John Van Dinther (Scheduled Individually)

Four marketing group workshops (three-hours each):

• February 27th (Monday at 1:00 p.m.) - 502 Andover Street San Francisco, CA 94110
• March 12th (Monday at  1:00 p.m. .) - 502 Andover Street San Francisco, CA 94110
• March 19th (Monday at  1:00 p.m. ) - 502 Andover Street San Francisco, CA 94110
• April 2nd (Monday at  1:00 p.m.) - 502 Andover Street San Francisco, CA 94110

Fee: 
$175

“I recently participated in one of John's month-long mastermind groups, and I am so grateful. Previous to joining the group, my business was at a real impasse. I knew I had something of great value, I just didn't know how to share it with more people.

• John's expertise helped me break down my marketing process into actionable steps.

• The group setting helped me see points I had been missing on my own.

• In my private one-hour session, John masterfully guided me into, and helped unlock, personal obstacles that had been holding me back.

This group is a great deal.  If you have a product or service you believe in, this group can really help. John is both an expert and a man worthy of trust — such a valuable asset for anyone working on their business. 

Less than a week after our group ended I signed a new client, and I was asked to give a public talk about my work. I am grateful to know John, and to have had a spot in the 2hats MasterMind Group.

I stand behind my recommendation for this group.” - James Riedy, January 2012

For more Information please contact:

John Van Dinther

2hats Consulting

(415) 515-1252

tommy2hats@gmail.com

www.johnvandinther.com

www.2hats.blogspt.com

2hats November Mastermind Business Group

• Ready to build a marketing plan for your business? 
• Would working with a group help make that actually happen? 
• What if the team was led by a professional consultant? 

...how about if it only costs $125?

November Business Planning Guild, a MasterMind group led by John Van Dinther. This month we are focusing on marketing. 12 participants will learn the tools required to build an effective marketing plan.

Our first meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on November 4th (This Friday). This three hour workshop will include presentations by John, hands on group exercises, and opportunities to receive peer feedback and support.

Each participant will also receive a one-on-one consulting session with John in which we will go over trouble spots and explore resource opportunities for you specifically.

“I came to John's mastermind group with no clear idea of how to effectively plan for business success. That problem was solved in one session where John worked backwards from success and broke it into its constituent parts. Beyond that learning, what was really valuable to me was the chance to co-work and talk with other entrepreneurs who had struggles of their own, which made me feel better about my own weaknesses. Above all, having access to John for questions and guidance made the whole process really empowering. I finished the course feeling like I had the tools to achieve my goals.”  

— Damian Sol, Composer

Offering:

• A one hour individual coaching session with John Van Dinther
• Regular accountability check-ins with the Guild participants
• Four training and productivity group workshops

Meeting Times and Dates:



    November 4th   (Friday) 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
    November 11th (Friday) 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
    November 18th (Friday) 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
    December 2nd   (Friday) 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m



Location:
 
1808 Addison St., Berkeley, CA 94703

Fee: $125


Monthly Project Focus:


     November: Marketing
     December: Financial Management
     January: Tools for Success

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - 10 tips

Ecommerce-gude.com has ten great tips to help get your site to the top of a Google search.

"What's a Google Sitemap and how does it help search rankings? ...Does it really matter how I handle photos at my site in regard to SEO?" [more]

Learning how to improve your website search ranking is a big task, luckily there's a LOT of information out there on the Web...just do a search.

A guiding principal to getting your site to the top of the search page: write about your interests. I'm a small business consultant who loves entrepreneurship, so I write about the needs of small businesses. I write about it often, making sure to include my service offering - management & marketing solutions. I talk about San Francisco because that's where I work, and I talk about about tools people can use for their small business - like SEO.

I think in terms of a potential client, specifically a San Francisco entrepreneur who could use some website marketing tips. The contents of this post would likely come up when they did a Google search: website marketing tips small business.

When they get to my blog, they just might say, "Oh! A small business consultant! That would be useful, let's give this 2hats a call."

Consultant - Coach - Agent

Q: What do you do as a small business coach?

A: In San Francisco, when I recommend a client focus on health & wellness to build a successful project I'm taken seriously. On that level I'm a business coach ensuring peak performance.

Q: How do you help grow small businesses?

A: SF entrepreneurs love to get out there and network, that's where I start to feel like an agent. There's SO much going on in this town that mixes well with business. Introducing clients to service professionals is fun when both parties are eager and ready to make industry connections.

Q: So where does the consulting come in?

A: When I start advising the client, either brainstorming or teaching, we get to business fast. These SF business owners want tools and action items in bulleted lists --theory earns me brisk nods but we move on quickly to task items.

Q: What makes San Francisco entrepreneurs different?

A: Maybe it's because so many people came to San Francisco from somewhere else. We're here for a purpose, and that makes us enthusiastic and focused on good business practices. It allows me to do the work I do best: Connect, Support & Inform.

Breaking it down...

A big challenge for entrepreneurs is overwhelm. So many projects, people & problems to solve. The best solution is to breathe. That's definitely the first step. Next, take out a pad of paper and get some of your cluttered thoughts on to the page... this should get you to the point where you can clearly move forward. I use a process called, "Natural Planning" named by David Allen in his book, "Getting Things Done" -- a sort of road map for discovering the components of a project. It's a 5 step process:

1st - Set a clear & measurable goal
2nd - Brainstorm the required components
3rd - Organize the ideas into fields (people to contact, things to buy or build, etc.)
4th - break it all down into specific tasks with dates
5th - Review & assess

At this point, getting it done is a matter of taking one step at a time...

Marketing Interview

New Money

New investors are changing the definition of good business and it includes conservation. Of course many of us already look at conservation as the heart of good practices, but the money people didn't always think this way.

Traditionally, economists thought consumption pushed trade forward. So the more people consumed the more value (wealth) would be created Globally. But what if transactions weren't pegged to consumption? Perhaps trading creates wealth and what people do with the goods afterwards should be tracked in terms of environmental impact instead of economic impact? What if we just keep on trading services and low-impact resources?

From this view, conservation is no longer the boogey-man of good business practices.

Money flowing into investments on route distant from Wall Street by ZDNet's Harry Fuller -- One Silicon Valley venture capital firm announced they’ll put a quarter-billion dollars into green tech. Runs counter to the frenzied state of Wall Street and the Federal Reserve where they think a bunch of bankers missing their annual bonuses is somehow a really important economic problem. Meanwhile, energy prices continue to rise and [...]

Services

Small Business Strategy Consulting

Clarify Purpose & Align With Values

We use exercises and personal coaching to reveal your deepest goals for your business, and then apply strategic planning to create a detailed map showing how to get there.

• Multi-media visioning
• Collaborative brainstorming
• Strategic thinking
  
• Task based action plans

Discover Current Position

We break down the components and processes of your business to reveal information blocks, untapped resources and new opportunities.

• On site assessments
• Expert consulting & support
  
• Extensive reporting & documentation
  

Develop Optimal Practices

We collaborate with you to create solutions that are personalized to fit your life and your business, finding new opportunities and simplifying your processes.

• Using personal expression as marketing
  
• Sustainability strategies to save & connect
• Strategic planning tools & tricks
  
• Automate systems for clarity & ease

Accountability

We check-in regularly, making sure you are on path to reach your expressed goals.

• Session reviews document materials covered
• Action plans break down what's next
  
• 24/7 support to Keep your business on track

Business Strategy

Business has four sectors and it is useful to know which one, or
what combination, you are working in.

External Relationships:
Advertising, Suppliers, Outside Retailers, Marketing, sales.
This is your connection to the outside world, where you present
yourself & your craft. The most important distinction to make here is
that your presentation is often different from what others receive. In
other words, think from the receiver's point of view rather than your
own...what do they see & what to they really want?

Internal Processes:
Scheduling, Production, Delivery & Documentation.
How you track your business is a set of practices that should fit your
personal style and get the job done right. Some people remember their
schedules in their heads while others print out procedures for getting
out of the house and into the studio every morning. Evolving
practices will grow with you your entire life. Processes are the living
expression of your craft in The World, and having a written map of that
process frees your mind for manifesting your vision.

Finances:
Budgeting, Income & Expenses, Taxes.
Money is more than just dollars. It is a flow of energy between people, describing what they
agree is of value. Avoiding tracking your money doesn't eliminate
expenses & income, it just hides details from your consciousness, but
you always know on the inside. Being willing to face your money flow
takes courage and support --it's worth it.

Development:
Training, Education, Expansion.
Personally expanding your skills & abilities is the greatest gift you can give to yourself. Intentionally creating a personal development path, from daily meditation to
personal-finance-seminars, will insure that you serve your craft
powerfully. Be willing to set aside your ego and explore what you
don't know.

Working in any of the four regions of business should serve yourvalues & vision. Whenever you choose distributors, make sales, explore new possibilities...any business activity --ask yourself, "Does this serve my values?" If it doesn't, explore an alternative route that does. Business can be hard work and knowing The World is being served provides vitality and clarity to your business practice.

Testimonials

“John's strength lies in his enthusiasm and passion. He is the one who will jump start your business, by energizing you! John has impeccable personal integrity and will hold you and your goals as sacrosanct. I highly recommend John to anyone who doesn't know where or how to start - he will carve out the path for you.”
Kevin O'Malley, Life Coach

"Avra Organic Spa would not be in business today if it wasn't for John Van Dinther.
I met my business partner through John, she was also his client. I couldn't have found a better business partner on my own.

John has a way of making business easy. His coaching has eased my pain in so many areas of business: internet marketing, business structure, and most recently (and most importantly) management of employees. This is an area I believe ALL entrepreneurs need some guidance in, and John is absolutely genius when it comes to working with, and managing, others.

I highly recommend anyone who needs some guidance in their business, or in their personal life, to hit up John for an introductory consultation, he's totally worth it."
Laura Ash, Clinical Herbalist, Co-Owner Avra Organic Spa


"...John is an inspiration to work with, always coming up with new and innovative ways to tackle obstacles. He is a genuine and caring person, always looking out for his team and striving to bring everyone around him to new heights. Anyone would be lucky to work with John and be exposed to his pioneering and motivating mind.”
Jenny Fredrickson, Management Analyst, BearingPoint

"It's really a pleasure to write a testimonial about John. His skill in explaining business concepts and structuring our approach to challenges has been incredibly valueable, but the first thing you'll noticed about him is how into all of the meta aspects of your business he is. John gets that your passions are the fuel for everything yet to come, and he engages you in friendly and supportive dialogs to define what these core values are. This was true of our very first conversation, and its true of every meeting we have. I came to John wanting to turn my 10 year career as an in house sound designer into a freelance operation for film, video games and commercials. We are getting ready to launch, and I can tell you that the progress has been incredible from both a business and personal point of view. I know I'm moving towards doing what I love. And as John continually says..."Do what you love well and customers will want a piece of it."
Andrew Lackey, Sound Engineer

“John, is a tenacious worker and a decisive thinker! Not afraid to move in and get things done. Willing to work and work hard. When he believes in something he will fight hard to attain it.”
Kevin Atkin, CEO, Strategic Partners Global Solutions

"John is able to clearly identify and explain key pieces of business, while providing tasks that keep clients on track, engaged in the process...”
Kaye Porter, Presentation Skills Coach

“John challenges those around him to think outside of the box. I hate how cliche that sounds though. John is anything but cliche. He is intelligent, communicative, dependable. He solves problems in new and innovative ways. He is creatively competent and uses this strength to develop outstanding best practices in the business environment. He is adept in his interaction with coworkers, team members, advisers, and volunteers. I have grown professionally and personally as a result of our work together.”
Allison Smith, Student CEO, Chico Students In Free Enterprise

“John offers unprecedented depth and insight into everything he touches. He is powerful, efficient, loyal and authentic.”
David Schlussel, Founding Partner, Financial Circles

“John is an amazingly intuitive business person. He is talented in understanding not just the practical business issues of a small business but also the underlying inter-personal issues as well. John is a natural giver who cares deeply about his clients and personal relationships. John consistently over-delivers on his commitments and has high integrity with all his work..."
Oren Jaffe, Sustainability & Green Supply Chain Consultant

“John's intuitive vision quickly gets to the essence of business goals to clarify new opportunities and ways to make them really happen..."
Andrew Peters - Principal, UE Design

“John is dedicated to getting you what you want. He excels with structure and time management..."
Josh Decker

“John has been an amazing resource for my personal development both in business and my personal life. He pushes my edge in organization and time management by focusing on what I say I will do. He is highly demanding of my integrity and of my compassion for myself --that's where John shines as a personal coach: he digs in tight and absolutely supports me while we're in it together. The results have shown up all over: career growth, personal relationships & sense of well-being. I highly recommend John to anyone ready to step-up in their life through deep personal exploration.”
John J. Sims

“John has a finely honed ability to see right through all of your chatter and get right at the heart of things. He can quickly help you set aside all the roadblocks you've put in your way and begin to see clearly the road ahead. He will help you take your bright and shiny possibilities and turn them into brilliant realities.”
Jeffrey Westbrook, IT Mgr., Archdiocese of San Francisco

Contact 2hats Consulting

John F. Van Dinther
tel. 415.515.1252
2hats.sf@gmail.com
3901 22nd st suite A
San Francisco - California
94114
LinkedIn Profile
Biznik Profile
Facebook Group

What motivates entrepreneurs?

Money? Control? In truth, some entrepreneurs are expecting to get rich. Others want to grow and control a new venture. But most would probably answer: "both."

The problem, as Harvard Business School assistant professor Noam Wasserman sees it, is that very few entrepreneurs can achieve both—the Larry Ellisons of the business world are few and far between. In fact, there is a fundamental tension between the money side and the control side—getting rich often means selling control to investors; keeping control reduces the payday. [more]

Collaborate & Create for Peace - Jan 26th 3pm

An awesome way to spend a rainy day. Come hang out in a SOMA loft on Saturday afternoon making Art for Peace. Bring a pal who likes Peace, Art, and hanging out in gorgeous lofts on rainy days.

Where:
81 Langton suite 13, San Francisco, CA [map]

When:
Saturday, January 26, 3:00pm

Contact:
createpeaceproject@gmail.com
www.createpeaceproject.org
415-385-4065

Come participate in an afternoon of artistic exploration as we collaborate in the creation of magical art.

As a first C.P.P. event of the year, we are asking for a small contribution at the door. Support the development of projects and the continued growth of this organization with $20.

A bit about C&C:

Collaborate & Create is one collabroative arts expereince being offered by the C.P.P. It is an opportunity for a group of people to share in the creative experience of making art together. One of the themes is to create beauty out of a recycled or otherwise value-less "canvas". I invite you to bring an item to share with the group.

things that work well include funky pieces of wood, ply, cool doors, platters or trays, old art canvas....look around, notice what's on the streets, see what you might find in the closet, and grab it!

***
There will be food. Please communicate with me if you are interested in contributing something.

art supplies will be provided, though contributions are certainly welcome. (NO OIL PIANT, please)

there is no requirement to bring anything, just bring your loving self and your willingness to step into the unknown.

**dress accordingly

* please come and express your self

Working With 2hats

The work we do at 2hats is manifesting dreams --your dreams. You have the ability and the passion and 2hats brings the map. You be ready to learn, be ready to share yourself and go for it. Then we go on the ride together, working hard, getting nervous and making it happen - and it's a ton of fun :)

Will Market Forces Stop Global Warming?

Jim Heskett, from Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge website opened up a conversation about Global Warming from a business & markets perspective. Some respondents proposed a mix of forces from government and private interests would be required to get things moving. Others claimed that we will keep on our current path until we burn off the last low-hanging hydrocarbon.

"...Green Is the New Red, White, and Blue. Whether or not you believe that humans are causing global warming or that it is occurring at all is beside the point..." [more]

Professional Network

Your business requires a mix of support tools provided by other professionals. Graphic design, bookkeeping & computer expertise are a few of the jobs that need getting done --but that you probably won't do yourself.

• Web content & Email newsletters
• Legal Support
• Presentation Development
  
• Proposals
• Tax & Accounting Services
• Printing
  

John will introduce you to professionals you can trust and who will fit your work style.

The Heart of Marketing

“A good ad should be like a good sermon: It must not only comfort the afflicted, it must also afflict the comfortable.”

— Bernice Bowles Fitz-Gibbon, Advertising Pioneer

The Secret to Success

The secret to successful business is aligning your actions with your dreams. You have a craft and a vision for bringing it to the world.

Most business consultants don’t deal with emotions, yet the best business people are always those who make "gut decisions". They aren't talking about their tummy, they're talking about making decisions from their emotions. Vision is sourced from those emotions.

On the other hand, the emotion of fear is also what's keeping you on the couch. You are NOT lazy or uninspired or stupid --REALLY. You are just afraid.

So emotions are key and you keep trying to be more reasonable, but that's like trying to paint watercolors with a monkey wrench. Your emotions don't work like that.

The key to overcoming fear is to say, "Thank you for sharing fear". Really feel it, and then get into action. There are risks and the fear is intense, but that's what it takes. Living your vision is intense and beautiful and scary --and that's exactly what you signed up for.

Defining Sustainable

The Montague Institute has a list of tools for triple bottom reporting. It's dense reading, as taxonomy tends to be, but developing truly effective tracking methods is at the heart of corporate oversight practices. Since biology doesn't fudge the number, neither can we...

About John Van Dinther

John has 15 years experience as an entrepreneur and has been a consultant since 1997. He is passionate about forming connections and new opportunities in order to help create great projects. He believes that small business is simple but requires stamina, integrity and creativity to be fun -which is the whole point of entrepreneurship, to have fun.

John received his Master's Degree in Business from California State University, Chico (2006).