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McSally Secures Protections for Tribes’ Affordable Housing Funding
U.S. Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ) announced today that tribes will not lose future Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) funding as a result of the CARES Act funding they received.
Following a letter McSally sent last week to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Agency is exempting tribes from the disbursement requirement that would have reduced the amount of future IHBG funding that a tribe is eligible for. This change will ensure that CARES Act IHBG funding can be used for supplemental expenses related to COVID-19, and will not detrimentally impact regular IHBG grant amounts.
“Indian Housing Block Grants are vital for improving housing conditions on tribal reservations and reducing the spread of the coronavirus,” McSally said. “This requirement waiver by the Department of Housing and Urban Development is a huge win for tribal communities who can continue to receive this block grant funding regularly. The goal of the CARES Act was to provide needed relief during a crisis, not penalize recovering communities.”
Background:
On September 23, McSally sent a letter to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson asking him to waive the disbursement requirement that would have reduced the amount of future IHBG funding that a tribe is eligible for.
Arizona To Receive More Than 2 Million Rapid COVID-19 Tests
Governor Doug Ducey today announced that Arizona will receive 2.19 million Abbott rapid point-of-care tests from the federal government. The tests can produce results within 15 minutes. Delivery is expected to take place with shipments beginning in the next seven to 10 days. The Arizona Department of Health Services is working with county health departments to prioritize the tests for K-12 schools and congregate care facilities for vulnerable individuals.
“Arizona is grateful to President Trump for his continued partnership during this pandemic and for once again prioritizing our state,” said Governor Ducey. “These new FDA-approved rapid tests will allow us to quickly identify cases and prevent outbreaks among our most vulnerable citizens. Combined with the PPE, ventilators and health care workers the White House has provided to Arizona, these tests will go a long way in making sure we are able to continue to safely keep Arizona’s economy open.”
Yesterday, President Trump announced that the administration will distribute more than 150 million rapid Abbott tests around the country in the coming weeks. Of these, roughly 50 million tests will be targeted to vulnerable communities including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice care, and tribal nations.
To date, more than 1.4 million diagnostic tests have been completed in Arizona, as well as more than 290,000 serology tests. Last week, Governor Ducey announced $6 million for the development of Arizona State University’s groundbreaking point-of-need testing, which will allow people such as first responders, health care workers and those in congregate care settings to get COVID-19 test results within minutes.
Historic ACC Vote recognizes Utility Obligation to Assist Tribes with “Just and Equitable Transition” when Closing Coal Plants
It happened quietly and without a lengthy debate, but the Arizona Corporation Commission’s vote on Sept. 23 to approve a seemingly minor docket item on energy efficiency marked a historic moment, and the commissioners who approved it should be applauded for taking the first steps toward rectifying a long overdue injustice.
The amendment, approved 3-to-2, requires APS to develop a Tribal Energy Efficiency Program, supported annually with $457,000 in funding, that will help implement energy efficiency projects for Navajo and Hopi communities “impacted by the closure of coal-fired power plants that Arizona Public Service Company owns or operates, including Navajo Generating Station, Four Corners Power Plant, and Cholla Power Plant.”
In approving the measure, the Commission for the first time ever took official action recognizing that utilities have a responsibility to provide funding and assistance to communities impacted by early power plant closures. Here’s the crucial language: “… as part of its corporate obligations to support a just and equitable transition of communities impacted by early power plant closure …”
“This is an important step in acknowledging that utilities have a responsibility to assist the people and communities, they benefited from for so long,” said Nicole Horseherder, director of the Navajo grassroots group Tó Nizhóni Ání. “Navajo Generating Station closed almost a year ago, and we’re still waiting for the utility owners to step up and provide funding and support, to help rebuild Navajo and Hopi communities that provided them with inexpensive power and water for nearly a half century. We’re grateful that the Commission saw the importance of taking this initial step to make it happen.”
The full text of the amendment approved by the Commission is below. It was introduced by Commissioner Sandra Kennedy and followed a motion in proceedings on Arizona Public Service’s plan for energy efficiency submitted by three grassroots tribal community groups in late August: Tó Nizhóni Ání and Diné CARE, both Navajo community organizations, along with Black Mesa Trust, a Hopi grassroots group.
“This really is historic, and the Commission has our gratitude for taking a first step to confront important issues that are affecting both tribal and non-tribal communities,” said Carol Davis, executive director of the Navajo grassroots organization Diné CARE. “One power plant has already closed, another will close in two years, and in all likelihood, two more that are connected to the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe will be shutting down soon. It’s crucial that we take steps now to help our communities transition to sustainable post-coal economies. The utilities can’t be allowed to just lock the gates and walk away anymore.”
Before its closure last November, Navajo Generating Station was the largest coal-burning power plant in the West. It was supposed to operate into the 2040s, but in early 2017, the plant’s owners, including Arizona Public Service, determined it simply wasn’t economic to keep it operating and decided to close it no later than December 2019. Navajo and Hopi communities had less than two years to rebuild their economies, replace tens of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue and deal with the consequences of nearly 1,000 displaced workers from the plant and Kayenta coal mine.
Our groups have been working for many years to ensure that such business decisions do not leave behind the people and communities that made operations at plants like NGS possible. We have participated in and filed numerous comments in proceedings requesting assistance from utilities like APS. Until Wednesday, that had never happened. Nearly a year AFTER the closure of NGS, we are still waiting for APS and its co-owners (Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power, NV Energy and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) to provide even a dime of support to help the tribes’ transition to post-coal economies.
“We hope this is the first of many decisions that will hold utilities accountable for providing our communities with support and funding to move beyond coal,” said Vernon Masayesva, director of Black Mesa Trust and a former chairman of the Hopi Tribe. “Our coal and our water powered growth of cities like Phoenix and Tucson, and it’s long overdue for the companies that profited from that to give back. There is still much work to be done in ensuring a Just and Equitable Transition.”
Commissioner Kennedy, along with ACC Chairman Bob Burns and Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson, voted for the amendment.
Sinema Highlights the Importance of Arizona Universities to NASA’s Continued Research and Innovation
Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke today in a Senate Commerce Committee hearing and highlighted the important partnerships between Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University and NASA for continued space research and innovation.
“NASA partnerships with Arizona’s universities are strong and beneficial. All three Arizona public universities – the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University – provide students with hands-on STEM education and research opportunities, thanks to the Space Grant program and other NASA partnerships,” said Sinema.
Sinema questioned NASA Administrator Bridenstine about potential changes to the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission at the University of Arizona. Kyrsten has long championed the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission, and helped secure 36 million dollars in dedicated funding to further the mission in last year’s end of year spending bill. Sinema also recently introduced the NASA Authorization Act—bipartisan legislation strengthening American’s leadership in space, bolstering national security, and creating economic opportunities for all Arizonans. The bill also directs NASA to fully fund and launch the Near-Earth Object Surveillance Mission by 2025.
Last year, Sinema introduced the 21st Century Space Grant Modernization Act—bipartisan legislation boosting space education and research funding at Arizona universities by reforming the National Space Grant College and Fellowship program to better support state-based space education and research programs. As part of the Space Grant College and Fellowship program, each state creates a Space Grant Consortium which provides funding for space-related research, workforce training, and education programs throughout the state. Space Grant Consortium consists of Arizona State University. University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. In recent years, NASA’s office of STEM Engagement has diverted a portion of Space Grant funding to cover administrative overhead and unrelated programs, which deprives states, including Arizona, of federal funding upon which they rely. Sinema’s 21st Century Space Grant Modernization Act protects and boosts funding for Arizona space initiatives.
Navajo-Owned CPA Firm Named New Mexico ‘Diversity Honoree’
Last week, Albuquerque Business First media announced several outstanding individuals and organizations making an impact in New Mexico. On Nov. 5, these “Diversity Honorees” will be awarded at the 2020 Diverse Business Leader Virtual Awards for bolstering diversity and equality across age, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, race and religion.
McCabe CPA & Consulting Group LLC (McCabe) will be one of four organizations to be recognized alongside Mandy’s Farm, Rio Grande Credit Union and T-Mobile. McCabe is a Navajo-owned CPA and Tribal business and government advisory firm. They are based in Albuquerque and serve various Tribal communities in the western United States.
“We believe that diversity is paramount for the future success of our economy, especially in this current environment,” said Sean McCabe, CPA and managing partner. “To be recognized as an organization that leads the way is truly an honor. I would have to attribute our organizational culture to the core of our values, which is the ‘one-man or woman’ concept.”
“This concept is the fundamental belief that we are all one. One with each other and everything around us, no matter your cultural, racial, gender or sexual identity; no one individual is greater than the whole,” he added. “This belief is who we are and what we do. It drives our team to accomplish our goals, also helping us to accomplish our client’s goals.”
For the past 15 years, McCabe has been dedicated to the mission of lifting Tribal communities from the persistent disparities that hinder community and economic development. The firm’s internal and external capacity is exceptionally diverse, with talented Native Americans, Hispanics, and females in professional fields of accounting, government relations, health care policy, technology and more.
New Mexico’s economy depends heavily on the contributions from companies like McCabe. The Business First announcement cited that in 2019, the 25 largest Hispanic-owned businesses had $350 million in revenue and employed over 1,400 residents, and the 25 largest American Indian-owned businesses had $290 million in revenue and employed 1,500.
To celebrate and show gratitude, McCabe is allowing Tribal leaders and workers to join them during the Tribal Coronavirus Strategic Response Virtual Summit on Oct. 1-2 at no cost. The virtual summit will include panelists who specialize in various fields and who will engage in educational conversations about the interplay between health and economy during and after the pandemic.
“It is a training opportunity for Tribal nation leadership, enterprises and businesses, and individuals to enhance their knowledge of the pandemic and its effect on Tribal health and economy,” said McCabe. “We understand and we appreciate everything they do for Tribal communities. We want to strengthen our alliances in Indian Country.”
To register, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QeI9tfB6SbO78XXSfpm8cg.
Riding the Rails with Roger
Some things are the same, such as the dramatic canyon views as the train follows the winding Verde River, but there are new and exciting additions to the magical 20-mile journey from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back on the historic Verde Canyon Railroad (VCRR).
Traveling on tracks carved out of rugged landscapes in 1912, the award-winning scenic wilderness train is celebrating its 30th anniversary as “Arizona’s Longest-Running Nature Show.”
The rail anniversary is the perfect time to serve up some changes to the experience, including a farm-to-table emphasis on offering fare from growers in the Verde Valley.
In addition, a local celebrity has been added to the entertainment: Arizona’s beloved travel enthusiast, writer Roger Naylor, who has been chosen to add his folksy charm to the Verde Canyon Railroad’s onboard narration.
“Verde Canyon Railroad is proud to have such a celebrated Arizona voice as part of the customer experience,” said Vice President of Passenger Services Teresa Propeck. “This train line has been an integral part of the infrastructure that built the Verde Valley and the great state of Arizona. We will continue this legacy by working with locally owned and operated businesses every chance we get. Whether it’s the radio stations, wineries, restaurants or hotels, the true charm of Arizona is essential to the Railroad.”
From their distinctive vantage point in open-air viewing cars, passengers get stunning views of the geology and archeology, as well as the flora and fauna of one of Arizona’s most scenic inner canyons.
The three-and-a-half-hour rail journey provides the perfect palette for the narration of Naylor, famous for his whimsical and colorful storytelling.
Known for his columns in The Arizona Republic, fun travel books on Route 66 and Arizona State Parks, and his popular book, “Boots and Burgers,” Naylor, a longtime resident of the Verde Valley, often shares area highlights in his writings, including frequent and appreciative mentions of the Verde Canyon Railroad.
“The Verde Canyon Railroad people knew me because I live in the Verde Valley and had written about the train many times in articles and books,” the author said. “And they had seen me give presentations before and just thought I would be a good fit. They’re an Arizona treasure and I’m an Arizona rambler and storyteller.”
The Verde Canyon Railroad is a spectacular adventure.
“It rumbles into a remote wilderness, nestled between two national forests at the confluence of desert and wetlands,” Naylor recounted. “It follows the Verde River into a high-walled canyon bristling with wildlife. And every season brings something different.”
Recorded locally at Yavapai Broadcasting, Naylor’s narration interweaves classic train tunes of every genre with 100-plus years of rail history, including the stories of ancient dwellers and ranchers that have called this rare riparian wonderland home.
The railroad came to Naylor with the idea for a new narrative and provided a script that he said he polished up with folksy, humorous touches.
“This is all new to me,” he said. “The railroad had the same narration for many years, and I guess they felt it was time for a change. I was honored when they asked me to become the voice of the train. And you can’t even escape in the depot because that’s me making the announcements and calling ‘All aboard!’”
After many trips on the Verde Canyon Railroad, Naylor said the experience is always a delight.
“The good news is that it changes very little. It’s all about the classic train ride and exquisite scenery. “When you’re riding the rails, soothed by the gentle swaying of the train, stress just seems to melt away. You’re surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery, you’ve got plenty of food and drink, and someone else is doing all the driving.”
Naylor, who was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, loved cowboy movies as a boy and was drawn to the sprawling lands of the West. He came to Flagstaff in 1975 to attend Northern Arizona University.
“And it was love at first sight,” he recalled. “Arizona plucked my heart right from my chest. I was crazy swoony in love with Arizona.”
His love for the land led him to drop out of college to have more freedom to explore every corner of the state.
“My parents thought I was a drifter, but in reality, I was a travel writer in training,” he said.
In 2018, Naylor was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame for his passion of travel and storytelling.
Locally Grown Produce
Food and drink, and making sure the train adventure is a tasty journey, is another focus of improvements on the Verde Canyon Railroad.
The roots of the Verde Valley as an agricultural region run deep and the railroad has partnered with two small growers who are supplying vitamin-rich produce and greens to the train and its Copper Spike Café.
These locally grown veggies and greens are now succulent ingredients for meals at the Clarkdale depot and appetizers onboard the train.
Sweet Greens Arizona, operated by Eric Kostecki, produces micro-greens or sprouted seedlings, now available in 50 different kinds, some of which are used as ingredients at the cafe.
In addition, Luke Hammond and his Liquid Life farms is leasing riparian fields at the Blazin’ M Ranch in Cottonwood to grow tomatoes, watermelon, squash, herbs, corn, spring mix and other seasonal crops that are in high demand, including as railroad fare.
Briana (Bri) Lawton, born and raised in Clarkdale, is the kitchen manager at the Copper Spike Café. She uses her background in Arizona’s wine industry, as well as her 16-year experience in food service and her connections with these local growers, to elevate the train’s menu options.
“I’m a strong believer in farm-to-table and fresh food,” Lawton said. “Just because we’re a quick-pace café doesn’t mean that our food can’t be bursting with flavor, beautiful to look at and healthy. I’ve worked with many amazing chefs and have learned a lot. That extra step in picking and planning goes a long way and people can tell the difference between food that’s made with love and thought, versus food that’s just simply assembled.”
The connection between Hammond and The Blazin’ M Ranch, whose chuckwagon dinner and stage show are temporarily dormant, is strong and working well to provide a source of high-quality vegetables and fruits.
“He approached us about this idea and we were intrigued,” said Blazin’ M Ranch owner Lori Mabery. “Patriarch and founder Chuck Mabery used to do organic farming here 25 years ago, so it’s really come full circle. It all came about at the perfect time. We’re thrilled to have him here. Hammond, his wife and three young children do it all. This is their second full year.”
Much of the produce is marketed from a farm stand at the ranch, but luckily for Verde Canyon Railroad, Hammond allows early access for Lawton to select Liquid Life Farm melon, tomatoes and cucumbers for the train’s appetizers, and basil for the popular “Verde Margarita” mix.
Verde Canyon Railroad’s Copper Spike Café is open when the train runs from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Trains run year-round on a varied schedule depending on the season.
Because of health requirements in effect in response to COVID-19, changes to food service, as well as passenger load and spacing, are in full effect at the depot and onboard the train.
“We look forward to welcoming you aboard Verde Canyon Railroad,” Propeck said. “Our historic cars allow optimum viewing of our magnificent canyon from both indoor seats and on outdoor viewing cars. Our seating, even with social distancing, is intimate, with a standard center aisle so we ask that you respect your fellow passengers, allowing everyone to enjoy the trip safely and comfortably.” Standards in place include masks required of all staff and passengers at the depot, inside the museum and onboard the train. Passengers and employees have their temperatures taken when they enter the depot and are giving wristbands to confirm a temperature of 100.4 or less.
Maximum capacity is 50 people at the depot at any given time, and seating, at less than 50 percent capacity, is spaced to allow for social distancing onboard the train.
Lunches and individual appetizer trays for first-class are sealed before they leave the kitchen. There is no communal food. QCBN
By Betsey Bruner
For more information about the travels, adventures and books of Roger Naylor, visit rogernaylor.com.
Looking for a Win
Football fans – are you ready to rock and roar?
Fast-paced, action-packed arena football is on the horizon and is coming to Prescott Valley’s Findlay Toyota Center.
In March 2021, the new indoor football franchise will kick off its inaugural season as the state’s third team in the Indoor Football League (IFL). The league already includes the Arizona Rattlers and the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
The football team name, logo and colors are expected to be revealed this month. The football franchise replaces the Northern Arizona Suns, who played in the building since 2016.
“I think it’s a good thing for Prescott Valley,” said Prescott Valley Mayor Kell Palguta. “It has a lot of upside potential.”
The football team will play in an arena that once hosted the Arizona Sundogs, a professional ice hockey team, the Suns and two other indoor football franchises.
Owner Trey Medlock has plenty of experience building sports franchises. In Texas, he helped start the Lubbock Cotton Kings, an ice hockey team, and the Rio Grande Valley Dorados, a football club.
Medlock said Arizona Rattlers coach Kevin Guy, a close friend, called to urge him to get back into the business. Guy is a former coach of the Rio Grande Valley Dorados.
Guy and his wife, Cathy, are co-owners of the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
Right now, Medlock said staying on schedule and garnering corporate sponsorships are at the top of his checklist. The team announced the hiring of Dominic Bramante, formerly of the Duke City Gladiators, as head coach on Sept. 10.
The 2021 season is set to begin March 13. Fans can buy tickets for eight home games.
“The big thing right now is developing the corporate partnership relationships,” Medlock said. “So, sell the corporate sponsorships and all that. Then, Oct. 6, we are going to announce the team name and logo and colors. That’s a big date. So, those are the things I’m focusing on now.”
The new owner said the market and the quality of the venue were factors in picking Prescott Valley.
“I started looking at a number of different locations,” Medlock said. “I actually started in May. I settled on this location because I felt like it was the best location, the best market. Facility-wise, it’s a great size. When I found out the Suns were leaving, it just made the most sense.”
About 5,500 seats will be available for football games. The team’s ownership group signed a three-year lease with a fourth-year option. Season tickets range from $132 to $364. Single-game tickets also will be available.
The team still has to sign players who will come via free agency. The owner said team officials will be looking for local talent. On Oct. 10, team officials will host a tryout for football players at the Boys and Girls Club in Prescott Valley. The football club will conduct similar workouts in Houston and Southern California, Medlock said.
The Texas native said he has a good foundation with Bramante and the rest of his coaching staff. Bramante won two championship titles during his recent time with the New Mexico franchise.
“He’s a good football coach,” Medlock said. “There are two parts to this business. It’s very much like college – it’s being able to recruit the right players to the market and be able to coach the players. I know that he’s got the passion. He’s very well-versed and has been successful recruiting the players and I think he relates well to these guys. I’m excited about him and what he and his staff bring to the table.”
Mayor Palguta said he is confident that team leadership will act in the best interest of the community.
Medlock echoes that sentiment. He said he wants to give back to the community as much as possible and provide an entertainment value to fans. The team plans to be involved in a Halloween event at the Toyota Center as well as with local school districts in the near future.
“We’ve got to have entertainment,” Medlock said. “We have to let people know they may be coming to a football game – but there is a whole event taking place. So, it’s important that we do our job and entertain because that’s what we are – we are in the entertainment business.”
For more information, visit findlaytoyotacenter.com/ifl-football-team. QCBN
By Brent Ruffner, QCBN
Enlisting a Mentor in Uncertain Times
One of the big challenges with COVID-19 is there’s no playbook for how to operate a business during a pandemic. “It’s being written in real time,” said entrepreneur and author Mark Timm. “We need mentors more than ever in our life.”
Kevin Harrington, one of the original sharks on the television program “Shark Tank,” recalled some of the abrupt negative business impacts with the onset of COVID-19. “People were unemployed, people were losing their businesses. I had a couple dozen companies I was involved with, two-thirds were in trouble. Some of them were ready to close down. There were massive sales declines. These were sudden challenges people have never been through before.”
And that’s why both Harrington and Timm are so adamant about the value of having a mentor, especially during times of uncertainty. The two co-authored the book, “Mentor to Millions: Secrets of Success in Business, Relationships, and Beyond.” They finished the manuscript in January, before the pandemic struck the world with full force, but realized later that its messages are particularly strong at a time when entrepreneurs, business owners, employees and family members are concerned and anxious about the future.
“The importance of having a mentor is simple – you are learning a great deal of knowledge and life experiences from someone who has already walked the walk, someone who knows a great deal about what you want to learn,” said Harrington, known as The Inventor of the Infomercial. “I’ve been an entrepreneur for 40 years. I’ve seen the ups and downs. I was an entrepreneur during the Gulf War in the 1990s. We had distribution all across Europe and Latin America. Sales went down 90% for 30 days. People weren’t going to television to buy something, they were going to TV, CNN, to find out what was happening on the news.”
Those who have been unwillingly awake in the wee hours of the day will likely recognize the power of the infomercial, Harrington’s creation, especially if they ever owned products like the Ab Coaster or Quantum Vac. Harrington, a successful entrepreneur before he could drive, has widely demonstrated the concept of Exponential Thinking, multiplying the reach of a product, service or idea. He recognized television stations had hours of dead air in the late night and early morning. He proposed to buy half-hour blocks for the amount that the airtime would have cost for commercial spots if they were sold and inserted into 30-minute programs. Then he worked with entrepreneurs to demonstrate their products during that time.
He notes that lucrative television advertising opportunities exist again with COVID-19. As businesses closed and events were canceled, advertisers pulled their commercials, leaving airtime available at discounted rates.
Timm, co-founder of Cottage Garden, Inc. and president and CEO of Ziglar Family, reached out to Harrington after he experienced what became a revelatory moment seven years ago. “Halfway up my driveway, I realized I didn’t want to go home. I should have wanted to. I’d had the kind of day at work that every entrepreneur dreams of,” he writes. “I’d absolutely crushed it. It was one of those days where I made 100 business decisions, and 99 of them were home runs – one of which was scoring an incredibly big sale. I’d had great meetings, terrific phone calls – everything was humming.”
He didn’t want the euphoria to end. “I knew that as soon as I made it to the end of that driveway and walked into my house, I’d be hit with the chaos and confusion of my family.”
In that moment, Timm recognized he was disconnected from the people who matter most to him and that his kids probably didn’t know what he did, only that he was gone a lot and missed their ballgames. As he turned to Harrington for meaningful guidance, he quickly realized that connectivity is key to professional and personal success. In the book, the two uber-successful entrepreneurs share lessons that can be gleaned from a mentor/mentee relationship and how Timm took those messages home.
“I want entrepreneurs out there to know that the most valuable business that they will ever own, ever operate, ever create or be a part of is the one they go home to every single night,” he said. “I want people to bring their best and first [to their families] instead of their last and their least. I’m highly qualified to be the evangelist for this message because I got it wrong longer than I got it right.”
Timm began conducting business meetings with his family. They identified strengths and weaknesses of the team members, delegated tasks and created plans to achieve their goals.
“What happened is they figured out they had a voice,” he said. “And that was so powerful for them to have that voice and a vote in our family business, which was our family. It’s shaped them. It’s transformed the way they think, the decisions they’ve made, careers that they’re going into, all because of that one pivot.”
As a mentor to his children, he began inviting them along on his business trips whenever he traveled.
In addition to the concept of Exponential Thinking, Timm documented other principles for success he observed through his mentorship with Harrington, such as the Fair Deal. In the book, Harrington describes how an unfair deal results in unhappy parties. “A deal that isn’t fair isn’t scalable,” he said. “The loser drops out.”
Aggressive Curiosity is another concept they describe. Timm recalls a story about being on a flight with Harrington, who brought a trash bag full of business journals into First Class. He methodically went through each one, tearing out and saving articles that piqued his interest. Timm notes that successful people are voracious readers.
“The real change that you need to make if you want to change who you are, where you are and the results you’re getting in life, begins with the change of what you put between your ears,” said Timm. “It begins with the change of what you’re listening to, what you’re reading, what you’re consuming, and then you change your mind and it’s amazing how everything else changes. The domino effect begins.”
“Mentor to Millionaire” also explores fear, failure and action. Harrington believes that action creates confidence, not the other way around. He also believes failure is part of the process.
“Winston Churchill said, ‘Success is going from failure to failure without the loss of enthusiasm.’ Sometimes mentoring somebody is educating them on the fact that not every day is going to be rosy, in fact, hey you failed. That’s okay. Get up. Dust yourself off. You learned,” said Harrington. “Once I realized that, I didn’t let failure bother me anymore because I knew that the successes were just around the corner and my motivation was to get more products. What I needed to do then, if I was doing 10 products a year and I’m going to hit on one out of three, that means I’m going to fail on seven out 10 maybe, and succeed on three out of 10, but I’m only going to have three successes for the year. Let’s go do 50! With the same percentages, we’re going to end up with 15 or 18 successes. When you realize failure is part of business, you don’t let it demotivate you. Stay strong. Go for it and understand that’s just a factor of business and life.”
Both Harrington and Timm call motivational speaker and salesman Zig Ziglar one of their mentors. They continue to promote his philosophy through the Ziglar Family and follow his advice, including this quote that speaks to mentoring: “You can have everything in life you want if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.”
“I believe we were put on this Earth to do something extraordinary, and we’re not supposed to do it alone,” said Timm. “If you surround yourself with mentors and advocates, you greatly increase your odds of seeing fantastic success. I want to give people permission to raise your hand, ask for help. If you’re out there and you’re reading this, if you’ve got a product, purpose or passion that could impact a million people – the fastest way to impact them is through mentorship. Doing it alone is linear. That is a slow, compounded growth process that takes a lifetime. If you want to impact people exponentially and you want to do it now, mentorship is the fastest way.”
The two maintain that a mentorship is something that comes together for a purpose and has a conclusion. In the book, they discuss how to find a mentor and what a mentor might cost – sometimes nothing, monetarily – and how to get the most out of a mentorship, as well as the importance of giving back as a mentor to someone else.
“I want to make sure that readers know that they not only need to have mentors, but they need to be a mentor. That’s the equation,” said Timm. “You first need to have the right mentors in your life and then you need to be the right mentor in other people’s lives. And then sit back and watch the fireworks begin. Because you just lit the fuse to impact millions and to becoming a mentor to millions with that equation.”
The book, “Mentor to Millions: Secrets of Success in Business, Relationships, and Beyond,” is now available. By purchasing through kevinmentor.com, readers have access to additional business resources, as well. QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN