The Family Business Book

You Must Follow Up

2009-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Finally back in the office. Over the past 6 days I have made many personal contacts. (Hartford, Chamberlain, Pierre, Philip, Rapid City, Yankton, Vermillion, Dakota Dunes, and Sioux City.)

Each city represents potential business. At Maximum Promotions, we are in the business of building relationships and assisting companies, cities, Chambers, and other entities in fulfilling
their stated mission. Possibly that is making net profits, or it could be influencing their "Y"
generation to consider starting businesses. Whatever the issue, Maximum Promotions will do
everything in its power to help them succeed.

I made some headway today in following up, but have alot more work to do tomorrow and
Thursday. The trip has the potential to be productive. In this economy, every lead, contact
and quote goes into the sales formula, and we cannot afford to miss any opportunities to present
our ideas and products.

2009-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

Go West Young Man!

Great day at work today. We, GM and self, dealt with some major issues in a straight forward
driven by facts approach.......Owning your own business is so much more complicated than most realize....thus the high rate of failure.....

Wednesday, February 11, I have a meeting in Pierre, discussing Maximum Promotions growth, and how we can have an effect on the entire state. The book "Family Business" certainly will come into the discussion. I am really excited about this meeting... It has taken
me approx. two years to get.....

After Pierre, onto Rapid City......this should really be a great trip. T.V. interview on Thursday
morning at Newscenter 1 in Rapid City with the two authors of "Family Business". After the
interview I am going to present to a class @ National American University on Entrepreneurship and South Dakota. I will be joined by a newspaper reporter from the
Rapid City Journal's business reporting section....I am really looking forward to this time.

On Friday I will be presenting to two classes at Rapid City Stevens....Consumer Science, and marketing......this is the group I want to impact the most. (High School, Tech, College, University, 17-30)

Brock and the Washington Warriors are in Rapid City playing the Raiders and the Cobblers
on Friday and Saturday.... We really need two wins.......Life is good.....running a business is the most challenging thing I've ever done......I want to improve and grow.....

2009-02-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Reviews....Previews...Setting the Stage for 2009

Today, we worked with employees on closing out 2008 and preparing for 2009. We are trying to articulate in finite detail what we did well in 2008, and what we must improve on
for 2009. We expect to unveil our 2009 budget and complete reviews and previews with
General Manager and outside sales staff...This work is critical for our 2009 success.

We are transitioning our company from an idea driven company to more of a science driven
company......using budgets and numbers to get the desired results....5% net profit at the end of
2009.....this is way easier to talk about than it is to accomplish.... Mark Nelsen

End of day reflections

2009-02-07T15:06:00.001-08:00

Ready to shut down and go for a workout. Am working on cleaning my desk and preparing for
trip to Rapid City area next week. We are doing a morning television show promoting the
Family Business Book, and presenting to a Entrepreneurship class at National American University. I'm going to attempt to connect with the chambers of commerce in Rapid City,
Spearfish, Belle Fourche, and Sturgis. While doing this I want to be contacting the Colleges
and Universities in the area about our recruiting products and other items we can assist them with for recruiting students and promoting their university.

I look forward to the time I get working out alone....I think, I pray, and I enjoy the outdoors.
Mark A. Nelsen

Saturday looking back...moving forward

2009-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2009

It is Saturday and we continue to move forward. General Manager, MAW, MAE, Circle 100,
call center, and owner all in store on a day we are closed.....We are able to get the nautical
flag pole installed.....I have been visualizing this project for 5 years.....on Monday we should be able to mount flags on this pole, and then get busy selling the concept....we must show tremendous growth in our flagpole/flags sales area....25% to 35%...

This past week went by quickly....lots of issues to deal with.....most important was our late
receivables issue. We made progress in our collections, but also had exposed weaknesses in our A/R methods. A plan is being put into place to deal with these issues...now....

I am trying to get reviews completed, but have struggled because of a lack of data for our
sales staff.. I will constinue to push this project forward...

Our sales contest this week is on QUOTES.....

I marvel at how much my summer jobs as a student have played into my career.....same goes
for the classes I took in high school and college, and the jobs I had after college (pre-MaxPro.)

Every day I use Math, Science, Reading, Psycology, Journalism, History, Writing, and more......

It feels good to be 50 plus years old and still have plenty of gas in the life tank....I am ready and willing to grow Max. Pro..

Most all reviews will be complete by Tuesday, February 10, 2009....Mark

Promoting the book, selling Maximum Promotions products everyday.

2009-02-04T08:05:00.000-08:00

Feb. 3, 2009....Beresford, Vermillion, Yankton, Elk Point, and Sioux City.....The Mayor,
the Chamber, the Business School, the Businessman, and the Economic Development person.
Not a bad day for contacts......We must be out aggressively selling Max. Pro. and our products.....The Family Business Book is something fresh and interesting to talk about.
A good day involves selling books and getting quotes, which lead to profitable sales...

End of Day in Sioux City...off to watch youngest son play BB @ Sioux City East..We lost.

NEUHARTH ENDORSES NEW BOOK ABOUT S.D. ENTREPRENEUR

2009-01-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

“FAMILY BUSINESS, THE SPIRIT OF AN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR… MARK NELSEN”.
The true story of a South Dakota Entrepreneur and his challenges along the way!
There have been many endorsements for this new South Dakota based book, but one of the top honors for the authors and the subject of the book, comes from Dan Neuharth, the son of Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today

Dan Neuharth, PhD and best-selling author - Greenbrae, CA “Family Business is an engaging, wise book. It offers help and insight for those from difficult families and it also offers much inspiration for those working to make their businesses or careers better. Mark’s story is an American success story, a story of setbacks and satisfaction, trials and triumph. The book is full of life”
Mark Nelsen, Owner/Founder of Maximum Promotions in Sioux Falls, will be in Pierre this Thursday to meet with Spearfish, SD based author Paul Higbee, a contributing writer for South Dakota Magazine. Higbee will unveil his new book titled “Family Business, The Spirit of an American Entrepreneur… Mark Nelsen”. This South Dakota based book features the true story of Mark Nelsen’s rise from a rural Colman, South Dakota farm-raised child to a successful Sioux Falls based Entrepreneur.

The official book launch will be held this Thursday, January 29th at 5:15 pm at the Shalista Photography Studio at 101 East Capitol Avenue in Pierre. This event is being sponsored by the Pierre Chamber of Commerce.

If you’d like more information about the book “Family Business”, or to schedule an interview with Mark Nelsen, call 605-335-1005 or e-mail mark@maximumpro.com

Contact the author Paul Higbee at 605-641-5371 or pjhigbee@rushmore.com