Day 15: Knowing is the Key…. Pad

Which keypad is right for your driveway gate or access door? Let’s look at 4 units to begin our series on entry controls.

Before you purchase a keypad you need to plan and decide which one will be the right one for your application.

Here are some beginning questions:

1. What are you using the keypad for? Is it for a gate or a door? Is it for residential or commercial use?
2. How many pre-approved access users do you want to be able to use the keypad?  
3. Do you need to communicate to the people at the gate or door to decide if you want them to be allowed to enter?
4. What kind of power is supplied at the gate? (None, Residential voltage or commercial voltage or solar)
5. Where are you going to mount the key pad?
6. How deep is your driving lane?
7. Does the key pad have to be lite for night use or is the area lite by a street light?
8. Do you need to keep a record of who is coming and going?
9. Does the equipment need to be vandal resistant.

With your answers in hand finding the right keypad for your use will be a snap.  One of the simplest key pads is the American Access System’s Advantage DKE Economy Keypad. This is one of the most inexpensive keypad on the market and yet it has a number of great features.

• Runs on 12-24 VAC or VDC,
• It has a night light,
• It has enough capacity for 100 - 4 digit codes (which is more people than I know on face book).
• It has a programmable master code and a non-volatile (EEPROM) Electronically Erasable PROgrammable Memory, which means if it looses its power the codes will not be lost.
• Made in the USA
• This unit will not allow for communication to the house or building however.

The next keypad we are looking at is the American Access Systems Advantage DK. It is perfect the businesses that have lots of people coming and going because of its 1000 - 4 digit capacity. This unit can also be ordered with an intercom so that you can speak to a person at a desk or door. One push from button on the intercom and the gate will release and allow the party access. 

Here are some other features available with the Advantage DK:

• Programmable sleep code so you can set it not to activate at contains times of the day or night.
• 3 strikes and you’re out which stops unwanted people from standing at your gate or door and play with combinations. If they do it more than 3 times they will not be allowed to enter.
• Audible tone for programming
• Optional clandestine pinhole camera is available.
• Post mount option or night flush mount.
• Vandal resistant
• LED indicators for programming and status
• This unit also includes the EEPROM.
• Made in the USA

The third family of keypads is the DKLP family. These keypads are perfect for solar power. These Keypads are certainly GREEN because they use under 20uA power consumption.  If you live on a farm or far way from a power supply this unit may be just the option you are looking for. It comes with flush mount single gang, post mount or intercom availability. You do have to run a wire for the intercom to work however.

Features of the Advantage DKLP

• Solar friendly
• 50 – 4 digit code capacity
• Programmable master code
• Audible tone
• Non volatile memory EEPROM
• Vandal resistant
• Made in the USA

Let’s say that you need a wireless keypad. Kevin Downing of American Access System states with the use of a receiver and transmitter which is a part of the Advantage DKW.

The Advantage DKW is the perfect solution where trenching is not an option. It has a range of 50” to the Keypad receiver. It also can be solar powered however it does use a 9 volt snap battery.

Features of the Advantage DKW

• Solar Friendly
• 100 – 4 digit code capacity
• Programmable master code
• Audible tone
• Vandal resistant
• EEPROM non volatile memory
• No digging or trenching necessary

This is just a brief look at the standard keypads that are available on the market. Our next blog will look at an  entry systems that keeps track of who is coming and going.

Order your keypad now and take advantage of our 10% off all keypad. Contact us and use the code AD17WV to collect your savings.

Jon, "Your Fence Man on Wheels"
888.856.0551
jon@summitfencesupply.com
www.summitfencesupply.com

Day 14: Lesson’s from a 7 year old.

Martin Luther King Jr. day was a day off from school for my 7 year old grandson. It wasn’t long until grandmother, Tristan, and old grandpa were deep into a never ending game of Monopoly. He had his money all lined up on the side of the table first the 1’s then and 5’s so on down to the 500’s. Oh my, he will make a great business man some day. He started off wheeling and dealing right away. He knew what he wanted and started strong. His old grandpa took the “Kenny Rogers” approached and stacked his money saying to himself, “Never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table… There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.”

Hour after hour as those dice hit the table I was reminded that business is about balance. If you extend your capital too far you end up in trouble. If you don’t take calculated risks you will not last. There is luck involved as well but the key lesson is, you don’t have a chance to win if you don’t play.

There are times at Summit Fence Supply where I extend myself to far which causes me great stress and there are times when good products are presented to me and I don’t pull the trigger. I am glad that we play the game of helping our customers each day. We don’t get every project we work on but we play the game with fairness and high quality projects.

Grandma usually wins with her quite, by the book, approach to playing the game.

But Not TODAY!!!

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We are offering a FREE copy of Business Principles we picked up from the book of Proverbs. If you would like a free copy click here and enjoy.

Jon Mullender
President of Summit Fence Supply

Email: Jon@summitfencesupply.com

Phone: Toll Free 888.856.0551

Fax: Toll Free 866.841.8023

Day 13: Who is my neighbor?

It was 4:00 Thursday afternoon and I and a friend were sitting at Barnes and Nobles coffee shop. She is having her usual Latte and I am having my Grande, extra hot, mocha with no whip (I do the no whip because it makes me feel like it is fat free) We are in total different business worlds but the common thread is that not to much is happening right now. Our conversation quickly went to the disaster in Haiti.

I stayed up last night to hear Night Line on the relief efforts that were taking place only to hear that there was little being done. The commentators kept saying over and over again, “We hope the aid gets there before it is too late.” Hospitals were knocked down, children and adults were turned away from what little care there was. But the thing that got me the most was neighbor assisting neighbor. Neighbors were pouring through rubble to help those still pinned a day after the earthquake. Neighbors were trying to comfort those that lost loved ones and trying to show love and compassion to others in the midst of holocaust.  What a testimony to the human spirit.

On my way home I met a young man named Xavier whose car broke down. I don’t pick up kids walking down the road but a neighbor is a neighbor. What a great kid he was! I got to take him to the other side of town to his mother’s house. He asked if he could give me some gas money. I just smiled. We programmed in his address into my GPS and off we went. He had never seen one before… I didn't tell him my sister gave it to me at Christmas time and I didn't know much about it either. Neighbor helping neighbor!

My neighbor knew it was icy on my driveway and came and brought my trash cans in. Another friend shoveled my driveway. Neighbor helping neighbor!

Well tonight as the day comes to a close and I sit in front of the fireplace with my warm blanket I am thinking about a man that came to Jesus and asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus turned to him and told him the story of three men that saw man beaten badly and tossed on the side of the road. Two of his own people walked right on by but the third, a stranger, stopped and bandaged his wounds (like the Haitians treating each other), put him on his donkey (like the Haitian’s had people resting in their car because there was no where else to go), and took him to an inn and paid the innkeeper to care for him…  

Who is our neighbor?

So again, here is the link to the Red Cross to donate to our Haitian neighbors.


Jon Mullender
Summit Fence Supply
jon@summitfencesupply.com

Day 12: It’s not so bad!

I am developing a friendship with Larry Ellis of Ellis Dynamic Solutions. We have been praying for each other on a daily basis. In business it is always good to seek advice from the Creator of the Universe. Larry surprised me today when he said he was praying for something more important than me. I as a gassed thinking that I was moving into second place… Until I read the rest of the email.

“Five times at the computer today and you’re still first in line on the prayer list, but, you’re about to drop from that number 1 spot. The poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti, has been devastated by a massive earthquake. These poor people have nowhere to go and nowhere to turn (except to our Father). I don’t know how many there are Christian, but I do know how many of them God created, loves, and wants to spend eternity with. They need prayer, genuine heartfelt, emotional prayer. I know your heart, and I know you feel love for these people right now too. Somehow adding myself at the end of this last prayer just didn’t feel like I was in the same class of need. You know what I mean.”

I have no idea what it must be like. I have never been without a roof over my head or food in my stomach. I have never lost someone in nature’s fury. All I know is what I have seen on TV about people in Katrina, or the movies about the San Francisco earthquake.

Maybe business is really designed to be able to assist other. Maybe that is why to him who is given much much will be required.

If you are interested in giving to help the people in Haiti, Here is a link to the American Red Cross.

“When you give to the least of these you give to me.” Jesus said.

Jon, "Your fence man on wheels."

President and CEO

jon@summitfencesupply.com

summitfencesupply.com

Day: 11 Learning from the Dolphins

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

To be successful in business you have to constantly be thinking. I like to make list of ideas every few days. Just sit and make a list of things I can do to improve the company. Some ideas are worth trying some are not so bright. But the idea is to keep thinking. I think I got the idea a long time ago from Earl Nightingale tape series. “Lead the Field”. My mom had this series on records and I would listen to it over and over again.

Today I was reminded that there is a ton to learn just looking at nature. Watch this video.  It will help you see that there are new ways to do your prospecting, presenting, and closings in your business. As I watched the video today I was challenged to get out my pen and start to create. Creativity feed the dolphins. Creativity will help me reach my goal of 735.

Day 10: It is Freezing in Ohio

Winter in Ohio means snow, cold, snow drifts, shoveling along with the warm fires, skiing, snow mobiles and much more.

To honor winter we are offering our snow and beach fence for a limited time for only $40.50 a roll. We know that many people have open areas where drifting snow can make for morning headaches. If they could slow the drifting it would make things a lot smoother in the morning. Cities use snow fence, corporations and  so do many home owners.

Our snow fence is 4 foot high and comes in rolls of 50 foot. You can buy as small an amount as one roll, a pallet (9 per pallet) or even a truck which would be 366 rolls. 


A common rule of thumb is that snow fence should follow the rule of 35. That is to say that you multiply the height of the fence x 35 and that is how far away you should place your fence barrier. 
Since our fence is 4' high you would use this formula 4x35=140 meaning that you would place your snow fence 140' away from your access road or driveway. 


You can use metal "T" post to install their fence which makes it easy to install. There are special ties we carry that would allow you to tie up your fence to the posts.


When the sun comes out in spring and the warmth starts to touch your face just roll up the snow fence and put it away until the next snow comes your direction. 


So take advantage of this limited time offer by calling me soon at 888.856.0551 for a FREE quote. 

Jon, “Your Fence Man on Wheels”
SummitFenceSupply.com
jon@summitfencesupply.com
Call me anytime: 888.856.0551

Day 9: Failure? Not Possible!

Most start up business fail before 5 years. My dear friend Sage told me once that when you run out of money you have to get a job. I laugh at that because he is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. He is speaking all over the country on SEO principles. He runs his own business, Sage Rock, and he does a daily Video Blog. His business is a major part of his life.

I tend to work hard. I love working! I guess that was instilled in me as a child learning to walk after having polio. I would wear those long metal leg braces and would fall at the drop of a hat. That hat might be someone touching me, or a pebble, or a loss of balance. But I remember my mother, my chief advocate, would always say, “One down, two to go!”

Failure? Not possible! That has to be the mindset of every entrepreneur that wants so badly to make a difference. When I feel like quitting I have to STOP!

S – Step back and look at what you are doing. Get out the pad and start writing ideas and it will come to you in time.

T – Trust yourself and your God. You are not alone. You may have to turn over another rock or two to find something that works but you will make it work.

O – Get the Opinions of people you trust. Not negative people but people that have worked where you are now and have gone on to success. The opinion of a mentor, the opinion of your business counselor. Make a list of people you can go to. Take them to lunch and have them help you brainstorm.

P – Press on!  When I would fall my mom would pick me up and not coddle me. She would go on with what she was doing. That taught me early in life that, Yes I will fall but stand up and go on.

As this year moves on toward the goal of “735” I know I will make it. Will I fall down? Yes! Business has it up and downs but unless you quit trying and lay down on the ground. Success is just around a corner.  

One down, two to go!

Jon, “Your Fence Man on Wheels”

SummitFenceSupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime: 888.856.0551

Day 8: OPM

Money is always tight at the beginning of having a small business. I remember in all my reading about OPM (Others People Money). So over course I went to the bank with the idea that they would be all excited to loan me the money I needed to seed my company. My banker set up an appointment for me to meet with the small business loan manager who asked me a few questions.

How long have I been in business? Answer about 3 days.

How much collateral do you have? Nothing…

It didn’t take long to realize that there was not going to be OPM for this guy at least not until I had been in business for three years. I would need a business plan and I would need to show my successful books.

I would suggest that a person interested in starting a business should do what I didn’t and go to SCORE and get a good counselor before they open the doors of their business.

  

It is great to start your own business. I love working as I think the business should be run. If a customer needs something I would to have the ability to get it for them. 

Day 7: To E-Commerce or Not to E-Commerce, that is the Question

There are so many places online that use ecommerce to reach their potential customers. I have been doing e-commerce for years but one thing I found was that if my customers are purchasing fence they want to talk to someone. Fence is a one time experience for most people. It is not likely that they will be buying a fence this year and then buy one in five years just to get the newest and best. So I thought why not make an estimator so they could get an idea of how much it might cost for a vinyl fence before they call.

It seemed logical to me and has worked but now in my constant search for “What is the True Reality” I am wondering if just having an e-commerce store would have been the choice. What really sold me was last night. I am in bed while my wife is at her computer. She made a list for me to go to the drug store to get some vitamins. I wasn’t looking forward to going out today with my list in hand wheeling in the 12 inches of snow to get vitamins! I much rather work then freeze. As I was laying there waiting for sugar plums to dance in my head she calls out and says, “Jon, you don’t have to go to the drug store tomorrow. I ordered the vitamins online.”

I ordered them online! Of course it makes some much sense to me now. I need them both! I need a convenient way to help my customers get an idea of their project will cost and a way to order if they know exactly what they want. So back to the drawing board! My customers are the life blood of Summit Fence Supply. I respect each project as the most important one I have. Serving the right way is an ever changing process. In order to reach the coveted goal of “735” I need to be flexible.

If a customer wants to talk they have our toll free number. If they want to get an idea of what a vinyl fence or an aluminum fence or even a stone like fence will cost they have our estimators and soon if a person wants to order online that to will be available.

What is the True Reality? I love serving others. Call me and see.

Jon, “Your Fence Man on Wheels”

SummitFenceSupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime: 888.856.0551

Day 6: Filling the Funnel is Fun

Sometime the hardest thing I have to do is making prospect calls. I know that I am not alone on this part of the sales machine. I can’t say I love to make the call and have the gate keeper screen me by saying, “And what is this about?” in a very suspicious voice. I know that it is a numbers game and that if I am not making the calls daily my sales will dry up.

I have decided as of today that making the calls is Fun. It is all in the way I approach it. Attitude really is everything. I offer the best products in the country when it comes to fencing material. The key to calling is knowing that my products fill needs that others have.

Here are my steps to making calls.

• I don’t waste time because I know who I am calling.
• I have a message they would want to hear and if I don’t get the person it was not meant to be.
• Every person I call is a VIP. If it is the president of the company or the office hired part time student doing an intern, they have a job to do and they are doing it to the best of their ability.
• I don’t keep them on the phone more then a few minutes because I know the message and I know that if a person takes the time out of their busy day it is an honor.
• I check off a goal list how many calls I make as to how many I said I was going to do.
• I celebrate every day when my task is done.

So if you have a list to call and it means life or death of your company, make the calls but make it fun. Give yourself an M&M or a cup of coffee at the end of your call time. Set a specific time and get-er-done. My friend Brigid says to me all the time, “Done is done!”

Well on the goal to “735” each call could be “The Call”. I wonder if one call will lead to the million dollar sale. I will never know if I don’t fill the funnel each day.

Jon, “Your Fence Man on Wheels”

SummitFenceSupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime: 888.856.0551

Day 5: Help my Unbelief

Snow is everywhere in Ohio. We may not see green grass for four months only layers of white snow everywhere. I am in the fencing business and if I rested my business on Ohio consumers we would never sell any fence this time of the year. That is why my business focus is the world. If we are going to reach the “735 goal” we have to reach outside of our immediate area and sell fence to people in need everywhere.

We have great products and our mission is to assist people with their fencing needs no matter where they live. If they need a privacy vinyl fence in Florida we are here to assist. If they need an aluminum fence around a pool we have just the ticket. If they have a dog and they need to fence in their back yard… No problemo, we have just the ticket. If someone is frustrated because they have to get out in the rain to open a slide gate we have the gate operator for them so they can push a button in their cars and like magic the gate opens.

When a man brought his only son to Jesus who was suffering from demon possession Jesus told him if he had faith his son would be healed. He replied as many people today do. Yes I have faith, help me to have faith. I love that as a business man because I know that the goal I am working on is doable. It has to be. However, there are times when I feel it is so far away that I will never get there. I have faith… Help my unbelief.

When in doubt… Act as if it were a done deal!

Jon, “Your Fence Man on Wheels”

SummitFenceSupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime: 888.856.0551

Day 4: Setbacks were Expected

Yesterday was smooth sailing along the goal of 735 until late in the evening. My young webmaster called me to inform me that 10 of my pages were just erased. No problem because I am sure he had a backup of them only to be told, “No, I just erased them.”

Accidents happen and he is a valuable part of my team. I can rebuild what is gone but in every situation there is a learning opportunity. My question to him was, “How do we make sure this doesn’t happen again?” Many CEO’s want to assign blame… I have worked for a couple of those types of people. That is the kiss of death to your employees. The goal is to move beyond blame to not only fix the problem but put in procedures that will make the likelihood of the recurrence unlikely.

I am going to reach my goal of 735 and when I make it I want my people to know I could not have made it without them.

What fun is a journey if you have no one to share it with?

Jon "Your fence man on wheels"

summitfencesupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime at 888.856.0551

PS. My hosting company just called and they backed up my pages on Sunday. Thank you Pete!

Day 3: Fear of Failure oh Blah, Blah, Blah!

I was thinking about the 735 this morning at 1:00 AM, 2:00 AM and up until 4:00 when I decided I wasn’t going to sleep anymore so I may as well get up and prepared to begin. I know that the fear of failure holds many people back from taking on their personal journeys. I can’t see the end because I am not near there. I visualize what it will look like but it doesn’t mean that I will be able to make it, at least not on my own. There are so many variables between January 4, 2010 and December 31, 2010. There may be sickness along the way… or maybe an unexpected breakdown of equipment. People could let me down or not keep their promises. There are a lot of things to fear if I would choose to let them. However, most of those things will never happen and if I let the thought of them stop me from my personal 735 I can shut off the phones, crawl under the covers and just quit.

But not today! Today I begin with more enthusiasm then I have had in a long time. Any goal can be broken down into small tasks. Before I can get to the 735 I have to get to the 1. It could take minutes or days to reach the first part of my goal but by doing certain things a certain way I will reach 1, then 10, then before I know it 735.

Today I was reading, “If you want to walk on water, You have to get out of the boat” by John Ortberg. He mentioned that we do not go on our journey alone. We need faith to go in the direction we are lead to go. I have a passion to make this journey and so it begins. It is now 8:00 Monday the 4^th of January and we are off.

“Creative achievement depends on single minded immersion”

Starting the 735 Clean!

Starting a new business year is like getting ready for a road trip. The more organized you are the less you have to struggle to find things on the journey. Day 2 of my journey to 735 began late as I knew I needed to rest before I begin next week. I can see why the Bible was adamant about the Lords Sabbath. I always like Jesus words on the subject. The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath.

After watching the Brown's win 4 in a row (Go Brown's) it was time to go into the office and make sure all the material I will need is in order

• Desks are cleaned
• Goals are set and written down
• Charts are in order
• Call lists are ready for this week
• Day planner is ready with the activities I need to concentrate on First things first
• I have plenty of coffee.

My business coach Phil Humbert once told me that doing business was not always exciting and that if he were to walk into my office at a certain time would he find me doing the things I had planned on doing at that time. There is a lot of wisdom in that concept. If I were to climb a mountain would I be on my journey at the time I said I would or would I just be waking up and making breakfast? Personal integrity is a big part of business success.

So as far as I can prepare I am ready for tomorrow to begin.

A journey of 735 begins with the first call scheduled for 8:30 tomorrow morning.

Please add your comments or thought to help me make my goal of 735.

Until tomorrow.

Jon "Your fence man on wheels"

Summitfencesupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

Call me anytime 888.856.0551

735 The Adventure of a Lifetime

I am going on a business journey starting Monday which I am calling 735. I am going write in my blog the events and things I am learning on the way to 735. It will be about the one man’s journey to reach an unheard of goal for himself. This goal is not about miles but about people and business. It is a journey that will take 365 days to complete.

Along the way I am going to face a lot of failure (learning opportunities) and successes to reaching the goal of 735.

I am committing myself to write a blog about the journey every day for 1 year. I hope to share picture of people I meet along the way. Some of the individuals will be out to stop my adventure and others will be sent to encourage me to take just one more step.

Like any adventure the more I keep the goal in front of me the closer I will be to reaching it.

Some of you are asking what is the 735? Join me and see.

Oh and of course call or write me or comment on the passages to criticize, encourage, and just ask questions.

As Sailor Sam used to say... "Full step a head!"

Jon Mullender "Your fence man on wheels"

Summitfencesupply.com

jon@summitfencesupply.com

888.856.0551