Mike Ferrell

Mike Ferrell is President and CEO of The Pinecrest Group, he works with companies and sales practices helping them create focus in strategic planning, business development, marketing and the sales process. He has been involved in 8 different start-up companies and has worked with numerous companies , big and small throughout the U.S. He conducts seminars and coaches in the areas of branding, leadership, marketing systems, sales process and delivering exceptional service. Over the past 20 years he has worked with thousands of people helping them create a game plan for success. Mike is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas and lives in the Twin Cities. http://www.ultimatebreakthroughplanning.com

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

Mike Ferrell: My mom was probably my biggest influence growing up as far as writing and reading she was always writing and an avid reader. In high school one of my best friends worked for the local newspaper as a sports writer and I thought I would enjoy that.  My first major in college was journalism but decided writing fast on the fly was not one of my strengths. 

 


PageOneLit.com: Briefly discuss your new book ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING -  How is this book different from others in the business help genre?

Mike Ferrell: What I have tried to create with this book is a very simple to use process, the book is a very quick, easy read and I’ve tried to provide enough tools and ideas in it so that you can put it to work immediately.  
 

PageOneLit.com: Describe your title  ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING as it relates to the book.

Mike Ferrell: The reason I came up with the title is because if you look at the traditional way of business planning it is very static and the traditional plan that is created very rarely helps a business grow, with this title I really wanted to create a breakthrough idea that this is different and a process you can use every single day to grow your business. 
 

PageOneLit.com: In ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING you discuss the "Funnel Approach" and say that the traditional approach is flawed explain.

Mike Ferrell: As I said earlier the traditional planning process creates a static document that the business owner rarely uses, the business funnel approach gives them a different process that creates a logical approach to breaking down the things they need to do each and every day into bite size pieces that are measurable and can easily be implemented. The problem with most business plans is they miss the most crucial step and that is execution, the business funnel approach focuses on execution. 
 

PageOneLit.com: What is your definition of a Leader?

Mike Ferrell: I believe a leader empowers their organization to help them create the vision they see for their company. A great leader doesn’t micromanage but puts people in a position to succeed and allows them to execute.  
 

PageOneLit.com: What is BRANDING? And why is important in business?

Branding as I refer to it in the book is really creating a message that says who your are, what you do, how you do it and what makes you unique. Branding is not created overnight and if you create this message everyone in your organization must understand it, use it and live it. If you create a brand that way it will clearly differentiate you from your competitors. 
 

PageOneLit.com: When building your team, you write, " Play too the strengths of your team" Explain

In most cases managers and business owners manage to minimize peoples weaknesses when in most cases if we managed to maximize peoples srengths both they and the organization would be much more effective. The key though is you must find your teams strengths and then make sure they are in the right position to succeed.  
 
 

PageOnelit.com: What do you hope to achieve with  ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH PLANNING?

Mike Ferrell: I would hope that Ultimate Breakthrough Planning would give businesses throughout the world an alterative approach to creating a game plan that can help them grow their businesses. And although it wasn’t’ necessarily written with the current economic environment in mind I would also hope that it can give those individuals that decide to start a business because they have lost a job a blueprint to create a successful business right out of the blocks versus the usual trial and error method.   
 
 

PageOneLit.com: What was the last book you read? 

Mike Ferrell: World Wide Rave by David Meerman Scott, I think his ideas of marketing in today’s world are extremely relevant and like my book break down some of the old ideas on how to do things!   
 

PageOneLit.com:   What's next?

Mike Ferrell: I am just finishing up a new E-book titled Business Planning on a Bar Napkin which will be available free on my website. And I am working on my next book which I will be taking the process I discuss in Ultimate Breakthrough Planning and looking at companies that have been on the brink of failure and come back to succeed. 
 
 

PageOneLit.com:   Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing?

Mike Ferrell: I am an avid golfer and in order to be a decent golfer you have to practice and prepare, I think the way that influences not only my writing but my work is that I don’t just jump into I prepare and do my homework.