Cydcor Blog

Discover practical advice, inspiration, and insights to help you succeed in business and grow both personally and professionally.

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 Cydcor Changes Lives in Bolivia by Funding It’s 4th Medical Mission 1
Cydcor volunteers arrive in Bolivia on behalf of Operation Smile.

Cydcor has funded another medical mission through Operation Smile, this time taking place in Bolivia. Cydcor volunteers will be assisting the Operation Smile team during the medical mission which will provide cleft palate surgeries for children in need.

With the help of fundraising volunteers across the country, last June Cydcor raised more than $150,000 during the “Day of Smiles” fundraiser. As a result of the money raised, Cydcor was able to fund two medical missions- this one taking place in Bolivia and another one where the location is yet to be determined in Spring 2016.

This isn’t the first time that Cydcor has funded an Operation Smile medical mission trip. In early June 2012, Cydcor volunteers traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to change the lives of children in need. In early 2014, Cydcor volunteers traveled to traveled to San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico and were able to help provide many surgeries with the money raised through Operation Smile fundraisers. Finally in November 2014, Cydcor joined Operation Smile on a medical mission to Guatemala. Overall, Cydcor has raised more than $850,000 to sponsor these life-saving medical missions.

Each mission sends doctors, volunteers, and equipment to an area with limited healthcare access and provides screenings and surgeries for children. Cleft palates often result in complications to eating, drinking, speaking and even breathing. Many infants do not survive this condition if left untreated. Operation Smile and Cydcor hope to restore many smiles around the world and give these children a chance to thrive.

This year, six Cydcor volunteers who made outstanding fundraising efforts were recognized with the special honor of assisting the medical teams and families in Bolivia. They arrived on March 9th and will be there until the 16th of March.

A very rewarding aspect of assisting on these missions is having the chance to spend time with the families of the children undergoing surgery. Cydcor volunteers also help conduct screenings, entertain the children while they wait for surgery, and provide support and comfort to families throughout the process. Their contribution is very emotionally demanding but a very rewarding experience overall.

Cydcor is proud of its partnership with Operation Smile and the success of the Day of Smiles fundraising campaign. The donations raised through this campaign will allow more less-fortunate children access to medical care.

Thank you to everyone in the organization who worked so hard on the fundraisers. Let’s continue changing lives once smile at a time!

You can make a donation to Cydcor’s Operation Smile campaign today and support this great cause!

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Follow Cydcor on Facebook and YouTube for updates about our company and the latest news about our 2016 medical mission with Operation Smile.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

10 Best Blogs on Mastering Professional Development

You have to commit to professional development to advance your career. Business professionals are eager to share their knowledge, insights, and experience--if you know where to look.

Professional development improves abilities and skills through education and training. Some employers will train you on the job. Sometimes you can learn a new skill by watching people at work. On occasion, you’ll read a book or take a class.

The Internet has made professional development much easier. We identified ten blogs to launch your professional development with a potent punch:

  1. Management Skills Blog

http://managementblog.org/

Partnering with managers and business owners taught Tom Foster the secrets to improving personal performance and teams’ productivity.

  1. Work Awesome

http://workawesome.com/

Start something awesome, do something awesome, and finish something awesome. Turn passion into productivity and become the best at whatever you do.

  1. Future of Work and Change Management | Cheryl Cran

http://cherylcran.com/blog/

Cheryl Cran will teach you to welcome change, embrace technological innovation, and build agile teams.

  1. Small Business Trends

http://smallbiztrends.com/

Small Business Trends presents cutting-edge strategies for entrepreneurs running a small business and committed to improving their performance.

  1. The Under 30 CEO

http://under30ceo.com/category/blog/

Traveling around the globe or to new destinations in your hometown will give any entrepreneur a fresh perspective on how to do business. Check out this blog for news, advice, trends, and event for any young entrepreneur.

  1. Seth Godin

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Everything you didn’t know about everything there is to know about marketing. Godin is a master at messaging and communication. This is a great resource for looking to improve your career projector and professional development.

  1. Let’s Grow Leaders

http://letsgrowleaders.com/blog/

Over twenty years of customer service, marketing, and sales experience has provided Karin Hurt with the ability to teach how to strategize change and build healthy business cultures. He’s also the expert in building vibrant customer communities.

  1. The Entrepreneur’s Library

http://www.theelpodcast.com/blog/

Skip school and dive into the in-depth insights you’ll find in the informative interviews with leading business authors. Visit Cydcor Reviews to find more about the books every business professional should read.

  1. Management Excellence by Art Petty

http://artpetty.com/blog/

Aspiration leads to inspiration and acclamation. Art Petty teaches professionals to improve themselves and their teams through the use of objective strategy, observation, and continuous learning.

  1. Random Acts Of Leadership

http://randomactsofleadership.com/

Discover the skills required to transform conflict into collaboration. Susan Mazza is a progressive thought leader with a passion for facilitating excellence.

Do you have a professional development plan for mastering new skills? Share your favorite resources in our comment section. Also be sure to follow @Cydcor on Instagram to learn more about our company based in Agoura Hills, CA!

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

Cydcor Volunteers Join the Fight Against Colon Cancer
You’re invited to join Cydcor employees in the fight for those afflicted with colon cancer. Education and financial support are needed.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. On Friday, March 4th, Cydcor volunteers and employees will wear dark blue, the same blue as the Colon Cancer Alliance’s star logo, to honor those battling and affected by colon cancer.

The Cydcor team has taken this cause to heart. They’re devoted to creating awareness about colon cancer and its prevention because recently, it’s become a personal battle. Barbara Majeski, a dedicated Cydcor philanthropist and Operation Smile philanthropy ambassador, has been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer.

Barbara has been a role model for the Cydcor team and has always gone above and beyond to help others. She has led Cydcor’s fundraising efforts to help children in need around the world.

Barbara is an inspiration to everyone at Cydcor and her impact is global. As proof, Operation Smile named Barbara their Humanitarian of the Year for her record-breaking fundraising.

Cydcor has raised more than $850,000 to sponsor life-saving medical missions providing free cleft lip and palate surgeries. Unfortunately, Barbara’s 6-month treatment plan prevents her from taking part in Cydcor’s Operation Smile 4th and 5th missions – taking place in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic this spring—but she looks forward to returning as Cydcor’s philanthropy advisor and as a cancer survivor.

Now, it is Cydcor’s turn to help Barbara create awareness of this often-preventable disease. Barbara speaks from her heart: “If I can help spare one person from the misery that cancer brings, then I have given meaning and purpose to this experience.”

In Cydcor’s most recent YouTube video, Barbara speaks to how fortunate she has been to have access to the most cutting-edge technology since her diagnosis—something that many people do not have.

“This experience has further fueled my understanding that we need to always be looking for ways to help people that don’t have access to quality medical care,” she says.

Please listen with your heart and join our effort in the fight against colon cancer. Learn more about Barbara and her experience battling cancer here: http://www.barbaramajeski.com/blog

Join Cydcor employees as we work together to find a cure for colon cancer. Wear dark blue this Friday, March 4th and share your photos with @Cydcor on Instagram by using the hashtags #BlueForBarb and #Cydcor.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

10 Basic Business Skills Hacks to Boost Your Performance

Mastering basic business skills will improve your confidence and give you a can-do attitude. Use these business skills hacks to kill it in your next performance review

Skills are the keys to opening doors in your career. Without them, you might never see progress or be able to make meaningful professional connections. Having the right skills for your field is an essential part of your professional development.

Different skills unlock different kinds of doors—the question is, which door are you trying to open?

People skills and soft skills—those that allow you to work effectively and harmoniously with others—are the foundation of business skills. Do you know how to adapt, analyze, collaborate, communicate, and manage your time and tasks? If so, you have the soft skills needed to master business skills.

If you want to make a memorable impression and get in the business of being the best, sharpen these skills:

Time Management

You’ll never get a chance to show off your business skills if you miss appointments and deadlines. Time management is an essential element in all business skills, especially in a fast-paced environment. Luckily, there are some great time management tools you can use to keep you on your game. The golden rule for time management is simple: always be on time, and never miss a deadline.

Organization

When you’re given an assignment, make sure that you understand exactly what the expected deliverable is. Use your organizational skills to put together a project plan. Ask questions. Use your analytical skills to identify potential problems and problem-solving skills to preemptively find solutions.

Communicate

You already have years of experience talking with friends, family, teachers, and supervisors, but business and corporate communication requires a more formal approach to messaging—whether it’s a text, a phone call, an email, or a face-to-face meeting. Make sure you understand the expectations for communication in your workplace.

Customer Service

It’s your job to provide your customers with the solutions and services they need. Always make time for your customer. If you don’t deal directly with customers, remember that every task you complete is an opportunity to strengthen—or weaken—your company’s connection with them.

Ongoing Education

Look for opportunities to learn more about your business and the business world. Attend workshops, classes, and seminars. Understanding current issues impacting the world and the world of business will improve your abilities and your authority as a trusted resource.

As your career develops, your business skills will grow and change. Mastering these business skills is an ongoing process. Keep and open mind and accept new opportunities to learn and you’ll soon master all of these business skills.

How do you develop your business skills? Please share your ideas in the comment area below. Don’t forget to share this article on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

10 Tips to Help You Spring Clean Your Attitude About Work - Cydcor

It’s time to spring forward! Use these ten terrific tips to energize your attitude and get the most out of your workday.

  1. Consider Your Customers

Your customers’ wants and needs are what matters most. Figure out what they expect and then exceed those expectations. Take the time to become extraordinary.

  1. Start with a Smile

Smiles often change attitudes—your own and your coworkers’. People usually like to be around people with a happy demeanor. Think about the times when you were having a rough day and seeing some else’s smile encouraged you to smile. It may be a simple thing to do but making an effort to smile will make an impact on the rest of your day.  Smiles work from the outside in, so practice smiling often. You’ll improve your outlook and strengthen customer and co-worker connections.

  1. Schedule Some Fun

It is important to look for ways to keep you in a positive state of mind. Perhaps have lunch with a friend, join the fun and be part of the office team night,  and listen to upbeat music on your way to and from work. You’ll bring back authentic energy to your workplace.

  1. Save Your Gratitude

Record your accomplishments in a notebook or in your smartphone. When you need a boost, you have a resource that will transform a challenging day to a great day.

  1. Attack Your Hardest Task First

Putting off a difficult job never turns out well. Procrastination sows, and that can ruin your day. Attack your hardest task first; once it’s out of the way, you’ll feel accomplished and ready to meet anything else that comes your way.

  1. Help Someone

Reach out to your team to see if they need help with their tasks. Doing something for others is a great way to get out of your head and gain a positive perspective.

  1. Become an Optimist

Consciously remind yourself to see the positive side of every situation that you’re in. You can learn from every experience at work, and that’s an exciting possibility. Looking at things from a positive perspective will also help you be more solutions-minded and a proactive teammate.

  1. Do More Than What’s Expected

Think like an Olympic athlete when you are working—don’t let anything stop you from living up to your full potential! Master your tasks and core assignments first, then tap into your entrepreneurial spirit to find opportunities to do more and exceed expectations.

  1. Get to Work Early

Show up twenty minutes early. Get a head start on your day by avoiding last minute traffic that can make you late for work. Getting to work early will also give you some time to think on the tasks you need to accomplish for the day. Perhaps you can use the time to read a section of a motivational book or reflect on your goals. Not only will your day start off better, but you’ll also get noticed for taking the initiative.

  1. Talk to Your Boss

Let your boss know what you’re doing. Share your career plans. Asking for advice is a great way to let your boss know that you’re committed to the company.

What are some tactics you use to stay positive at work? Share your tips with us on Twitter @Cydcor or Facebook, and show this article with your friends to start a conversation with your community.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

5 Essential Strategies from Shark Tank Every Entrepreneur Must Know
Flickr CC via Rowan University Publications

In between feeding-frenzies featured on this popular television show, smart entrepreneurs can find practical business strategies. You’ll find tactics to improve day-to-day operations and invigorate long-term business plans

Have you ever seen the television show Shark Tank? If you have, then you know it is both entertaining and educational. Watch the program and you’ll find strategies that will enhance your professional performance and help you make the move from employee to entrepreneur.

We’ve pulled out 5 essential strategies from Shark Tank that every aspiring entrepreneur should know. How do you measure up?

Know How To Tell A Story

The first thing people will notice is you—the person making the pitch. It’s your job to tell a great story about your product. You must be able to tell your story with passion, clarity, and a bit of humor. Rehearse your pitch until it’s flawless. Practice doesn’t just make perfect; it often closes the deal.

Believe In Yourself

Each time your reach out to a new customer, you have an opportunity to make a difference in their life. But you must have confidence in your abilities to sell your product or service. Believing in your product is just good business! If you believe in your product, the more likely it is that the customer will too.

Develop Pragmatic Passion

Be pragmatic and practical when you’re pitching your product or service. If you are not finding success with your pitch, then seek advice from a coworker or try another strategy.

Understand Your Industry

When a customer asks questions about your product or service, you must have the answers they need. You must have a full understanding of your industry, your competitors, and your product or service. Make it clear to the customer what sets your offering apart from someone else’s.

Your Opportunity Is Waiting

Customers seek someone with a solution. Why not you? The difference between closing a deal and losing a deal is simple: salespeople who close the deal see an opportunity and take a risk. Taking risks can be daunting, but that’s how you create new opportunities.

You need persistence when you’re trying out a new strategy. You may not see results right away, but don’t give up. These Shark Tank strategies will clear obstacles from your path—a path that leads to career growth and expertise. Learn these strategies and you’ll be able to swim through any shark tank with confidence.

Are you an entrepreneur who thinks like a shark? Share the strategies you depend upon to grow your business. Post your story on Twitter, follow us @Cydcor, and share this article with your friends and start a conversation with your community. #Cydcor #strategy #entrepreneur

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

Create A Customer-Focused Mindset in Your Business

Getting close to your customers is one of the most important business strategies you can master. Learn how to change your mindset to keep the customers you have—and get new ones!

As a sales professional, you live, die, and breathe for customers. Simply stating that customers are vital to your success would be a massive understatement—customers are everything!

Instilling a customer-focused mindset into your employees and salespeople will keep their eyes on the ball and lead to some seriously good results for your business. In fact, according to a study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity and the American Management Association, companies that don’t foster an environment and culture of pleasing customers fail to succeed.

The study found that the best organizations -understand and leverage customer-focused initiatives that require a blend of attraction, engagement, satisfaction, collaboration, and retention.

Have we convinced you to make a change within your own business? If so, here are a few ways to start manufacturing a customer-centric cultural shift in your business:

Find A Good Place To Start

Begin by benchmarking your current level of customer focus. By completing an audit of your ongoing efforts, you can actually determine where to begin and how your team could improve.

Know Your Audience

Naturally, you’ll need to know who your customers actually are if you want to serve them properly. Try customizing your approach for your customers at every opportunity. Learn from the past and the present to see what they like and dislike about your current strategy so that you can refine your efforts in the future!

Consistency Is Key

Creating a consistent standard that your customers can anticipate is crucial. Standardizing training and protocols for your customer-facing employees is essential for maintaining a consistent brand image.

Think Of The Big Picture

Help your employees see the actual impact that their work has on customers. Forging this relationship is incredibly important to getting your employees invested in the customers that they serve. Employees that can see the fruits of their labor tend to be more productive as well!

Communication Matters Most

Maintaining open communication with your customers at all times is another essential. There’s a reason large companies have 24/7 customer support—it pays always to be there when your customers need you. While it may not be possible for all businesses to have a dedicated 24/7 customer support team, do the best that you can with the resources available to you. Your customers will be able to tell that you’re working hard for them.

Hire Help

Are you having trouble making the shift happen? If all else fails, try making your next hire someone that already has a customer-focused mindset. This will help you fill your ranks with right-minded individuals!

For further reading about creating a customer-focused environment in your business, check out this insightful article from Forbes.

Constructive communication with your customers will help you close a sale today and let you know who to call tomorrow. What are your secrets for staying connected with your customers? Share the skills you’ve developed with us. Post your story on Twitter, follow us @Cydcor, and start a conversation with your network.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

A Positive Attitude Will Make You Better at Business Cydcor WordPress
Flickr CC via Mike Monaghan

Becoming positive is a choice, a state of mind, and a feeling. Optimism is an essential component for developing a positive attitude.

Have you ever had to resolve a tough situation involving an unhappy customer? If so, then you know just how important—and how game changing—having a positive attitude can be. Where pessimism would work against you, optimism helps focus your energy, find opportunities, and solutions in the face of adversity.

A positive attitude is crucial for anyone who works in sales. Below, we’ve provided some techniques you can use to develop the positive attitude required to provide your team and your customers with the solutions they need.

Optimize Each Opportunity

Here’s a secret for crafting a positive attitude: The specific assignment doesn’t matter. What matters is how you approach the task at hand. If all you can see are problems, write them down and find solutions to turn them around. If you need support, ask for insight from your team members or supervisor. You do have the power to be the positive change!

Win With Words

Change your vocabulary. Say things like, “I’m going to learn a lot from this assignment” instead of “But I don’t know how to do any of this!” Not only will this help you keep a positive attitude, but it will also influence your team members to do the same.

Look at each part of the challenge with a solutions-minded attitude. Every element is an opportunity and an invitation to succeed. Every assignment you receive provides an opportunity to improve your success and prove your value.

Contradict Complainers

You will always encounter complainers. When you run into one, ignore their comments. Nod, smile, say thank you, and then get back to work. Your steady progress and ultimate achievement may even convince them it’s time to change their point of view.

Banish Bad News

Negativity is also found in the news, on social media, and professional publications related to your industry. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but you should reject the impulse to support and spread bad news. Play inspirational music instead of engaging with negative content.

Practice Positive Visualization

See yourself closing the deal before you start a conversation with your customer. If your first call of the day doesn’t work out, say to yourself, “Every sales call is different.” If someone changes their mind, remind yourself that, “I’m creating a positive experience for my customer, and satisfied customers are more likely to stay—and less likely to spread dissatisfaction.”

Perfecting a positive attitude takes practice. To maintain a motivated mindset, schedule ten minutes every day to read an inspirational book, speak to your mentor, or review messages that inspire you with feelings of strength and hope. Making a date with motivation every day will improve your chances of developing a powerful positive attitude.

Tell us what you do to stay positive when facing a difficult task! Post your tips on Twitter, follow us @Cydcor, and share this blog with your friends. Start a conversation with your community!

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

Flickr CC via Photon Phisher

Austin, TX is Cydcor’s destination for this year’s Keys to Success event! Held annually, Keys to Success is an opportunity for our company to define this year's business goals. Keys to Success also helps to create excitement for the year ahead, and reinforces the best practices in our business, as well as opportunities to earn recognition. Cydcor is pleased to host both the residential Keys to Success and the B2B & Retail events from January 26th – 31st, 2016. This is the first time in Keys to Success history that there will be two events instead of one!

What makes Austin the perfect place to host #KTS2016? For starters, it’s the state capital of Texas and is the 11th most populous city in the country. It’s also the fastest growing of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. Here are a few other fun facts about this vibrant city:

The Texas State Capitol building is huge! Standing 311 feet from the ground, it’s taller than the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. It contains 392 rooms, 118 vaults, 924 windows, and 404 doors. Built from 1882-1888, the architecture remains impressive even by today’s standards.

Austin loves music and entertainment and boasts over 100 live music venues throughout the city. The Austin City Limits music festival is one of its most famous events. Over three days, more than 130 musical acts get together to play live in the beautiful Zilker Park. Austin is also known for South by Southwest, an annual festival of film, interactive media, and music. Past acts have included The Flaming Lips, Foo Fighters, Kanye West, and Lady Gaga.

Like every fast-growing city, there is a few famous people from Austin. Notable celebrities born here include Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock, R&B singer Ciara, legendary journalist and TV anchor Walter Cronkite, hip-hop recording artist Nelly, and NFL quarterback Drew Brees.

Here is a fact about Austin you probably didn’t know: living under the Congress Avenue Bridge are close to 1.5 million bats! That is the biggest urban bat colony in North America!

Throw those horns up! Austin is home to the Darrell K Royal - Texas Memorial Football Stadium, home to the University of Texas Longhorns. With a seating capacity of over 100,000 people, it is the biggest football stadium in Texas and the eighth largest football stadium in the United States!

Interested in expanding your horizons while taking in Austin’s many sights? The city is home to many renowned museums like the Bullock Texas State History Museum, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.

Did you know that Austin also has an awesome food scene?  Breakfast tacos are one of the most popular foods in the city, and many people travel to the city just to try them. Be sure to stop by the local-recommended Veracruz All Natural to get your breakfast taco fix! Stop by Pieous for some delicious pizza, or La Barbecue for some good southern grilling. And don’t forget Gourdough’s “Blueballs”—delicious blueberry donuts covered in blue frosting—for dessert!

Are you excited for Keys to Success 2016? We know we are! Tweet us your favorite fun fact from above with #KTS2016, and follow the latest news and announcements regarding the event on Cydcor’s Facebook and Instagram!

5 Top Tips To De-clutter Your Workspace And Get Back To Business Cydcor WordPress
Flickr CC via Cat Sidh

Clutter is anything that prevents you from achieving your goals, learning new skills, and getting your job done. Follow these five tips and get your clutter under control.If you’re drowning in clutter, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Don’t go there. Clutter makes you less productive, but it’s not a reflection of your character. With a little concentration and some hard work, you can fix your clutter problem. We’ve put together five tips to finally get your mess under control.

  1. Monthly Review

Schedule a monthly review of your paper and digital files. And don’t just think about doing it—actually do it! Pick a date and mark it on your calendar to make this procedure a regular part of your workweek. Review everything in your inbox, on top of your desk, and in your smartphone. Get rid of any files and documents you no longer need. File or scan and save documents that matter.

  1. Daily Clean Up

Pick a time at the beginning or end of your day for a 5-minute review of your workspace. Go through your inbox, review paperwork on your desk, and identify any items you can resolve with immediate action. If there are items that you can recycle or file, then take care of them right away.

  1. A Place for Everything

Get familiar with the items in your workspace and how often you need them.  Make sure that your tools have a place to call home and that they don’t migrate around during the week. To work efficiently, you need to be able to reach your supplies easily; make sure that all your most frequently used supplies are close at hand.

  1. Know Your Problem Areas

It’s great to keep personal knick-knacks on your desk—family photos, Star Wars action figures, or snow globes from all of your vacation—but if your collectibles get in the way of getting things done, then it’s time to reduce your collection. Also, be aware that this kind of clutter may send the wrong message to supervisors--it could tell them that you’re not the serious person they’re looking for to advance in their company. Have a friend or colleague take a look at your workspace and ask them what they think it says about you.

  1. Independence Day

Schedule one day per quarter to go through all of the drawers, file cabinets, and storage areas in your workspace and clean them out, one at a time. Have a roll of paper towels and some spray cleaning fluid on hand. You’re going to empty every drawer and wash it out. This task will force you to decide whether to keep, recycle, or discard the items you find. Clean and wash your work surfaces. When you are finished, you will finally have a clean place to work, and that will motivate you to keep your workspace free of clutter.

How do you keep your workspace free of clutter? We want to know your secrets to staying organized and maintaining order with your print and digital files. Please comment here, share your tips on Twitter, and follow us @Cydcor. Invite your friends and colleagues to participate in this discussion so we can learn to do better together.

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.

The 12 Best Quotes To Inspire Personal Excellence In 2016 - Cydcor Sales
Flickr CC via s76fitz

As you celebrate the New Year, reflect back on the one we’re just finishing up. What were your biggest successes? Your most frustrating failures? Consider the coming months and use this year’s experiences to identify possible challenges and desired goals.

After a month or two, the New Year loses some of its initial excitement and may move back into that place of hard work and routine. It’s during these times that we need support and encouragement to continue moving onward and upward the most.

We’ve selected 12 inspirational quotes from some seriously smart men and women in a variety of professions. Their wit and wisdom are just the spark you’ll need to pump up your optimism!

1. "If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door." – Milton Berle, American humorist, and actor

2. "Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." – Mary Kay Ash, Founder Mary Kay Cosmetics

3. "It’s easier to explain price once than to apologize for quality forever." – Zig Ziglar, Salesman and motivational speaker

4. "Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them." – Ann Landers, Advice columnist

5. "Goals aren't enough. You need goals plus deadlines: goals big enough to get excited about and a deadline to make you run." – Ben Feldman, Salesman, and author

6. "I’ve never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard." – Estée Lauder, Co-founder Estée Lauder Companies

7. "Fear is the destroyer of dreams and the killer of ambitions." – Jeffrey Benjamin, Senior adviser to Cyrus Capital Partners, LP

8. "If you are hardworking and determined, you will make it, and that’s the bottom line. I don’t believe in an easy way through." – Isabel Dos Santos, Africa’s richest businesswoman as reported by Forbes

9. "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." –  Booker T. Washington, African-American educator, author, and businessman

10. "You really can change the world if you care enough." – Marian Wright Edelman, President and founder, The Children’s Defense Fund

11. "A lot of people complain about yesterday. We have no power to change yesterday. But this very day, 30 years later, is what we can control and decide. Change yourself, take baby steps, and stay determined for ten years." – Jack Ma, executive chairman of Alibaba Group

12, "My best successes came on the heels of failures." – Barbara Corcoran, businesswoman and investor, host of ABC’s Shark Tank

Save these quotes. Display them near your work area where is easy for you to see. Get familiar with them and turn to them when times get tough. Use these quotes as the foundation of a personal book of quotations, one that you’ll build and study over the coming months and years.

And always remember that you’re never alone when you surround yourself with wise and thoughtful friends.

Has an inspirational quote ever had a positive impact affect on your work habits? Please share it here, and be sure to follow Cydcor on Instagram for the latest photos of what’s going on at our office in Agoura Hills, CA: https://www.instagram.com/cydcor

We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.