Mark's Highway  

Hello Friends,

Welcome to E-Zine Street! It is our sincere wish that we can share some insight and assist each other, both clients and friends in their own personal and professional development.  A river does not rise any higher than its source. Each issue of E-Zine Street has a different, yet inter-related aspect of Leadership development to consider.  As Rod Serling used to say, "Submitted for your approval."

If you are not consistently growing, that is, learning new skills and continuously expanding your awareness and knowledge, can you honestly expect the people that work with you to grow? It’s not very likely.  Our hope is you enjoy reading these as much as we have enjoyed writing them. More importantly, one or two of these skills may very well be areas in which you wanted to grow, and haven’t for half a dozen good reasons.  We all need gentle reminders from time to time.  E-Zine Street represents a kind of constellation of ideas in the night sky of the “Human Becoming” process.  Each issue is designed to raise your awareness, sharpen an old, or teach a new skill that will improve your personal effectiveness and interpersonal relationships.  We believe the quality of our lives is in direct proportion to the quality of our relationships.  These ideas applied can have a dramatic effect for good on the quality of your life.  And, oh yes, if it makes you smile, think and take action, then we have succeeded.  Thanks for reading! 

 Watch "The Road" Buddy!

Our NEW Web Community Matteson Avenue has much to offer. Here are some of the many benefits you receive at Matteson Avenue:

Enjoy the "Gratis" page packed with Fr^ee articles, stories, sales tools, e-books, video and audio.

Explore the "Street Talk" Forum where you can learn, share, brainstorm or just say Hi!

Discover the Matteson Avenue "Links" to other valuable sites.

Find the "Reading List" and the eight categories of great books that will change your life.

Preview Mark's newest book "Freedom From Fear Forever - Len's Last Lesson" as an e-book!

Join Mark at DiscoverU as he presents "Freedom From Fear" based on his best selling book.

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Road Improvements

"Thanks for the card" by Mark Matteson

Since I was 14 years old, I have always had a plan.  For a while in my youth, I forgot the plan and was temporarily sidetracked.  More on that later.  After leaving the military, I still had a dream of becoming an HVAC technician, a skill that no one could take away from me.  Security.

While I was waiting for my opportunity, I drove a truck, the big rigs, and I started a little service company.  One warm spring night at a party, a guy I knew from high school, Pat, told me about his business.  He had a knack for making money.  He was a wheeler dealer.  There is a Pat at every high school.  He told me how much money he was making as a Chimney Sweep.  I told him I was interested.  He said, “We should work together.”  I said, “Let’s do it.”  I waited for the call.  It never came.  Then it dawned on me, how hard could it be?  It was glorified janitorial services, complete with Top Hat and Tails!  I went to the library.  There were two books on the subject.  I read them both several times, learned what I needed to begin and made some calls.  Mom?  Sis? That was two down.  I was 23 years old, energetic, driven, covered in creosote.  I could do this.  Find a need and fill it.

I made two big mistakes early on.  The first mistake, the name. I had business cards printed up before learning it was a bad name, “Ye Olde English Chimney Sweep!”   Now the clever one-man shops go for names like AAAA Plumbing or AArd Pest Control.  Why?  The yellow pages, man!  To be the first company called in the listing.  I wasn’t too bright.  Half my calls would come from yellow page ads and “Y” is at the end!!!  Hey, I was 23. 

The second mistake was starting a winter time service business in the spring when no one cared about cleaning their woodstoves and inserts.  

You see, Chimney Sweeps in the Northwest earn 80% of their annual revenue from September to February.  It was mid April. Nothing could deter me from succeeding.  This was MY business and I was having fun.  I started knocking on doors, mailing out flyers, asking for referrals. 

By my second year, I had over 250 regular customers.  So over Thanksgiving I had a brainstorm, Christmas postcards.  My wife took a picture of me in front of my red Chevy van with the mock chimney on top.  In full sartorial splendor, covered in creosote, my Christmas Postcard was born.  “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Soot fully Yours, Mark Matteson.”

250 cards went out.  Just after Christmas, a fellow we will call John called.  “Come on out, my woodstove needs cleaning,” he said with authority.  According my records, I had just cleaned his woodstove in September.  But hey, it’s a loyal customer and repeat business is what it’s all about!  So out I went.  He was glad to see me, cheerful and smiling.  I did my creosote disappearing act.  Afterward, enjoying a cup of coffee at his kitchen table, I noticed my postcard, top hat and all, on his refrigerator.  “Hey, you got my card.”  With a slightly sad but grateful look on his face, he said something I have never forgotten.  “Yes, I did.  Thanks for the card.  It was the only one I received this year.”

Driving home I thought of the song “Eleanor Rigby” by the Beatles. Never underestimate the power of a thank you card.  The true lesson hit me like a  2 by 4 across the forehead.  You just never know.

One for the road

Here's something you can do for yourself or someone else (it is the season!); Read a Book, Give a Book. Here's one to ponder: “Life is So Good” – by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman.  Richard is a an elementary school teacher in Washington State and George was a slave’s grandson that lived to be 103, yet learned to read at 98!  This extraordinary history lesson from the eyes of an illiterate black man from Texas.  Winner of the Christopher Award.  He is a true American hero.