Richard Branson; Bari Jay; White Lodging; China

Hang with Richard Branson — more below, but first…

Have You Mastered Doing Business with Large Companies? For my next FORTUNE column I'm looking for strategies you've used in landing/maintaining FORTUNE 500-sized clients — ideas that will be fresh and new to growth firms. What's different about working with them now than five years ago–and how have you adapted to the new realities? Have you found new and highly effective ways to win big-company clients and retain them? Are you using technology in smart ways to build and maintain relationships with Fortune 500-size clients? What early mistakes did you make in working with big companies and how are you avoiding them now? FORTUNE requires I share a rough idea of revenues and whether your company is profitable or not. Email me at [email protected]

Common Traits of Hugely Successful Entrepreneurs — if you're a founder/entrepreneur, please stop what you're doing for 3 minutes and read, study, devour, and live the traits Ted Leonsis outlines in his Feb 6 blog post – he nailed them with specific examples of firms (like Groupon) in which he's invested. Ted continues to lead the world by the way he leads his life. And all BOGers, Ted is keynoting our 20th anniversary reunion Oct 25 – 27, MIT – don't miss it.

The Chinese Are Coming — Germany's eyes are on China. The biggest acquisition of a German company by a Chinese firm took place this week. The "Hidden Champion" Putzmeister, an icon of German manufacturing prowess, was taken over by its Chinese rival Sany. Chancellor Merkel is on a visit to China, which has now become Germany's biggest trading partner. If you care about what's happening in the world of business, read these two quick articles by Hermann Simon entitled "The Chinese are Coming" and "China on the Way to Normality."

Chinese Factory with No People — if you think the Chinese are sitting on their hands, Hermann Simon writes in his second article this week, after a two week visit to China, about his visit to the most modern flat screen production facility in the world, recently opened in 2011. Covering 73 hectares (180 acres), what struck him besides the enormity of the facility was that there weren't any workers, except for a few handling maintenance and programming!! "I was seeing a highly automated factory in the middle of China; one that profits very little from low cost labor." Simon outlines three other mini cases of Chinese business activity that might surprise you. It's why I'm heading back to China Feb 29 – Mar 1 to lead a 1.5 day workshop for EO Beijing and interview a few potential partners.

Daily Huddle — "We've really gotten good at this," notes Susan Parker, co-founder of Bari Jay, an $11 million NYC-based bridesmaid and prom dress manufacturer. "It's phenomenal – everybody knows what's going on everywhere else, so now if dresses are running late and someone picks up the phone they're not babbling." Read more in this Feb 8 NY Times blog by Adriana Gardella about how Mark Green, their Gazelles coach, helped Bari Jay establish a purpose (powerful guide for employees) and daily huddles – and how they are structured.

Congrats White Lodging — if you watched the Super Bowl, did you notice the JW Marriott that was constantly being shown with the image of the Super Bowl trophy? That's the largest JW and newest property of Gazelles' client White Lodging. Bruce White, Dave Sibley, and their team, with over 160 hotels, engage Gazelles' execution coaching process using our Rhythm dashboard system to keep everything running smoothly.

Hang With Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island March 24 – 31…limited to a small group; several Gazelles' friends/clients have raved about the experience. Richard, one of today's most inspiring forward-thinkers, plays host at his breath-taking and luxurious home, along with my good friends Joe Polish (President of Piranha Marketing) and Yanik Silver (Founder of Maverick Business Adventures). Its 7 days of marketing and business brainstorming. This is their 4th trip to Necker Island. To get more details, please contact Eunice Miller at [email protected] or by phone at 480-889-3022. If you'd like a preview of what you can expect on Necker Island – click on the link to watch a highlight video from the most recent trip: