Everything you need to know about setting up, managing and growing small businesses. Veterans, as well as newbies share their stories and valuable lessons.
This past week I had two very different interactions that caused me to think about how my business interacts with customers. The two customers have some common characteristics. They are both successful organizations with dedicated staffs and competent CEOs. But there are big differences in the way they work with outside resources. Customer #1 is […]
Supplier or Advisor? Read More »
If you knew you were going to get a big influx of business would you be more likely to hire people. If you had a handle on where interest rates were headed might you think about getting a loan for new equipment? If you thought the economy was going to improve would you launch a
Both the CFO and the CEO stuck their hand into the air as I concluded my keynote and called for questions. “Why don’t employees communicate up in an organization?” There was a little more than a twinge of frustration in the CEO’s question. The CFO added his nod of dismay. It’s a common conundrum in
5 Reasons Employees Don’t Communicate Upward in Your Organization Read More »
The owner of an insurance agency I know did an experiment. Sheila VanZile of Watermark Insurance printed business cards with two different titles: President and Queen. Over the course of time, she used both… and Queen won out. That title engaged people, helped start a conversation and gave them a glimpse of her fun personality.
A Tale of Two Titles Read More »
Shawn Hunter, President & Founder, Mindscaling What are you thinking about when you are thinking about obligation? What are you thinking about when you are thinking about the things you have to do? Now, what are you thinking about when you are thinking about opportunity? What are you thinking about when you are thinking about the
Small Steps to Create a Culture of Constant Growth Read More »
During the Roman republic, the river Rubicon marked the boundary between the Roman province of Cisalpine Gaul to the north-east and Italy proper to the south. The river distinguished not only the geographic boundaries for the province but also the military restrictions for governors and magistrates. Therefore, rulers required generals to disband their armies before entering Italy, and if a
Are You Tough Enough to Cross the Rubicon? Read More »
Christopher James Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems Scale is the true definition of leverage for a business leader, it is the culmination of solid business systems, the right people, a good business strategy and the technology to support growth. Most of us in businesses that do not traditionally scale well – Retail, Service or in my case consulting –
Scale a Business Through Franchising Read More »
The Republican National Convention came to Cleveland and literally left with a bang . . . of fireworks shot over Lake Erie. The city learned lessons in security-police on bicycles are the most fluid to how to move masses of people-have every non-essential downtown employee work from home. We can learn from these communication lessons
5 Communication Lessons from the RNC Read More »
Gain a reputation for always being the one with new ideas and solutions to problems and you’ll quickly set yourself apart from the pact. That distinction requires brainpower. But trying to think on your feet under pressure before an audience or offering answers off the cuff in a meeting doesn’t always represent your best thinking.
How to Improve Your Thinking Read More »
You might think that the numbers say it all but I believe we need to look deeper. According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), there are 27.9 million small businesses in the United States and they make up 99.7% of U.S. employer firms. These businesses employ about 50% of the country’s private sector workforce. For
