I had a wonderful conversation with a colleague this morning about how communication fails in organizations. Whether you are a one man band or a conglomerate, there is a need to be able to effectively communicate with your staff and your clients. Do you know how to do that? According to Kim Mozingo at the Conwell Group, there is a lot that I need to know about strategic … [Read more...]
Business by Perception
This week has been a blur of promotions for the Lance Armstrong interview and I’ve begun to wonder, how do you protect the image of your company when your company is you? There is an old adage that says ‘you are the company you keep’, but in this increasingly global marketplace how realistic is that? Is it reasonable to assume we can manage all of our partnerships and alliances … [Read more...]
Maximize Your Time
3 Easy Tips to Maximize Your Time Working from home is often hard to balance with all the other things that happen throughout the day. Sometimes it can feel like we need just a few more hours in the day to get it all under control. I'm sharing a few tricks I've perfected along the way to make the most of my time and gain that extra hour or two. 1. Set the timer! …or … [Read more...]
I Want a Divorce…Business Style!
Nothing is certain in business except that you will form partnerships and sometimes those partnerships will crumble. Not only will they crumble, they will crash and burn. If the partnership has managed to cross business lines and become a friendship that can make the breakup even harder but there is a silver lining. Here’s what your business can gain from having a partnership … [Read more...]
The Trouble with Talent
As entrepreneurs the thing is, we can see talent. The moment it walks in front of us, we know that this person has exactly what we are looking for. The problem with talent is that if the person has it, they inevitably want to use it. There is a fine line between being a person who requires little oversight and being a rogue employee who thinks they know everything. So how … [Read more...]
Raising Capital Through Crowdfunding
The search for capital has been significant among the business community. As the recession reared its ugly head in 2007 businesses started to see capital tightening up and were unable to get the standard loans and lines of credit they counted on for help with cash flow, equipment purchases and expansion. Large investors saw a crimp in their disposable cash as they had to shore … [Read more...]
Managing an Entrepreneur
There is an inherent fear for people that aren’t entrepreneurs. They believe that hiring an entrepreneur will somehow infect the rest of the staff and cause them to defect. While this may be true to a degree, there is so much more your company can gain from having an entrepreneur in its presence. Here are my go to lessons learned. Be More Entrepreneurs expect more than … [Read more...]
Are you ready to kick butt in 2013?
Right now, the idea of kicking butt in 2013 is probably the last thing on your mind. But come January 2, when that alarm clock goes off, you're going to feel a lot better about facing the New Year with a blueprint for success. With that in mind, the best thing you can do for yourself in that first week is to keep your schedule light. Unless a face-to-face meeting is … [Read more...]
Your Business, Your Leadership
The past week has given me the opportunity to observe the management style of a district manager for a fairly well known retailer. As I have had the horror of observing this individual, I’ve noticed that there are some things that entrepreneurs can learn from this horror movie. The staff mistakes are your mistakes What I have observed is this DM ruthlessly pointing out every … [Read more...]
Back to Basics
As small business owners we routinely perform tasks that larger companies would associate with assistants and receptionists. I answer phones, research client questions as well as conduct meetings and business development. As the economy continues to stall I have found myself performing tasks that even I have had to sit back and wonder if I should be doing them. What I have … [Read more...]