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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Category Archives: Entrepreneurship
Minimum Wage and the Middle Class
“Amongst the novel objects that attracted my attention during my stay in the United States, nothing struck me more forcibly than the general equality of conditions.” – Alexis De Tocqueville (Democracy in America, 1831) Americans have always considered themselves “middle … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Managing Employees, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning, Technology
Tagged Ayn Rand, business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, health care costs, health care reform, hiring, management, media, new business, politics, small business, small business advice, startups, trade
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Ageing Boomer Entrepreneurs: Fearful or Smart?
Do we become more cautious with age? Startups are usually associated with younger entrepreneurs. By the time they reach their 50s or 60s business owners tend to tackle fewer big new ideas. Those that do tend to be successful enough that they … Continue Reading
Posted in Building Value, Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Life After, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, leadership, management, new business, small business, small business advice, startups
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Culture Counts!
Small businesses can’t compete with large corporations on salary and benefits. I’m not being unduly cynical, it’s just a fact. The top 1/10 of 1% in US household incomes start at $1.9 million annually. Of all those in that rarefied … Continue Reading
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Incentives, John's Opinions, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning
Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, small business, small business advice
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When Supervisors Become Managers
Any promotion means more responsibility. Few steps require as big a leap as the transition from supervisor to manager. Each step up the ladder involves a change in tasks, but an employee’s first managerial position necessitates a change in thinking; one which isn’t … Continue Reading
Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning
Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, management, promotion, small business, small business advice
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Technology and Bunker Hill Tactics
In a small business, underused technology could be considered a “Bunker Hill” error in using your competitive capabilities. Last Wednesday, June 17th, marked the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Ranked as the 6th most costly battle of the Revolution in terms … Continue Reading
You Can Go This Far, but No Further
When someone starts their first company (especially a technician as defined in my book Hunting in a Farmer’s World) he or she is usually the sole key employee. She (I’ll use one pronoun for readability) does the hands-on work of … Continue Reading
A Machine is Coming to Steal Your Business
We accept, almost without question, the idea that technology can make us more efficient. No small business owner would dream of replacing his or her PC, email and copier with a room full of typists. How enthusiastic will we be when a machine can … Continue Reading
Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning, Technology
Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, small business, small business advice
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Invisible Discounts
In the words of the late, great Father Guido Sarducci of Saturday Night Live fame; “I canna teach you everything you need to know about business inna fiva minutes. You buya something, and thena you sell it for more.” A … Continue Reading
Effective vs. Efficient: A Tale of Two Cities
Some organizations are effective. Some are efficient. From the customer’s perspective the two may look very much the same, but the difference to your bottom line can be substantial. A few years ago my wife and I toured Vienna, and … Continue Reading
Are You Proudly Out of Control?
I have a favorite New Yorker cartoon. A fellow in a suit is standing behind a desk, one hand holding a phone to his ear, and the other with a finger on his calendar. The caption is “How about never? Is never … Continue Reading
Where are All Those Jobseekers?
Workers: There are currently 5.1 million job openings in the US; an all time high. While the official unemployment stands at 5.5%, the U-6 unemployment rate, which includes people working as little as one hour a week for “economic reasons” … Continue Reading