Category Archives: Leadership

Service Needs to be a Defensible Territory

Posted on March 26, 2011 by John F. Dini

The UN air strikes against Gaddafi’s forces raise an obvious question. Why Libya? Although we believe Qaddafi is a really bad guy, there are plenty of other players in North Africa and the Middle East that have to rank somewhere … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Marketing | Tagged business strategy, management, marketing, small business advice | Leave a comment

The Peter Principle Goes All the Way Down

Posted on March 22, 2011 by John F. Dini

Every small business, if it is to be successful, needs a competent Second In Command (SIC). In many companies that position is held by dint of tenure or loyalty as opposed to pure ability. When we see a key employee … Continue Reading →

Posted in Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged business ownership, business planning, employees, leadership, management | Leave a comment

What are We Afraid Of?

Posted on March 14, 2011 by John F. Dini

Last weekend I took my sons to see “Battle for LA.” It’s a WWII infantry movie. All the great lines. “Go on without me.” “Mickey can hot wire that; he’s from Jersey.” “Your father was a very brave man.” Nowadays … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, John's Opinions, Leadership | Tagged banks, entrepreneurship, politics, small business | Leave a comment

Lifestyle or Legacy – Part 4

Posted on February 19, 2011 by John F. Dini

Last week a client told me “You are wrong. I have a lifestyle business that is ALSO a legacy business.” Sorry, but that doesn’t fly. He has built a good company, and continues to improve it. Be he is not driving … Continue Reading →

Posted in Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Leadership, Life After | Tagged business ownership, business strategy, leadership, small business | Leave a comment

Lifestyle or Legacy – Part 3

Posted on February 6, 2011 by John F. Dini

Let’s turn to the Legacy Builders.They are the business owners who have achieved Lifestyle status (as defined in the last posting) but continue to work hard to build their businesses. Their objective is a company that does far more than … Continue Reading →

Posted in Exit Options, Exit Planning, Leadership, Life After | Tagged business ownership, business strategy, entrepreneurship, leadership, small business advice | 1 Comment

Lifestyle vs. Legacy – Part 2

Posted on February 1, 2011 by John F. Dini

Let’s define a lifestyle business. For our purposes, I’ll start with what it isn’t. It’s not the small retail store being run by someone who doesn’t need the money. A few years ago I was on a judging panel for a … Continue Reading →

Posted in Exit Options, Exit Planning, Leadership, Life After | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, small business advice | Leave a comment

Lifestyle vs. Legacy – Part 1

Posted on January 23, 2011 by John F. Dini

There are three types of business owners. The first, which encompasses the vast majority of small businesses, is the one who simply wants to make a living from running his or her business. They dream of the day that they … Continue Reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Leadership, Life After | Tagged business ownership, business strategy, entrepreneurship, small business advice | Leave a comment

Alternative Lines of Communication

Posted on January 16, 2011 by John F. Dini

You are unhappy with an employee’s performance. Following good management practice (praise in public, criticize in private), you meet with him one-on-one to tell him that he is not making the grade. His current project is far behind schedule. His direct reports aren’t … Continue Reading →

Posted in Leadership, Managing Employees, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Losing Your Mind

Posted on December 8, 2010 by John F. Dini

All of us who are business owners know how tough it is to run a business. Most of us have long ago gotten past the ego part of owning a company. Sometimes I’m really surprised at how that affects folks … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, small business advice | 1 Comment

In the long run

Posted on November 14, 2010 by John F. Dini

I met with a business owner the other day who has experienced a particularly difficult year. A confluence of economics, technology and criminal activity in his industry has kept him working long hours, with relatively little to show for it. He … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, Exit Planning, Leadership | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, leadership, small business advice | Leave a comment

It IS all about you.

Posted on October 16, 2010 by John F. Dini

Why did you want to own a business? If you believe the textbook definition of an entrepreneur, it was to leverage capital and other resources to create wealth. That probably applies to about 5% of us. Or, you might have started … Continue Reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, John's Opinions, Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged Ayn Rand, business ownership, entrepreneurship, leadership, small business advice | 1 Comment

Hunters and Farmers

Posted on October 10, 2010 by John F. Dini

Several times monthly, I interview entrepreneurs who are considering membership in The Alternative Board® as a means to improve their business. Part of the process is asking each one what his or her core skills are – the things that … Continue Reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, John's Opinions, Leadership, Life After, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, management, small business, small business advice | 1 Comment