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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Tag Archives: business ownership
Who’s Picking Up the Tab?
When a small business is sold, the total price of the business includes not only the cash paid, but any obligations assumed by the buyer on behalf of the seller. Transfer of a loan balance, accrued vacation pay for employees or … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Exit Planning, John's Opinions, Politics and Regulation, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, exit planning, health care costs, politics, small business advice, social security
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The Disconnect Between Skills and Jobs
A Gallup/Lumina Foundation Poll released a few weeks ago is getting attention in the business community. In a survey of 623 business leaders, most said that higher education was important, but where an employee earned a degree, and what the degree … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Managing Employees, Top Blog Posts
Tagged business ownership, employees, hiring, management, small business advice
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Empowerment Requires Encouragement
We all want employees who are empowered to think. That doesn’t always turn out the way we hoped. Last week the news feeds carried a story about a Girl Scout in San Francisco who set up her cookie table in front … Continue Reading
When a Salesman isn’t a Salesman
A business owner decides to beef up his company’s sales talent. He forks out a hefty salary for a “proven performer” from another industry; then…nothing. The salesman (or woman) is glib, professional and hard working. The owner devotes more resources … Continue Reading
Four Generations’ Embrace of Technology
Technology is pervasive in the workplace. That isn’t a news flash; it’s just reality. When we have an IT or Internet malfunction, my employees are probably less than 20% as effective without their computers. They will catch up on some … Continue Reading
Measurement Isn’t Necessarily Management
“You manage what you measure” is axiomatic in business ownership. “Employees respect what you inspect.” Understanding performance and productivity by comparing it against past performance, industry norms or internal benchmarks is useful, but measuring something doesn’t mean that you are … Continue Reading
Employee “Rights” in the Workplace
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the “Due Process” amendment, is one of the most-litigated sections of that document. It is also the only one that specifically abrogates rights, broadly removing the right to vote or hold … Continue Reading
The Tyranny of The Bad Customer
“The customer is always right,” or at least that’s what most business owners profess to their employees. We post it for all to see. “Customer satisfaction is job one.” “Our boss is the customer.” The most important person in our … Continue Reading
Employee Retention: From Thirty Years to Two
The United States has never been known for permanent employment. The flexibility of our job market, the ability of employers to hire the employees need and fire those they don’t, has always been considered by economists to be a core attribute … Continue Reading
Bah, Humbug! Remembering Fezziwig.
Last week was the 170th anniversary of the publication of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (December 17, 1843). The immortal words of Ebenezer Scrooge are ingrained in the memory of the entire English speaking world. I’d venture to guess that “Bah, Humbug!” … Continue Reading
Should a Small Business Have a Budget?
“I know that my company is doing OK,” the old joke goes. “I still have checks in my checkbook.” Many small businesses run on a version of checkbook accounting, where anything that isn’t paid out at the end of the … Continue Reading
Posted in Strategy and Planning
Tagged business ownership, business planning, financial, management, small business advice
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Employment as Video Game
In a recent survey of 20-something employees, the majority said that they expected a promotion in the workplace at least every two years. Most surprising to business owners, however, was that they did not believe that such advancement should be … Continue Reading