Tag Archives: economy

Why Health Insurance Isn’t

Posted on November 1, 2015 by John F. Dini

Last week I wrote about the success of Obamacare in driving people from the private insurance market towards a national healthcare system. Clearly, I touched a nerve when I look at the tone of the responses received. Although I don’t … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, John's Opinions, Leadership, Strategy and Planning | Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business ownership, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, health, health care costs, health care reform, management, medicare, politics, small business advice, social security | 8 Comments

Obamacare is Working, or it Isn’t

Posted on October 25, 2015 by John F. Dini

A few weeks ago I received notice of our annual health insurance increase. This year it was 38% more to keep the same coverage. Last year the proposed increase was 22%. The year before 12%. The year before that, 18%. The next … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, John's Opinions, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, health care costs, health care reform, medicare, small business advice | 11 Comments

Will Small Business Win in the End?

Posted on October 11, 2015 by John F. Dini

A few weeks ago Schumpeter, the nom de plume for each current author of the business op-ed column in The Economist, postulated the decline and fall of the Western Corporation. Could small business be the little furry mammals of the 21st … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Leadership, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, China, economy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, international relations, management, media, new business, politics, public relations, small business, small business advice, trade | 4 Comments

Germany Makes a Business Decision

Posted on September 13, 2015 by John F. Dini

Germany just announced that it could accept an additional 500,000 refugees when other countries are jockeying to accommodate as few as possible. As much as the announcement was portrayed as a humanitarian effort, it is just as likely a simple business decision. Few members … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, John's Opinions, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning, Top Blog Posts | Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business ownership, business strategy, China, economy, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, international relations, management, politics, recession, small business, small business advice, social security, trade | 7 Comments

Owners Live in Two Different Worlds

Posted on August 30, 2015 by John F. Dini

Business owners live in two different worlds. If you are a Baby Boomer, the title of this column might bring memories of any one of the many covers of the song by the same name. (Everyone from Nat King Cole to … Continue Reading →

Posted in Building Value, Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning, Top Blog Posts | Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business brokerage, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, leadership, management, selling a business, small business, small business advice | 1 Comment

Minimum Wage and the Middle Class

Posted on August 2, 2015 by John F. Dini

“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 | 1 Comment

The Extinction of the Summer Job

Posted on July 26, 2015 by John F. Dini

I’ve read several articles of late discussing the decline in the number of older high school and college students that take jobs for the summer. Each of these reflected on how summer employment taught millions of Americans their first work habits. Around … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged Baby Boomers, business ownership, business strategy, economy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurship, hiring, leadership, management, small business, small business advice | 2 Comments

Ageing Boomer Entrepreneurs: Fearful or Smart?

Posted on July 19, 2015 by John F. Dini

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 | 1 Comment

Does Investment Capital Make Sense for Your Business?

Posted on April 12, 2015 by John F. Dini

In the business acquisition world, deals where a seller keeps some equity for a future round of merger or acquisition activity is generally known as getting a “second bite of the apple.” Private Equity Groups (PEG), of which some 5,000 currently operate … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Exit Planning, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business, business brokerage, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurship, exit planning, exit strategies, selling a business, small business advice | Leave a comment

Iron Rice Bowls and the Impact of Government Funding

Posted on February 1, 2015 by John F. Dini

There was an interesting editorial item in The Economist that unintentionally says a lot about the impact of government intervention on industry. In the last generation, the average number of working hours needed to purchase an automobile, clothing or other … Continue Reading →

Posted in Economic Trends, John's Opinions, Politics and Regulation | Tagged business ownership, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurship, financial, health care costs, health care reform, leadership, medicare, politics, recession, small business, small business advice, social security | 11 Comments

We Can’t Legislate Job Skills

Posted on January 25, 2015 by John F. Dini

“Why can’t we find enough good people to hire?” As a consultant to business leaders, I hear this complaint with increasing frequency. From tradesmen to programmers, and from executives to scientists, we seem to be lacking a workforce with the … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, John's Opinions, Managing Employees, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning | Tagged Baby Boomers, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, employee performance, employees, leadership, management, politics, recession, small business, small business advice | 5 Comments

How to Get Employee Buy-In for Your Values

Posted on January 4, 2015 by John F. Dini

There are few things more important than determining your company’s core values. I define an ideal core values statement as something you can frame and put on the wall so that, in your absence, any employee who has a question … Continue Reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, public relations, small business, small business advice | 1 Comment