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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Tag Archives: leadership
COVID and Dirty Laundry
The longer this virus goes on, the more I am reminded of Don Henley’s 1982 song “Dirty Laundry.” A friend and his wife declined an invitation to come over for a glass of wine (OK, maybe a bottle) on the … Continue Reading
Stop Managing
Why would anyone advise business owners to stop managing? Management is a proven science. From the time and motion studies of Frederick Winslow Taylor in the late 1800s, to Matthew Kelly and Patrick Lencione’s Dream Manager, we are constantly in … Continue Reading
Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, exit strategies, leadership, management, new business, sales, small business, small business advice
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Exit Planning in a New Political Environment
What does a new political environment mean for business owners who are planning to transition their businesses? Should you accelerate your plans, or slow them down? As I’ve said many times in this space and elsewhere, the biggest single factor … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Marketing, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, banks, Boomer Bust, business, business brokerage, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, economy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, exit strategies, financial, international relations, leadership, management, politics, recession, selling a business, small business, small business advice, trade
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Branch Mentality and Sanctuary Cities
Every multi-unit company suffers from branch mentality. I’ve worked with many, and no matter how much they promote a corporate culture and team spirit, branch mentality creeps in sometimes. It comes in two versions; the outposts’ attitude and the headquarter’s … Continue Reading
Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, politics, public relations, sales management, small business, small business advice
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Resisting Technology
A substantial number of business owners are still resisting technology. Clearly, they can’t be doing so in the expectation that it will go away. The only possible rationale is that it could hurt their business. One laggard in adopting technology … Continue Reading
How Much Does that Gorilla Weigh?
How much does that (fill in your preferred number here) pound gorilla weigh? I always refer to an 800 pound gorilla, but I’ve heard others use everything from a 400 pound gorilla (which is pretty close to their real size) to … Continue Reading
Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Marketing, Marketing and Sales, Sales, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, marketing, new business, promotion, public relations, sales, sales management, small business, small business advice
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Protecting Your Best Asset
If you are planning your exit from the business, what is the best asset that you have to sell? Unless you have patented product, exclusive rights, or long-term customer contracts, you answer was likely “Our people.” Even if you have … Continue Reading
Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Leadership, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business brokerage, business ownership, business planning, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, exit strategies, leadership, management, selling a business, small business, small business advice
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The Entrepreneurship Meritocracy
For those of us who compete in the entrepreneurship meritocracy, listening to the complaints of those who are employed can sometimes be irksome. I recently sat at an open table for an event. One of the other guests there was … Continue Reading
Exit Timing and the Global Economy
How much will your exit timing be affected by the global economy? Most small businesses serve local markets. Their owners, if they have thought about it, plan to sell to a local individual. If the local market is healthy, why … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning
Tagged Baby Boomers, banks, Boomer Bust, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, China, economy, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, exit strategies, financial, leadership, management, politics, selling a business, small business advice, trade
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History Begets Attitudes
History begets attitudes. I’m back from my biannual depressurization trip. This time it was to Central Europe. As always, I assess new and different things through a business owner’s eye. We visited five countries (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary), … Continue Reading
Posted in John's Opinions, Leadership
Tagged business, business ownership, business strategy, economy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurship, international relations, leadership, management, marketing, promotion, public relations, sales management, small business, small business advice, trade
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