Tag Archives: media

Resisting Technology

Posted on January 1, 2017 by John F. Dini

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 →

Posted in Leadership, Strategy and Planning, Technology | Tagged Baby Boomers, Boomer Bust, business, business ownership, business strategy, employee performance, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, media, promotion, small business, small business advice | Leave a comment

Trust in Business and the Law

Posted on October 2, 2016 by John F. Dini

Every day, in almost every transaction, we rely on trust in business. We believe that a customer will pay us according to the terms of a sale. Our employees have access to money, goods and confidential information because we trust them. … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, John's Opinions, Leadership, Politics and Regulation, Strategy and Planning | Tagged Baby Boomers, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, media, politics, small business, small business advice | 4 Comments

The New Information Direction: Push Over Pull

Posted on May 29, 2016 by John F. Dini

Ever since we started using computers in virtually every business, we’ve been putting data into them. Unfortunately, the issue has been getting information back out. In the middle 1980’s I ran a manufacturing company together with a couple of Australians. They thought … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Managing Employees, Marketing and Sales, Strategy and Planning | Tagged business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, financial, leadership, management, marketing, media, new business, promotion, sales, sales management, small business, small business advice | 1 Comment

Extreme Democracy

Posted on May 8, 2016 by John F. Dini

Last week the British government announced that it was naming their new scientific research ship the RSS Sir David Attenborough, acting counter to the people’s selection of “Boaty McBoatface,” despite that name being an overwhelming 3:1 favorite over the next closest choice. … Continue Reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged business, business ownership, business planning, business strategy, downsizing, economy, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, exit planning, hiring, leadership, management, media, politics, sales, selling a business, small business, small business advice | 4 Comments

Small Businesses Fantasies: Service

Posted on April 17, 2016 by John F. Dini

As an evangelist for small business, I am the consumer equivalent of the locally-grown food movement. I spend as much of my discretionary income as possible with the owned-and-operated businesses in my area. As a consultant and coach to owners, I also … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Marketing, Marketing and Sales, Sales | Tagged business ownership, business planning, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, leadership, management, marketing, media, promotion, public relations, sales, sales management, small business, small business advice | 3 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

The Toughest Part of Performance Reviews

Posted on August 23, 2015 by John F. Dini

There’s been some noise in the business press of late regarding large corporations’ decisions to eliminate performance reviews. Like those who have installed unlimited PTO (Paid Time Off) and other “new” management methods, review-less organizations are deemed to be more … Continue Reading →

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged Baby Boomers, business ownership, business planning, employee performance, employees, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, hiring, leadership, management, media, public relations, small business, small business advice | 7 Comments

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

Marketing for Trust

Posted on May 10, 2015 by John F. Dini

Why are car dealer commercials so crappy? I’m not talking about the manufacturers’ ads. Those cost millions and have big-name professional spokespeople. The regional marketing association ads aren’t quite as flashy, but Ford Truck Month or End of Year sales for the … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, Marketing, Marketing and Sales, Sales | Tagged business ownership, business planning, entrepreneurship, marketing, media, new business, sales, sales management, small business, small business advice | 3 Comments

Is Uber Really Disruptive Technology?

Posted on December 14, 2014 by John F. Dini

I attended a technology awards event a few nights ago. The speaker extolled technology as the engine of change and economic development, while attendees posted pictures of each other for the Pinterest feed on the screens to either side of … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Marketing | Tagged business ownership, business planning, business strategy, entrepreneurship, marketing, media | 2 Comments

Google, SEO and the Yellow Pages Game

Posted on August 10, 2014 by John F. Dini

When the Yellow Pages were a primary source of advertising for small businesses, they had a nifty sales technique. If an advertiser was doubtful about the value of an ad, their sales rep would offer a special telephone number to track how much business … Continue Reading →

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Marketing and Sales | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, marketing, media, sales, small business advice | 2 Comments

The Tyranny of The Bad Customer

Posted on January 19, 2014 by John F. Dini

“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 →

Posted in Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Marketing and Sales | Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, marketing, media, public relations, sales, small business advice | 1 Comment