Category Archives: Business Perspectives

Investing in Your Own Business: Will It Pay Off?

A few months ago a business owner asked me to evaluate an acquisition offer for his small business. It was from a larger company headquartered in a different region of the country. They had a branch operation in his city, and wanted to expand … Continue Reading

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Is Uber Really Disruptive Technology?

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 , , , , , | 2 Comments

How Can You Sell a Business to a Buyer Who’s Broke?

According to a recent report from the Federal  Reserve Bank, over half (52%) of Americans could not pay for a $400 car repair without borrowing. We can assume that most of these folks would not be legitimate prospects to purchase … Continue Reading

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The Luxury of No Resources

Among the Baby Boomer business owners who are beginning to plan their retirement, there are millions who founded the companies they plan to sell. Many of these were technicians when they started. They began as employees, and then used their … Continue Reading

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“Tis an Ill Wind…

…that blows nobody good.” That old sailor’s proverb, first recorded in 1543 and further popularized by Shakespeare in “Henry VI” in 1623, is as plain today in its meaning as it was almost 500 years ago. Anything that is bad … Continue Reading

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Small Business Owners are the Same Everywhere

I’m returning to this space almost exactly a month from my last post. It’s the longest period that I’ve missed in the last 6 1/2 years, but I heartily recommend a refresh break to business owners, and it was worth … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Leadership | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

My Interview with Bob Morris: Part II

Robert Morris is the number one reviewer of business books for Amazon.com. A few weeks ago he posted a great review of Hunting in a Farmer’s World, and asked if he could interview me. Bob’s questions were really fun, and the interview … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, Entrepreneurship, John's Opinions, Leadership, Strategy and Planning, Top Blog Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Meetings Part IV: Action!

Meetings are for the sole purpose of making decisions. Sharing information is important, but there are many far more efficient and cost effective ways to do it. As an aside, unnecessary meetings are frequently excused by “But if I send a … Continue Reading

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Meetings Part III: The Meat of the Meet

We will presume that you’ve started your meeting with the proper preparation, as discussed in last week’s column. Now it is time to get into the business of the meeting, the meat of the meet as it were. This week, we will … Continue Reading

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Meetings Part II: Start Right

Thank you to everyone who posted or emailed their suggestions for productive meetings. Please keep them coming! By far the most frequent suggestion was to have a written agenda. That is as good a place as any to start. Distribute … Continue Reading

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“Death by Meeting”

Meetings  are often a painful necessity, but they are a necessity none the less. What makes a “good” meeting? The saying “Death by meeting” is common enough. Patrick Lencioni authored a book with that title in 2004, but I remember it … Continue Reading

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The Value of a Cleared Mind

Last weekend I missed my first weekly post in about two years. I was in Los Angeles, attending an intensive workshop for professional speakers. It was a life-resetting experience. Apologies in advance for the zillion hyperlinks, but they are all richly … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, John's Opinions, Top Blog Posts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments