Category Archives: Strategy and Planning

Ownership Transfer and Employee Security

When we start planning for the sale of a company, many owners ask me about sharing information with employees. They are naturally concerned that an ownership transfer will cause their workers to seek more secure positions elsewhere. This is true whether … Continue Reading

Posted in Economic Trends, Exit Planning, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Generational Differences and Identity Politics

Generational differences are a hot topic for organizational behaviorists. Is this a real issue, or is it just the current management fad? “Never in history have we seen four generations together in the workplace.” That line starts thousands of articles … Continue Reading

Posted in Economic Trends, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is Your Business Built on Individual Heroics?

Great employees are a wonderful gift, but individual heroics aren’t healthy for your business. Someday, you will start thinking about leaving the business. Perhaps you already do. When you begin planning for your transition, what will your company systems sound like … Continue Reading

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Maximize Resources – Use What You Have

Every owner wants to maximize resources. The whole concept of profitability is based on doing the most with the least, but we often are trapped in the prevailing thought pattern about how things “should” be done. When taking a car … Continue Reading

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Good Customers Can Be Bad

When can good customers be bad? What could be wrong with a customer who buys a lot, pays promptly, and never has a service problem? They might be buying too much. No matter how strong or comfortable a sales relationship is, … Continue Reading

Posted in Building Value, Customer Relations, Entrepreneurship, Exit Planning, Marketing and Sales, Sales, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What is Your CEO Job Description?

On occasion, a business owner client will ask me if I have a CEO job description. I’m sure such exist in large corporations, but for an owner-managed company it’s a bit vague. The simple (and usual) answer is that the … Continue Reading

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The Immortal Business Goes on Forever

Do you run an immortal business? I hope so. If you answered “no,” or even hesitated to be sure of your response, then you don’t think of your business as immortal. So when do you plan to shut it down? Most … Continue Reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Managing Employees, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Employee Peer Review: The Internal Market

There are various approaches to employee peer review. Comprehensive multi-level feedback, top-down and bottom-up comparisons, and even the lightening fast Stoplight 360 I wrote about here a few years ago. In many instances, however, the most powerful rating system is … Continue Reading

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Selling Your Business: Money isn’t Everything

When I was a kid my mother said “Money isn’t everything” in response to every envious glance at another kid’s stuff. As I became successful enough to afford things for my children, I reversed the meaning. “Money isn’t everything” became … Continue Reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Life After, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Employees Who Make Bad Choices

Employees who make bad choices in their personal lives usually create problems in the workplace. Should you take their issues outside of the business into consideration when hiring or assigning responsibility? The legal answer of course, is “no.”  Employers are … Continue Reading

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Selling to Employees: Is Your Exit Strategy Right in Front of You?

When I interview a prospective client for exit planning assistance, we usually explore selling to employees. The first reaction is always “That won’t work. They don’t have any money.” If you have a company with reasonable cash flow, a talented … Continue Reading

Posted in Building Value, Entrepreneurship, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Incentives, Leadership, Managing Employees, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Employee Experience: Is Bigger Better?

Small businesses provide much of the initial employee experience. We take younger folks and teach them decent work habits like showing up every day, being on time, and working to deadlines. As owners, our personal skills may not be sufficient. We … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, John's Opinions, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment