Tag Archives: small business advice

An Army of One

Posted on May 27, 2012 by John F. Dini

Hollywood has done an excellent job of defining what it takes to be an action hero. George Smiley, the grey civil servant of John Le Carre’s spy novels, is a protagonist, but not a hero. Heroes are cast in a distinct … Continue Reading →

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Choosing a Buyer for Your Business

Posted on May 6, 2012 by John F. Dini

You may be questioning this title. After talking in depth about the shortage of buyers over the next 10 years, the differences in values and work habits of Generation X, and the competition for ambitious people from better financed and … Continue Reading →

Posted in Exit Planning, Incentives, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beating the Boomer Bust

Posted on April 29, 2012 by John F. Dini

We’ve looked at the coming generation of business buyers, and many things about that picture aren’t pretty. When I present to business owners about the Boomer Bust, this is around the time that someone in the audience says “So, are we just … Continue Reading →

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The Gen X Business Buyer

Posted on April 22, 2012 by John F. Dini

Generation X’ers aren’t mini-Boomers. Raised in a rapidly growing economy by parents that approached child rearing as a competitive activity, they saw more, did more, and were given more than their parents could have dreamed of. I took my first … Continue Reading →

Posted in Building Value, Business Perspectives, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The X Factor

Posted on April 15, 2012 by John F. Dini

There are two sides to every business transaction, a buyer and a seller. For most of the last 50 years in America, the Baby Boomers have been the biggest buyers in history. They bought homes and cars to spur the … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Exit Options, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Outsourcing America

Posted on April 8, 2012 by John F. Dini

The Baby Boomers created seismic shifts in American culture and economics throughout their lives. Their mere numbers caused much of the shift, but their competitiveness and commonality enhanced the impact at every stage of their lives. In the mid 1960’s, … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Work-Life Balance

Posted on April 1, 2012 by John F. Dini

The term “Work-Life Balance” is widely cited as first occurring in the United State in 1986 in a research paper. I can’t identify the specific source of this much-referred usage, but it is telling that it would pop up when the last … Continue Reading →

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The Approaching Tidal Wave

Posted on March 11, 2012 by John F. Dini

A year ago this month, I began speaking to business owner groups about “Beating the Boomer Bust.” Since then I’ve delivered the presentation over 20 times, both locally and to national groups, and the requests for it are increasing. It’s … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends, Exit Planning, Exit Strategies, Selling a business, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Are Mistakes Good?

Posted on February 19, 2012 by John F. Dini

“Experience is a dear teacher, but only a fool will learn from no other.” Benjamin Franklin Business owners learn a lot from their experiences. As a friend says, “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.” … Continue Reading →

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A Return to the Handshake?

Posted on January 8, 2012 by John F. Dini

There are five words that strike fear into the heart of every business owner. They are “Let me call my lawyer.” I’m not talking about threats. If I had a nickel for every person who threatens “I’m going to call … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Customer Relations, John's Opinions | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Turning Plans into Realities

Posted on December 25, 2011 by John F. Dini

We’ve discussed some simple steps to getting started on your annual business plan. (see previous post: The Seven Questions of Simple Planning). Once you have the questions answered, you can begin moving towards the actions that transform your plans into … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Managing Employees, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Seven Questions of Simple Planning

Posted on December 18, 2011 by John F. Dini

The Creation In the beginning was the plan And it sprang from the assumptions And the assumptions were without form So the plan was void of substance And darkness fell upon the face of the workers   And the workers … Continue Reading →

Posted in Business Perspectives, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment