Tag Archives: small business advice

In the long run

I met with a business owner the other day who has experienced a particularly difficult year. A confluence of economics, technology and criminal activity in his industry has kept him working long hours, with relatively little to show for it. He … Continue Reading

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It IS all about you.

Why did you want to own a business? If you believe the textbook definition of an entrepreneur, it was to leverage capital and other resources to create wealth. That probably applies to about 5% of us. Or, you might have started … Continue Reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, John's Opinions, Leadership, Managing Employees | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hunters and Farmers

Several times monthly, I interview entrepreneurs who are considering membership in The Alternative Board® as a means to improve their business. Part of the process is asking each one what his or her core skills are – the things that … Continue Reading

Posted in Entrepreneurship, John's Opinions, Leadership, Life After, Strategy and Planning | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Black Donut Hole

Recently, there has been renewed attention to the work of Corrado Gini. An Italian Facist, he published in 1012 the Gini coefficient, a measurement of income equality among a nation’s citizens. As happens in the media, one publication picked up … Continue Reading

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Why a Coach?

I had a special session with my business coach yesterday. That’s unusual. Typically we meet just once a month to cover my goals and objectives, and see if I am on track. This time we met for the specific purpose … Continue Reading

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Instant, perfectly targeted marketing.

I’m finalizing my speaker panel for our Fall seminar series. This season we are concentrating on marketing and sales. The recession is over, but no one can feel the “recovery.” If you are waiting for things to be busy again, you … Continue Reading

Posted in Marketing, Marketing and Sales, Technology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Off to Planet Ten!

I confess to being a fan of really, really good “B” movies. What is a good, bad movie? It’s one that knows it’s a bad movie, and lets the audience know that it knows. I haven’t seen it, but Piranha … Continue Reading

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The Long Road Ahead

I’m sitting in Denver International Airport after yet another conference. Fortunately, it’s a whole 9 days until I have to come back here for another one. In January of 2009 I wrote a blog on the strategic Triple Threat. The … Continue Reading

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Whose fault is it?

In small business, we tend to give out titles with aplomb. You can be a manager. You’re a director. You are a vice president. When there are few levels to differentiate between, it seems meaningless to attach a lot of … Continue Reading

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Mission, Vision and Values: Weighing in on the Definition War

The other day during a continuing education class, the old argument came up again. “These are the kind of things that belong in a company’s Vision Statement,” the instructor said. “I thought they were Mission Statement kind of things,” replied … Continue Reading

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

I Guess I are One…Finally!

I just read Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers.” Like The Tipping Point and Blink before it, he gives a very readable and fresh insight into things you thought you knew, or kind of thought you knew but never really applied logic to, … Continue Reading

Posted in Business Perspectives, John's Opinions | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

If You are a Victim; You are Guilty.

Let’s say you own a small Italian Restaurant. Fifteen tables. Pasta, Pizza, beer and wine. Not really a white tablecloth place. More like plastic red and white check tablecloths with Chianti bottles and drippy candles. On a good Saturday night … Continue Reading

Posted in Politics and Regulation, Technology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments