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Helping business owners grow their companies and transition with confidence, added value and complete control.
Tag Archives: small business advice
Technology- Investment or Expense?
I regularly hear one of my small business owner clients saying something like this. “Dammit! I have to buy another computer. I just spent (fill in) on this one just (fill in) years ago.” Why are we so offended at … Continue Reading
Another small business owner defrauded
I’ll be in Denver, sharpening my saw all weekend at the semi-annual conference of The Alternative Board®, so I’m posting early this week. I had an evening call from a client last night. He recently discovered fraud in a small … Continue Reading
Stoplight 360
I recently saw a fast and easy way to rate your employees that makes the high performers and low performers stand out in a way that can’t be ignored. It uses Stop light Methodology: a red-yellow-green marking system. The advantage … Continue Reading
Leadership
There was an interesting report on National Public Radio earlier this week about Haiti. I tried to link it here, but I couldn’t find it in the hundreds of archived earthquake stories. If someone locates it, please let me know so I … Continue Reading
Posted in John's Opinions, Leadership
Tagged business ownership, entrepreneurship, leadership, small business advice
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Sales Comp III: Hunters and Farmers
Sales people break down into two subgroups- hunters and farmers. The purists will argue that in fact, only hunters are sales people. I can buy that. The farmers are more likely to be called Customer Service Representatives or Account Managers. … Continue Reading
Posted in Incentives, Managing Employees, Sales
Tagged business ownership, sales, sales management, small business advice
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A different way of thinking
I’ve just returned from a much needed quiet period in Merida, Mexico. Actually, the locals call it by the state’s name, Yucatan, and usually refer to Mexico the way Hawaiians refer to the mainland. The highlight of an otherwise uneventful … Continue Reading
The Ghost of Ebenezer
Last week three of my clients implemented staff reductions. All three are financially healthy service companies, but they had far more capacity than they had work to fill it. In a service company, of course, capacity means people. Naturally there … Continue Reading
Gifts are not incentives, and incentives shouldn’t be gifts
I knew a couple who owned a company with about 20 employees who had what may be the worst incentive distribution plan I’ve ever seen. The company gave out large holiday bonuses every year at the company party, which was … Continue Reading
A 35K guy is a 35K guy…
I had breakfast with a client this morning. He was planning a new training initiative for his sales team. “How much do the make now?” I asked. “About $30,000 to $35,000 a year.” he replied. “What are you trying to … Continue Reading
Posted in Leadership, Managing Employees, Sales
Tagged business ownership, employees, management, sales, sales management, small business, small business advice
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Attrition Opportunities
A client of mine used a great term in a conversation last week. Someone asked him if he had instituted any reductions in force (layoff, for those on the receiving end) in his company. “No,” he replied “but we’ve had … Continue Reading
Jerry West on dealing with tough times
Sorry I’ve been away. Actually, I wrote this to post last week and forgot to publish it. Lately I’ve been telling business owners a story from an interview I did with Jerry West during his tenure as GM for the … Continue Reading
Serendipity and Strategy
This is kind of an unusual posting. It is more philosophical than most, and more personal. This blog tends to practical comment and advice. While I stray a bit with this, it has a business objective. I have a coach. … Continue Reading