Next Level Strategy · 01. June 2017

Too many business executives believe, wrongly, that differentiation requires blazing new paths or innovating something from nothing. Instead, paying attention to trends can help you differentiate and identify needs and opportunities like nothing else can. Being a “trend getter” is a best-kept secret among high-growth companies, with executives envisioning new ways to approach and leverage what already exists. Here are some ways to make "trend getting" an ongoing initiative in your company....

Momentum Building · 01. April 2017

Too often, owners and managers operate their businesses in silos that cause many opportunities to be overlooked. Accounting focuses only on accounting. Operations focuses only on operations. Marketing focuses only on traditional sales and promotion. Safety and maintenance only focuses on safety and maintenance. I could go on and on. High growth companies understand that each area of the business is a spoke on a wheel that works in tandem to truly keep opportunities flowing in and turning into...

Value Building · 01. August 2016

Speed of change is the new norm in building a business. Agility is critical to growth and even more critical to value-building, sustainable growth. If you are not strategically building your business based on this fact, you are already falling behind. Your company's ability to scale is contingent on four critical success factors. Effectively aligning and leveraging its Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Velocity Quotient (VQ) will directly impact your ability to realize a...

Next Level Strategy · 01. April 2015

Walking into a Main Street gallery gift shop, I was greeted by its associate who asked, "How may I help you?" My answer, the same answer most likely you have given on countless occasions, "No thank you. I'm just looking." Instead of the usual, "Okay, just let me know if you have any questions," this associate literally seemed to get excited!He leaped out from behind the counter and said, "I have just the thing for you!" He returned with a card that offered a "Just Looking" discount on my...

Value Building · 01. March 2015

Over the past several months, I have witnessed buy-sell agreements fall through in businesses because of unanticipated developments that converted an appealing opportunity into a calamity of hidden surprises that ultimately killed the deal. As more and more Baby Boomer business owners are looking toward selling what they have built over the years, as well as Boomers ready for a second chapter in their lives, willing to invest in a business venture, it is important to be fully aware of some of...

01. February 2015

A small business is a boot-strapping business in the beginning. Anything that can be done without huge expense or investment is the underlying motivation in order to realize a profit sooner rather than later. The problem with many business owners' mindsets is that they are more focused on curtailing spending as opposed to making wise investments of their time, resources and money. Could one of these five misguided mindsets be causing more harm than good in your business? 1. Friends & Family...

Image Building · 01. September 2014

In working with various entrepreneurial and small business clients, I have noticed a trend that beckoned to be explored further. Let's face it, business owners work hard in their businesses. So hard, in fact, that sometimes their vision can be clouded and their ability to make decisions can be stymied due to feeling attached to aspects of their businesses that are no longer serving them well. This "hanging on" tends to always boil down to an emotional attachment that derails strategic business...

Value Building · 01. August 2014

The dictionary definition of "bankable" is: "to be considered powerful, prestigious, or stable enough to ensure profitability." If your business is bankable, it means it has earned status worthy of people investing their time, money and attention.When you are looking to grow your business requiring additional resources to achieve this growth, then analyzing how bankable your business is in the eyes of the marketplace is key to consider. Important to note is that I am not just talking about...

Confidence Building · 01. March 2014

A company that expects to continue to grow efficiently and effectively must put controls in place to manage the process of growth. Additionally, setting standards and expectations is also essential to assuring consistency and quality.However, what I have been seeing recently are cases where standards are actually counterproductive, and may potentially be doing more harm than good. Are your standards sending the wrong message? Here are areas I am seeing companies fall victim to in their good...

Value Building · 01. September 2013

Too many business owners are broadsided by the fact that the company they have put their blood, sweat and tears into is not worth what they emotionally believe it should be worth when considering selling or being bought out. When the company was built on solid principles and values, and has realized good profits and steady growth, it begins to make the owner wonder why they put so much of themselves into building the company for such little return when ready to cash out. However, that may be...