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...

Momentum Building · 01. January 2015

The New Year always brings a new resolve for how business is going to get done. For many, it is also the impetus that results in the decision to finally start a business. Starting a business is hard work, there is no doubt about it. Where newbies misstep the most is in how they don’t build their business before it officially opens.Too often, the focus is on the basic operational set-up before and then surface-level promotion after the business is open. They ignore what should and could be...

Momentum Building · 01. December 2014

Nothing can be more frustrating for a business owner than to put immense time, energy and effort into building a business, only to realize that the effort is not paying off. Not only are the results desired not occurring, but the results garnered are heading the business in an undesirable direction, in spite of what was believed to be the right course of action. In working with small businesses through the years, I have noticed missteps that lead them down a misguided path, even though the...

Momentum Building · 01. November 2014

Is your business implementing a marketing effort or a marketing strategy? I was inspired to write this column after continuing to see a pattern in what I would classify as the top five band-aids companies use with the belief that their sales will skyrocket or when a desperate need for sales exists. Using a "Band-Aid" to resolve any type of a problem is an American idiom for a temporary solution or something that seems to be a solution, but has no real effect. If you are frustrated by a lack of...

Team Building · 01. July 2013

People are your greatest asset and you are dependent upon them in your business on many levels. Whether you have employees or subcontractors or are a services or products business, you cannot escape people. Your customers are people. Your employees and suppliers are people. The bottom line is a business cannot run effectively or survive without people. When you multiply yourself as the business owner times the people who work with you and for you times the people you serve, if managed and...