Around The Table

Trevor founded a manufacturing company 20 years ago. The business continues to expand; the customer list now includes Fortune 500 companies. Professional groups have asked him to share his “secrets to success”, but he declines. Trevor secretly feels inferior to other owners, insecure because of his lack of formal education. Sarah was born to style hair, to make people look

After all the planning, research, and saving Darcy has accomplished her life-long dream, she owns a coffee shop in a small town. In order to share the entrepreneurial experience with young people who might one day open their own business, she contacted high school counselors for potential employees. At last, the staff was hired and trained, the coffee was ready

There are two kinds of people in the world – the mess-makers and the mess-fixers. Mess makers come in all shapes and sizes; their intentions may or may not be good. Some know they are manipulative, but others are merely trying to control their world. A young parent demands the grandparents care for the baby regardless of their own plans.

In a recent Raven Roundtable a member shared, “A long-term employee just quit.” A chorus of sympathetic groans rose from around the table. Good employees are hard to find and losing a valued, long-term staff member can be hard. However, conversation around the table pointed out several possible advantages. Employees who quit aren’t always the high performers. This is the

It could happen to you. A crucial member of your staff leaves. Now what? A Roundtable member was faced with that dilemma. Replacing the employee would have been the logical choice; it would have filled out the team and made customers feel better. It would have been business as usual. But this member had read the book Multiplication by Subtraction by Shannon

How often do you come across an ad that seems too good to be true? The saying “the devil is in the details or the fine print” cautions us to be wary. When you open a bank account, log onto a website, sign up for a “free” app or a new cell phone, you agree to terms spelled out in the fine

Walking across a parking lot last week I spied a penny on the ground. I picked it up. Picking coins up off the ground has been a long-standing habit for me. Money is money, whether it’s a penny, a quarter, or a dollar. Not everyone feels the same. Friends with me have said everything from “A penny is not worth the

Life is filled with decisions. Some small: what will I have for breakfast? Some more serious and long-term: Where should I invest for my future? Some decisions are profound and life changing such as getting married, having children, entering the military or changing careers. The decisions that change your life forever are called vampire decisions. In her book “Transformative Experience”  L. A. Paul

We have all had them – a day that starts bad and gets worse: The dog wouldn’t come in which made you late for work. In a hurry and fumbling for keys, you drop your phone on the driveway and crack the screen. Your boss/foreman/assistant looks like she’s in a sour mood as you walk by. Then lunch rolls around,

A recurring topic in our CEO Roundtables is how to attract great employees. The labor pool has plenty of average candidates, but businesses who want the best must keep abreast of the latest hiring strategies. Brand your company as a great place to work. Your story is shared best by you and the people who work for you. Put video testimonials

In high school I participated in speech competitions. One friend had a speech impediment which made it difficult to understand some of her words. I often wondered what made Carol brave enough at 16, to speak in front of an audience and panel of judges. At our class reunion last year, Carol shared that our English teacher, Mr. Meredith, tutored

On the Best Valley Dairy Farm, we milked Holsteins. We often had our “favorite” cows, but when the industry developed the capacity to measure the quantity and quality of each cow’s milk, we were shocked to realize our favorites were not necessarily the producers who kept our farm in business. Sadly, one of the few options was hamburger. According to

I heard an interesting phrase last week: “The juice isn’t worth the squeeze.” It was in reference to deciding if making the effort to start a new project was wise. It caught my attention because it could be applied to many situations. We may have unlimited ideas, but not every great idea is worth our time and attention. Your work – Whether you own

Early in my career I worked for Arcon Construction. The owner, Dean Johnson, told me how he’d built the highway/heavy construction company from nothing to a multi-million-dollar business. Knowing little about entrepreneurship, I commented, “You sure were lucky.” Dean was offended and responded, “You know what luck is?  Luck is sweat applied to an opportunity.” I have never forgotten that lesson. Lucky people

I am often struck by comments people make when they miss an opportunity to speak up. “She knows I don’t like to reprimand people, so she pushes the rules a hair past the limit, knowing I won’t call her on it.” “Why does Harriet keep telling stories about people who’ve died from cancer.  It upsets me. Doesn’t she remember my

Boyceville, Wisconsin – my hometown. When my father was alive, I spent a weekend every month in Boyceville. Our Friday night ritual was to go for fish and chips at Buckshot’s Bar. We’d order while we watched people come in and greet each other by name. They would ask about the family, comment on the weather, and speculate on the

It was late in the day; the store was packed.  All around me unhappy people were complaining about long lines and slow cashiers.  The young woman behind me had only two items and a little girl in her cart.  My cart was full, so I invited her to go ahead. “Thank you,” she smiled, “We don’t mind waiting; Emily and

Have you ever thought; “being in business would be so much more fun if I didn’t have to deal with people issues.” Suzanne has. She was referring to a long-term, valuable employee who took frequent smoke breaks, gossiped with other employees, and took two to four days off every month with little or no notice.  Time off is covered by the company’s

A Roundtable member, Sarah, is growing her successful real estate business. She recently hired a new member for her team. John was intelligent, energetic, and hungry to be successful, all traits she was seeking. But to Sarah’s dismay, she just learned that John signed up with someone else, and to make matters worse, went behind her back attempting to recruit

Wally is smart, savvy, and like other Raven Roundtable members, enjoys sharing his hard-won wisdom. He purchased a small manufacturing plant, growing it into a $15 million company in 5 years. In a recent CEO Roundtable meeting, he listened as John shared his plans for transforming his company by bringing on a new and very different product line. Wally couldn’t

A Roundtable member recently shared the “What Bugs You?” campaign she started in her company. The focus was to encourage employees to be honest regarding what bugged them about their workspace: were there changes that would enable them to work more efficiently? She was amazed at how engaged her employees were in the process. They peppered her with ideas on

We take for granted the advances that continue to make our lives easier: We eat foods grown around the world, talk to friends who are thousands of miles away, pay for lunch with a wave of our smart phones, and our cars can parallel park themselves. Pretty amazing!

Sean and Dave are brothers and business partners. They’ve built their company by working hard, paying attention to the numbers, and listening to customers. Their business had been stable and successful for years. But changes in technology along with increasing competition have begun to threaten the status quo.

Avoid problems.

My family attends a sweet little Methodist church in my hometown. I enjoy attending when I am visiting on a Sunday.

My husband and I were chatting over dinner about what he’d accomplished that day. He commented, “Having a grease gun that doesn’t work is worse than having no grease gun at all.”

What do you see when you look at your business: the same machines, the same equipment, the same people performing the same duties?

How do you live to be almost 100?

Janelle, owner of a successful family business, was thrilled that her daughter Beth had joined the family business right out of college. Things were going well, and Janelle had visions of Beth eventually taking control of the business “when the time was right”.

Sean, Bill, and Jared are neighbors: on the surface, they seem very much alike. Each is married, of average health, height, and body weight, and earning $75,000 a year. It’s their attitudes that set them apart.

Twice a year, for nearly two decades, Bill Gates has gone into seclusion for seven days to think about big problems. He contends some of his best work has come from these “Think Weeks”.

Balance is an important topic in my roundtables. Many business owners spend years building successful companies only to realize they have neglected the people they profess to love.

Your phenomenal brain is three pounds of remarkable matter; it’s capable of amazing feats.

We’ve heard the term “helicopter parent,” a reference to moms and dads who constantly hover over their children, never giving them the opportunity to make their own decisions or mistakes, swooping in to save the day when things become the least bit challenging. 

Building loyalty requires creating value in the very fabric of your business – excellent products supported by dedicated, trustworthy, sincere team members.

When we consider diversity in the workplace, we often react negatively, thinking of being required to hire xx% of employees representing different races and ethnic backgrounds.

This is the time of year when we think of starting new things: the diet, the exercise program, or learning a new skill. But are there issues hovering from the past that need to be confronted?

In my last blog of 2022, I want to thank all the people who have touched my life in so many ways. Thank you for joining me here each Thursday. It’s gratifying to have the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with you. The new year is just a few days away. Is it just me or did 2022 seem

Some days, we would love to have an “easy” button. Remember the Staples commercial? All you had to do was push the big red button with the word “easy” on it and everything you wanted would magically appear.

We have all experienced long lines with stressed-out employees doing their utmost to serve every customer.

When my nephew Josh was 14, he loved digging into the statistics of different countries, their population, latitude and longitude, GDP, GNP, and the products they produced.

Growing up, I would beg to go with my dad to get his car serviced. The waiting room in the mechanic’s garage was filled with locals drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes, and exchanging gossip. Always prominent were the Snap-on Tool calendars.

Every day, we should be grateful for all the good things in our lives, big and small.

Another year is almost over, with only seven weeks left (49 days – 1,176 hours – 70,560 minutes to be exact). Are you on track, feeling a sense of urgency, or does the thought panic you?

Phil’s boss finally asked him THE QUESTION.

A friend is engaged in a serious conversation with the United States Postal Service about why it is taking a package eight days to travel 400 miles.  To their credit, USPS is doing a commendable job of keeping her informed of their activity on her behalf. The product isn’t arriving any sooner, but the open communication does make it more

You are a creature of excellence.

Tennant has always had a reputation for producing top-quality products. They were loyal to their suppliers, paid within 15 days (with a discount), and were door openers for attracting other respected manufacturers.

It’s the kind of news no wants to hear, especially when on vacation thousands of miles from home. My best friend and her family were in Mexico when they got the news her husband’s woodworking shop had burned to the ground. Worse yet, their much-loved pets perished in the blaze.

Larry had a nice business and made a good living. His employees appreciated their jobs and enjoyed working with him.

We make lots of plans: daily plans, work plans, meal plans, business plans, and vacation plans. Over the years you’ve probably learned that life doesn’t always go as planned. Murphy sneaks in like a thief in the night and the best-laid plans are suddenly blown out of the water. Preparing for the unknowable future is crucial in a constantly changing

I love listening to members present their MAPs.

Strategic Plan! What are your thoughts when you hear those words? Do you roll your eyes? Do you dread the process? Do you know what to do with a strategic plan?

Every time a potential customer comes in contact with a product or service, there is an opportunity to create a MOMENT OF MAGIC. It’s the moment when every aspect of a transaction is simple, easy, and pure joy.

What comes to mind when you think of fall? For me, it’s cool, crisp days, brilliantly colored leaves, and going back to school.

What does your daily to-do list look like?  Are you working ON your business or are you mired down in make-work details that distract you from the tasks that help build a better business? Sometimes we don’t realize how much time we’re frittering away. We miss the forest for the trees.

Bad days. Everyone has them.

Jim went shopping for a high-end, luxury car. He showed up at six dealerships in jeans, driving a compact rental. All sold expensive cars, yet only one showed genuine interest. The manager took all the time Jim needed, was highly knowledgeable, and even told him when he could come back to look at a soon-to-be-released new model.

At a recent Roundtable meeting, David shared his concern regarding an employee who was padding his timecard with overtime hours he wasn’t working. This wasn’t the first time Joe had been caught stealing; the last time it was for taking scrap material. Unfortunately, Joe is the only person who performs a complicated assembly process in the factory. So, David has

Jim spent the better part of a week in Las Vegas at the annual Furniture, Home Décor, and Gift Market. People from all over the world annually attend. Jim spent long days talking to exhibitors and negotiating prices on unique items to fill his store.

A couple of years ago a member came to a Raven roundtable with the following issue: “My Dad is dying from cancer, and I want to be with him. I don’t have anyone trained to run my company while I’m gone. What can I do?”

This is a blog with more questions than answers.

“Where’s the magic?  I’m not feeling it, are my customers? “

My friend, Jean, is in the habit of taking an early morning run every Saturday. Until recently, she used to stop afterward for a leisurely cup of coffee at her neighborhood coffee shop.

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best. ~St. Jerome

What are your thoughts when you see a messy desk? How about a tidy, organized desk? A University of Minnesota study indicates that people with messy desks are creative and full of new ideas. A clean desk, by contrast, suggests generosity and conventionality.

Remember a time when you worked really hard for something? Maybe it was winning a competition, acing a test, or getting selected for the lead in your class play. You poured countless hours into preparing for victory.

The keynote speaker at our Raven Retreat was Chris Fitzgerald Sheriff of Barron County Wisconsin. His office was the center of operations during the search for Jayme Closs; the 13-year-old who was abducted from her home after her parents were fatally shot. Sheriff Fitzgerald told the gripping story which as everyone knows ended with Jayme breaking out and running for help after 88

What is one word you would choose to define you in 2021?    These are the words chosen by my members to define themselves in 2021. The road is easier together,

What’s the #1 thing you’ll focus on in your planning for 2021? Succession planning. We also need to figure out how to make our business more valuable. ************  Examine the different kinds of memberships and season passes to see if we need to raise prices. We will also look at family memberships; they are increasing. ************  Sales! ************ We’re going

What’s one thing you’ll stop doing when the pandemic is over? I’m going to stop worrying. I feel like worry has set in more and more, every day I battle it. I worry about the numbers. I want to re-evaluate my current situation all the time and be as realistic as I can be about what I can and can’t

What’s one thing you’ve started doing during the pandemic that you’ll continue doing when things return to normal? 1. Customer touches, making a point to be more in contact with them.  We’ll keep that rolling.  We’re doing a better job of that during COVID than we did before.  It’s more of a relationship builder than just calling for the order.I’d

The best boss I ever worked for was so good because …  How does that relate to how you manage people today? 1. I worked as a bar manager in college.  The owner was so good because he cared.  We had some great late-night conversations that went well into the wee hours of the morning.  He was interested and he

What’s Your “Get-Pumped” Song and Who’s The Artist?? Aaron Copeland – Rodeo AC/DC – It’s a long way to the top  AC/DC – Thunderstruck Alan Parson’s Project – Eye in the sky  (1st 90 seconds)  Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire Alicia Keys – No One   Awolnation – SAIL  Billy Joel – Piano Man Colton Dixon – Through all of it David Guetta Ft.

Call one customer before our May meeting and ask, “What is your biggest challenge today or what is your greatest unmet need?” When talking to customers, I haven’t learned anything new, but it has been validating. Amazon makes it easy to return items, so when customers have issues they don’t understand, they just send the item back saying it didn’t.

What outside the box idea could you invest in today that could start generating income within the next 60 days? I’m creative!  I can come up with a million of those outside of the box ideas!  Realistically I should be promoting my coaching services a lot right now.  I could have more webinars and live streaming Q & A’s that

If there was a downturn in the economy, what 3 things in your business could be eliminated and your company would still run effectively? I’ve started the process already. Walk-ins and phone calls have gone down dramatically.  No need for a receptionist, laid her off last Friday. Stopped all non-essential purchases. May need to cut back hours. Consider eliminating someone

Describe your most successful technique for getting customers. We used to do a lot of advertising.  Now we focus on social media.  I think it’s word of mouth and being consistent in the work we do.  We’ve worked a long time on the sympathy business – people who come in say they can always tell which flowers came from our

The question this month: If you had $1 million to take your business as far as you could go, what would you do with the capital? I would split it – invest it in marketing and sales. I also would update the equipment and the employees.  See where it was needed the most, there are things that need to be

Each year I like to create a gift for my round table members. I take the answers to all of the year’s questions and have a book created. Here is 2019 Around The Table Questions and Answers. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF 2019 AROUND THE TABLE BOOKLET

 What Will You Congratulate Yourself For A Year From Now? Opening a second location for my new business. I will congratulate myself for huge progress in my wellness quest. For sticking to my personal and professional commitment to growth.

The question this month:  What are you doing in your company that will improve people and the planet for tomorrow? #1 Internally we’re doing a lot of things to grow people:

“The time is ripe for ….?” Leaps forward.  We sit on a lot of ideas in business or personal life and we don’t do them.  We are going into the year 2020, which is really big.  This is about vision clarity.  There will be a big shift in society and how people view things.  There are changes coming.  It’s now

Here are the top three answers from last month’s Around the Table question for September: “What are your customers forcing you to do that makes your company better?”

Here are the top three answers from last month’s Around the Table question for August: “How often have members of your leadership team spoken to a customer in the last 90 days? For what reason?” 

Here are the top three answers for July’s Around the Table Question of the Month: “Do you ever ask your vendors to participate in events at your company? In what ways?” 

Here are the top 4 answers to June’s question, “What are some of the things you do (or can do) to engage the lowest paid employees in your company?” 

Each year I like to create a gift for my round table members. I take the answers to all of the year’s questions and have a book created. Here is 2018 Around The Table Questions and Answers. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF 2018 AROUND THE TABLE BOOKLET

Each year I like to create a gift for my round table members. I take the answers to all of the year’s questions and have a book created. Here is 2017 Around The Table Questions and Answers. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF 2017 AROUND THE TABLE BOOKLET

Each year I like to create a gift for my round table members. I take the answers to all of the year’s questions and have a book created. Here is 2016 Around The Table Questions and Answers. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF 2016 AROUND THE TABLE BOOKLET