It could happen to you. A crucial member of your staff leaves. You have a decision to make. Do you replace or not? A company owner I recently talked to was faced with that complicated decision. Replacing the employee would have been the logical choice; it would have filled out the team and made customers feel better. It would have
The Devil is in the Details and the Fine Print
The saying “the devil is in the details or the fine print” cautions us to be wary. When you open a bank account, log into a website, sign up for a “free” app or a new cell phone, you agree to terms spelled out in the fine print that carry significant implications. While you should read the fine print before
You Should Pick Up Pennies Too
Linda here. Walking across a parking lot last week I spied a penny on the ground. I picked it up. Picking up coins off the ground has been a long-standing pastime for me. Money is money, whether it’s a penny, a quarter or a dollar.
Your Competition Isn’t Who You Think It Is
Linda here. When anyone starts a business, one of the first things their banker wants to see is their business plan. Every good business plan has a section called Competition.
Are You Lucky or Are You Good?
Dean Johnson, owner of Arcon Construction Company was my first boss when I moved to Mora. The year I joined Arcon, he treated all the employees and spouses to a week on South Padre Island, to celebrate their best year ever. I listened as Dean described growing his highway-heavy construction business from nothing to sales of over $30 million
Do You Have The Guts To Be Candid?
Linda here. I am often struck by comments people make when they miss an opportunity to speak up. “That man pushed right in front of me without even an ‘Excuse me’. I wish I’d have told him how long I’ve been waiting.” “She knows I don’t like to reprimand people, so she pushes the rules a hair past the limit
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Who’s The Fairest Of Them All?
What do you see when you look in the mirror? A face so familiar you hardly “see” it anymore? What do you see when you look at your business? The same machines, the same equipment, the same people doing the same things they’ve done for years.
Have You Ordered Your Tesla?
The Quartz Daily Brief (www.qz.com) is one of the first things I read every morning! This article by Steve LeVine made me think about visionaries, the people who draw us into their dreams and make us believe the impossible is possible.
Your Price Is Too High!
Like most of us, you have heard (and uttered) those five dreaded words more than a few times. It’s the most common objection encountered in every industry, and the most difficult to overcome.
Do You Know If Your Customer Is High Touch Or High Tech?
It happened again last week. I called to ask a simple question about my account and was given four levels of voice mail options; none of which met my needs. Pressing “0” and hitting # didn’t help. My frustration increased when I was disconnected.