Think about the role you play in your small business—not the title on your business card, but what you actually do. Are you a manager one minute, a receptionist the next? When there’s a problem with shipping or facilities or finance, are you the one racing to put out the fire? If any of this rings true, you’re not...
In moments of crisis, it can be hard to see beyond the overwhelm. You may be faced with the need to keep employees safe, manage productivity, protect revenue—or all three at once—in an environment that’s constantly changing. But often in crisis, there’s opportunity. As the leader of your business, taking hold of t...
Marketing is an art. And if you want your small business to be successful, understanding that art (or having people on your team who do) is an absolute must. People can’t turn into customers until they know who your company is, why they need your products or services, and what sets your business apart. That’s wher...
Growing fast is a good thing if you know how to handle it. When you meet or exceed a customer’s expectations—when you go above and beyond the promises you’ve made—you’ll be rewarded by the look in their eyes, the happiness in their voices. You’ll know their names because they keep coming back. Their pleasure becom...
As an enlightened business owner, you understand the importance of doing market research on your prospective customers. For example, you want to know where they're located, any common characteristics they may have and, ultimately, as much as possible about how they think - their needs, wishes, and motivations. The...
A team is a group of people cooperating to achieve a purpose. Your entire organization makes up your team. A management team, of course, is a group of managers. And a strategic management team is a group of senior managers responsible for the strategic management of a business. But here’s something you may not kno...
When you think about your business and life as a business owner, do you know why you do what you do? Does leading your business provide the life you imagined it would when you started it, or is it running you ragged with little payoff?
When there’s a management gap to fill, you might look to your top performers first. And it makes sense—”super technicians” work hard and know how to do their job well. They deserve to be recognized for that, and you know they have the technical knowledge needed to lead other technicians. But knowing how to do a jo...
When you want to develop the systems in your business, one part of the journey is persuading your team to come along. Every business that works needs a balance of structure (your systems) and substance (your people). Without the commitment from your employees that they’re going to work the systems as you’ve design...
If you’re a business owner trying to develop the foundation of your business, you have to balance two perspectives: the reality, challenges and concerns of what exists today, and goals for the year(s) to come. Reality dictates that you’ll be building systems while still working in your existing business. If you’ve...
In your business, system errors can show up in the form of work stoppages, poor customer service, excessive product returns, late deliveries, high levels of frustration among employees, poor financial results and any other number of unwanted outcomes. Depending on the size and health of your business, any one of t...
Some days, you may feel completely consumed by your business, like the only thing you can count on is a frustrating lack of control as you race around putting out fires. This experience is so common to business owners, it’s almost generally accepted as “just what it’s like to own a business.”
One of the most common frustrations we hear from business owners is: “I just need systems.” We also hear: “I need more cash,” and, “I need more sales.”
Most small business owners come to us because they believe they want systems, but they don’t yet realize something important: Their business is already built around systems. It’s just that some of those systems aren’t producing the results they want.
Between your end-of-year business obligations and your holiday family schedules, you’ve got a lot on your plate. The last thing you want to think about during the merriment and bustle of the season is the tax man. Alas, as December 31 approaches, so too does your window for last minute tax breaks.
When you have a small business, it’s easy to get stuck in the chronic issues you face, to feel alone in your frustration and unable to see the problems in a different way—and often for what they really are. The truth is, finding solutions and innovating often takes escaping your own limited point of view. You need...
Let’s be honest. It’s been another challenging year for the owners and operators of small businesses. You’ve had to find a new normal as Covid restrictions eased. The prices of goods and services you depend on to operate have shot up, often cutting into already thin margins. Your employees are looking to you for r...