WHY DO YOU PAY MINIMUM WAGE?

Why do you pay minimum wage? This question is NOT a political statement and NOT even an economic one. By “minimum wage,” I refer to the compensation (e.g., hourly rate, salary, benefits, etc.) you pay to new employees. Minimum wage is a business strategy defined by your company, not just a reaction to regulation or…

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HERE’S HOW SYLVIA STARTED SIX SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES!

I recently had the blessing of speaking with Sylvia McNiel, a Mary Kay business owner. In our discussion, I was touched by the experience and wisdom of her words. Due to a series of moves around the U.S., Sylvia has successfully started six different businesses from scratch. Three times Sylvia’s business was successful enough to…

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AVOID IMPLEMENTING THE WRONG CULTURE

Management guru Peter Drucker famously said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” and the race was on for consultants and coaches to help companies implement a winning culture. There are many stories of successes, but there are even more failures, often due to pursuing the wrong culture. Here are three examples of implementing the wrong culture.…

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A MORE EFFECTIVE ELEVATOR SPEECH

We are all taught that an elevator speech is a crucial sales practice. A well-crafted elevator speech will concisely communicate (1) who you are, (2) what you are looking for, (3) the benefit you provide, and (4) do it within 30 seconds. The two biggest challenges I have with this old approach are that it…

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WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT IS NEW?

We just sold our house. It is a great house, and we enjoyed raising our family in it, but now my wife and I are empty nesters, so it is no longer a great fit. We are moving on to something new. Your personal life changes, and so do your needs. The same is true…

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HERE’S HOW TO LEAD WITH OPTIMISM

As leaders, we truly earn our positions and paychecks when things are not going well – even touching on failure. In these times, it is essential to be a role model for the business. People want to follow a leader who keeps going and keeps them going and motivated. It is distressing and depressing for…

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ARE YOU READY FOR THE “GREAT RESIGNATION”?

As the economy continues to grow, experts are forecasting that as many as 30% of employees will voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021 (over 45 million people)!  The phenomenon is called “The Great Resignation.”  At first, I was skeptical about the projections, but the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported record job quits (almost 4…

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TRUE ENTREPRENEURS POSSESS AN AMAZING SUPERPOWER

True entrepreneurs possess an amazing superpower – a peculiar type of myopia that makes everything seem possible. The entrepreneur sees a gap, an inefficiency, an opportunity, and their passion fulfills the need better. Money is never their top priority.  The entrepreneur sees the goal so vividly all the problems and obstacles fade into the background. …

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COVID-19 IS NO LONGER A VALID BUSINESS EXCUSE

COVID-19 is no longer a valid business excuse. It is more than past time to move on. While today’s economy has not fully recovered, it is more than 90% there, and the momentum is more limited by a lack of supply and employment than demand. Economic factors have not all returned to pre-COVID levels, but…

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“HOW I GREW MY COMPANY BY 30% IN 2020” – A COVID PIVOT STORY

Overcoming challenges

I speak with dozens of business owners every month, but one recent conversation stood out. Mike Mogell, the owner of Clean Sweep Office Cleaning, surprised me by saying he grew his business by 30% in 2020! The Covid-19 pandemic hit Clean Sweep Office Cleaning hard as companies closed and employees were sent home to work,…

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