business owner
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…
Read MoreCULTURE IS PEOPLE
Culture is the beliefs and practices of a group. The group members agree to believe (or at a minimum) commit to behaving according to the culture. Culture is not the WHY the group exists (that is purpose) – it is the HOW. Culture is not the same as values. Rather they are the expression of…
Read MoreFIRST STEPS WITH DIGITAL MARKETING
Last week, I had a great conversation with Nimie Gill, a digital marketing expert and owner of Suncoast Web Marketing in Sarasota, Florida. We discussed how to help small companies design and implement an effective digital marketing plan. The only thing worse than no digital marketing is weak digital marketing, where money is spent without a…
Read MoreTHREE KEY QUESTIONS WHOSE ANSWERS WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS
THREE KEY QUESTIONS WHOSE ANSWERS WILL GROW YOUR BUSINESS Here are three key questions whose answers direct you to growth opportunities. The answers don’t come from you. They come from your customers. No navel-gazing. 1. Who are your best customers? Your best customers are the ones whose needs you meet best and are the most…
Read More“HOW I GREW MY COMPANY BY 30% IN 2020” – A COVID PIVOT STORY
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,…
Read MoreTHE PURPOSE OF YOUR BUSINESS
As a business owner, the purpose of your business is straightforward. The purpose of the business is to help you accomplish your personal purpose. I know too many business owners who behave (or believe) as if the opposite is true. They run their businesses as if the business is their life. This way of thinking…
Read MoreI’M SEEKING 10 BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE TIRED OF PRETENDING THINGS ARE “FINE.”
I’m seeking 10 business owners who are tired of pretending things are “fine.” It is a common situation. More than one might think. Not always from the same cause, but for the same reason. For example: • The company is successful, but you are frustrated at the slowness or lack of growth. • The company…
Read MoreHERE ARE 2 TAX CREDITS THAT SAVE GET YOU THOUSANDS (AND YOU SHOULDN’T ASSUME YOUR CPA KNOWS ABOUT THEM)
I speak to dozens of business owners every month. This week I asked a couple who work in tax if they had any tips for other business owners this year. Here are two that are so good I needed to share them with you. Recall these are tax credits (not deductions), so they directly reduce…
Read MoreUSING AVATARS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS
I ask business owners, “Who is a good customer for you?” I find that more than half answer some form of either “Everyone” or “Everyone who wants to buy what I provide.” Disappointing. If your answer is the same, your marketing activities are equally broad. And ineffective. A more effective method is target marketing. To…
Read MoreTHE REAL REASON COMPANIES DON’T GROW
After years of monthly conversations with dozens of business leaders and owners, unsurprisingly, one of the most common topics is about growth and how to grow. From these discussions, the single, most common reason many companies don’t grow has become evident. They don’t want to. Now those are not the exact words they use. Instead,…
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