Back in the good old days, you could advertise in the daily paper, an outdoor board, on one of the local radio stations or one of three TV channels—a media mix. Today, of course, we don’t have the luxury of that simplicity. Instead of three TV channels, there are over 300. Radio and print have […]
Planning
7 Steps to Planning a Corporate Team Building Retreat
Employees are an essential part of every company. Therefore, organizations must ensure they stay motivated and energized. How can companies achieve this? A team-building retreat does more than give employees a day off work. They provide an avenue for strengthening relationships between the employees and the management. However, for a corporate retreat to achieve the […]
5 Most Important Illusions About Startups
Q: What are some illusions about start-ups? A: here’s my list of the five most important illusions about startups The illusion of the idea. Few businesses have truly new ideas. Apple didn’t; Facebook didn’t; Google didn’t. They took an existing idea and did it better, or differently. Quite often the second or third entrant into […]
Keeping the Office Safe: 5 Ways to Create a Disaster Preparedness Plan
Human resource professionals can ensure the safety of employees by making sure that everyone is aware of what to do should an emergency occur. Global warming and climate change have contributed to unfathomable natural disasters. Consequently, an emergency could strike at anytime and anywhere. Organizational leaders must develop emergency preparedness plans to prepare for when […]
Started a Small Business? Now What?
Congratulations! You’ve started your business! After that burst of excitement and glee comes all the considerations; you might be worrying about your responsibilities, taxes, government compliance and reporting deadlines. Here’s a quick start guide to help you work through these elements. First, celebrate that you’ve started something you’ve been considering and bringing it into reality! […]
Caution: 3 Main Reasons for Business Failures
Running out of money Lack of planning Growing too fast There are countless scare stories out there and it’s true, many businesses don’t make it in the long run, but according to the SBA, only 30% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 50% during the first five years and […]
7 Keys to Balancing Profits Versus a Higher Purpose
It’s always been tough to start a new business, even when the bottom line was just making a profit to stay alive. A few years ago, a second focus of sustainability (“green”) was added as a requirement for respectability. Now I almost always hear a third mandate – social responsibility. Entrepreneurs are now measured against […]
Let Your Board Help with “What” and “Why” but Rarely “How”
I am sure you can argue with this one. Sometimes a board member is valuable in teaching the “how” to get things done inside the company. But experience reinforces the usual fact that a board member telling the CEO or founder “how” to perform a function crosses a line and can diminish the CEO’s confidence […]
Make Sure to Consider These Common Expenses When Preparing Your Startup
You’re almost ready to start your new business. You and your partners have come up with a killer idea for a company that you know your clients are going to love. You’ve even thought about what you’re going to name your brand, and how you can improve your chances of getting your product or service […]
You’re Not Ready for That Call!
Somehow, it seems that a post on preparing for sales calls/meetings would be totally unnecessary. One would hope all sales professionals would have a plan for every call, if only to manage their own time very well. When I talk to sales people about the importance of sales call/meeting planning, the responses tend to fall […]
