Image by Michael Giuffrida about improvement

If I am going to sell my business, should I worry about the little problems it still has?

Every business has its challenges and there is no way to avoid that.  Even the companies with the best cultures, compensation plans, and products and services will face issues.  When you decide you are going to sell your business, it can be like a “get out of jail free” card on these problems as you Read more about If I am going to sell my business, should I worry about the little problems it still has?[…]

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How should I compensate my sales hunters?

First note that I did not title this “how much should I compensate my sales hunters?”.  What you pay will vary based upon your geography, industry, availability of quality candidates, and the experience of your hunter.  This post will focus on how to structure what you pay them to gain the best performance and results. Read more about How should I compensate my sales hunters?[…]

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When is it time to hire my first employee?

For many entrepreneurs, they believe that the first real outward sign of their success is when they hire their first employee.  Makes sense right?  Now their venture went from “my job” to a “real business”.  However, this decision is not one to take lightly and also not one to rush in to. Having employees can Read more about When is it time to hire my first employee?[…]

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How important is brand identity?

Let’s get right to the point on this one.  Having a strong brand identity can be the difference between having a business from which you can make an “ok” salary or having one that thrives and provides well for you, your family in future generations, and the community you serve. Now that we have answered Read more about How important is brand identity?[…]

Image by Michael Giuffrida about Teams

Attitude or Experience?

In a competitive job market, it gets more and more difficult to find the right candidates for your open positions.  If you then are looking to fill a position that requires some specific skill sets, finding someone with the right experience can be even more challenging.  In traditional hiring methodologies, you would first filter your Read more about Attitude or Experience?[…]

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No dirty laundry please!

Have you ever been in a restaurant and heard two employees arguing over something or trashing a 3rd employee?  How about when a service provider shows up at your home or business to do something and they start badmouthing the company they work for?  Does this leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling about Read more about No dirty laundry please![…]

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Look in the mirror for the source of the problem

How many times have you heard a business owner complaining about their employees calling them lazy, entitled, sloppy, always late, etc.?  Start paying attention if you or someone you know is doing this and you will likely find a pattern.  The pattern is that the same people will complain about the same problems in several Read more about Look in the mirror for the source of the problem[…]

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It’s OK to say “I don’t know”

When starting a new business there is a lot of pressure to be successful.  You may have risked your life savings to chase your dream, perhaps borrowed from family, or even gotten a loan or grant to grow your business.  So when prospective clients come to you with a question, the natural reaction is to Read more about It’s OK to say “I don’t know”[…]

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To be safer, take a layered approach to network security

Network security is a topic that never seems to “get old” as there are new threats and stories we hear every day in the news and from local businesses about a breach or other security challenge that we need to be vigilant about.  Threats are everywhere, even in places that we might not consider such Read more about To be safer, take a layered approach to network security[…]

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Don’t let your stars become shooting stars

In most small businesses, there are a handful of people outside of the business owners who become key to the success of the business.  You can picture these people who are always going above and beyond, making sure the customers are happy, and treating it like their own business even if they don’t own a Read more about Don’t let your stars become shooting stars[…]