"I don't care what the other boys are doing, you're my son", was my mother's standard response whenever I attempted to rationalize my actions in light of the current trends. Depending on who you listen to these days, you can get some pretty contrary predictions as to coming trends in the economy. There are those that are predicting a great...
Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first? That's a question that is often asked in jest, however it accentuates an important message for managers of partnerships and closely held corporations. "Get the bads news out and over with" has been the advise recently provided to large corporations and political organizations by public...
Every growing business develops a need for rules and regulations. It might begin with customer problems, employees or suppliers, but before too long there will be a need in all of these areas for formal administrative procedures. I can't say for sure where the threshold is, it may be when you have two employees or perhaps at 20, but as your...
I was sitting in the office of a purchasing manager in Iowa when I first read it. Earlier that day I had flown to Madison, Wisconsin to meet with the owner of a manufacturers representatives firm. As I sat and waited in that office after a long day of traveling, my eyes scanned the walls and the various memorabilia that hung there. That was the...
Man is governed by a variety of clocks and calendars. We have our biological clocks, our chronological clocks and yes, of course, we have our tax clock. As we approach another calendar year end, the tax clock begins to beat with increasing intensity as indicated by the plethora of "how to do it" tax articles in every conceivable publication. Most...
"Oh, just a small business." I am sure you have heard that expression. Perhaps you have said it yourself! Believe me, there is no such thing as "just a small business". Small businesses aren't small, they're great. They have made America great. If you work for one you are lucky and if you own or manage one you are the living the American dream....
Can you imagine getting ready to sell your home and not taking the time to fix it up a little before showing it to prospective buyers? Would you expect an automobile dealer to put a car out on their lot without insuring that it had been meticulously cleaned? Of course not. To do so would certainly reduce the sales price. The same principles hold...
"Have more than thou showest, Speak less than thou knowest." William Shakespeare The ability to negotiate effectively is an invaluable skill that you can use in all facets of your life. Negotiating skills are a potent potion - they will save you time and money, bring you influence and success, reduce stress and make friends. The best news yet is...
Have you ever noticed that there is a predictable interval between the proclamation of new and innovative management practices and the onset of hard times. The continuing stream of bad news out of Silicon Valley, Peoples Express Airlines and other recent star business, reminds me that it wasn't too very long ago that I was reading how the...
"Money often costs too much." Ralph Waldo Emerson Deciding whether to "go public" is a far off dream for the beginning entrepreneur and an important decision for the already established and growing private company. "Going public" is an expression that is used to describe the process in which a closely-held company offers its stock to the general...