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Many small businesses try to differentiate by saying “We aren’t what you expect. We don’t look or behave like our competitors.” In most cases, they then have to waste time explaining why. Take an objective look at your marketing. You might be better off by simply doing what everyone else does. Read More

Employers are saying that they have jobs, but can’t find the people to fill them. Prospective employees are saying that they want to work, but can’t find a job.Is everyone blindfolded in a dark room, wandering around unaware of others in the same room unless they bump into them? Not exactly. Read More

A rational look at the number of “funds” active in the market, measured against the number of legitimate candidates for investment or acquisition, paints a clear view of why so many small companies are receiving calls from interested investors. Read More

In the business acquisition world, deals where a seller keeps some equity for a future round of merger or acquisition activity is generally known as getting a “second bite of the apple.” Generally, the motivation for a business owner is to secure part of his or her equity value now, and keep some s Read More

Government agencies have been given lawmaking power and now account for over 80% of the rules businesses have to abide by. These laws or regulations are implemented without vote or accountability. Some regulation is clearly necessary but empowering a million bureaucrats without accountability isn’t Read More

I recognize the Hunters who are stifled by farming constraints, and also the Farmers who, regardless of the safety that lies in systems and processes, are called upon from time to time to make fast decisions, to go out on a limb, because people are depending on them and failure is not an option. Read More

When we delegate authority to an employee, we are actually delegating the power to make decisions. We all want employees who think for themselves, but only if their decisions work out in a way we like. Read More

You’ve promoted a great employee beyond his capabilities. He is putting in long hours, but appears unable to keep up with the new responsibilities. In fact, he doesn’t even seem to understand what those responsibilities are, or what they should be. What do you do? Read More

When should an employee be promoted? Over the years, I’ve often had this conversation both within my own companies and with owner-clients. An employee is handling responsibilities above his or her official job description. Why not bestow a new title as soon as possible? Read More

“Why can’t we enough find good people to hire?” As a consultant to business leaders, I hear this complaint with increasing frequency. From tradesmen to programmers, and from executives to scientists, we seem to be lacking a workforce with the skills and work ethic that businesses seek. Read More