Don't stumble on the road to success
Mike and James had a big plan to sell more of their widgets. The widgets they built were wonderful. They had numerous testimonials that these widgets changed people's lives. Mike wanted to grow this aspect of their business and James agreed. They came up with a plan, built the brochures and sales materials, started down…
Helpful tips to doing it right
Hankering to go off on your own and start your own business? If you think you've got what it takes, consider launching a microbusiness. Dal LaMagna, a Poulsbo, Wash.-based entrepreneur, says anyone can do it – if they go about it the right way. He speaks from experience. LaMagna launched personal beauty-tool company Tweezerman in…
What happens when your great VC buddy who helped you through so much is gone?
A start-up that takes its fundraising seriously has to allow its CEO to tackle the project full-time for up to a year. The founders have studied the due diligence requirements ahead of the process, and they approach the investment community in an orderly and structured fashion. The founders and CEO work hard to listen to…
When we slow down, look for options and are creative in our thinking, we save money, time and energy
It was my lucky day when Emile told me he had some roadkill in his freezer that he would trade for a couple cases of beer. Not so lucky for the cow that had been hit by the semi on the highway, I guess. Emile told me he had lots of steaks in the boxes…
It’s up to you to bring in clients. The buck stops with you if your employees fail to perform
Starting your own business teaches you things you’ll never learn in a job. Here are three of them: Where the money comes from As an employee, you can expect your paycheque to arrive every week or two without fail, even if you’re sick or on vacation. At one level, you realize the money comes from…
Real value does not come from the idea alone. Great ideas without execution are empty roadside soda cans
There were nearly 900 people seated at round tables alternating small talk with bites of chicken. The ballroom was glamorous, the chicken was dry and few paid attention to the joke-telling emcee. "My wife says that if I don't give up golf, she's going to leave me. I'm really going to miss her! Har har!…
To groom women for top positions, offer them the coaching, mentoring, and career opportunities that develop leadership potential
As a speaker at business conferences, I've addressed organizations around the world, and I've seen the genuine commitment that many companies have made to develop the leadership abilities of female employees and to create workplace environments with family-friendly policies and flexible work arrangements – all in hopes of attracting, retaining and grooming women for top…
Striving for three final candidates allows hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection
In The Secrets of Great CEO Selection, Ram Charan advises hiring committees to keep an open mind, test for fit and plan for imperfection. One of the organizations I'm involved with just concluded a chief executive officer selection process so this topic is fresh in my mind. I learned how important it is to enter the…
If you want to thrive as your own boss, be prepared to sell yourself every day
Have you dreamed of being your own boss? Most of us probably have. We think about the flexibility and freedom it offers. We wonder how much more income we would retain if we simply contracted out our services. We imagine what it would be like to be our own boss. That picture of three-day weeks…
Collaboration is also intrinsically inspiring because it has an emotional payoff. People like being part of a winning team
Some years ago, when I was speaking to a group of executives about change leadership, the topic of collaboration came up. On a whim I asked, "How many of you are totally comfortable sharing information with others in your organization?" I was astonished when, out of an audience of about 200, only three hands went…