Not taking a vacation is harmful to your health and your business
I was about to take a six-month vacation from my business and my team leaders Rachael and Carmel were a little surprised – and perhaps a little nervous – when I told them they would be in charge. The business had been open for five years, but the truth was I was making more money…
UX strives to make complex devices easy, from computing devices to cars, ATMs, airplanes and more
The importance of user experience (UX) has exploded in the era of ubiquitous personal computers, tablets and smartphones. Poor UX is a major reason apps and websites deliver disappointing business results. UX is the discipline that strives to make complex devices easy to use. Outside of computing devices, it applies to everyday objects, including cars,…
With the right systems and people in place, we can step back as owners and do what really needs to be done
In 2014, one of the professors in my MBA program asked: “Why are you here?” As he went around the class, people responded: “To further my career.” “To earn more money.” “To get a better job.” When he came to me, I said: “I’m here to learn how to work less and make more money.”…
Critics say that agile benefits are over-hyped because devotees can’t demonstrate full implementation
Is agile software development delivering enough value? Or is agile an exaggerated buzzword that conveniently obscures all attempts at performance measurement of software development teams? The Agile Manifesto was published a little over 20 years ago. Why have agile concepts not been universally adopted if they are so valuable? Or is agile a fad that…
Increasing wages works to some extent. But retraining and being a better boss will do more
There are many challenges to running a business, including getting capital, getting customers and meeting the competition. Add staffing to the list. Hiring workers used to be less difficult. Any vacancy announcement attracted many more applicants than employers were able to consider. But now, there are multiple vacancies for every able, willing and available worker.…
Building trust and consistency can improve your sales and increase your profits
“If only our customers would buy more from us.” This resounding phrase is heard throughout many businesses as the demand for sales increases in order to offset rising costs. While we may wish to create more revenue by selling more, our customers are facing rising costs at the other end of the spectrum. They’re looking…
Developing a solution first, then looking for a problem to solve rarely leads to success
There once was a highly motivated developer who worked at a bank. One day, he figured out a way to automatically round up decimals in banking transactions to the nearest whole number in bank accounts. He reasoned that the difference could be either taken as additional revenue to the bank or paid back to the…
Subcontractors represent your business. So they need to maintain your standards
Imagine paying to have someone bring a washing machine into your house and set it up and then having to fire them before the job is complete. This is exactly what happened to my friends last week after they bought a new washing machine from Home Depot. The wife decided that, as a treat for…
Coming up with a decision reduces stress and anxiety about the future
My brother Rob recently walked 650 km from Galway, Ireland, to Winchester, England, en route to Spain. He told me that for days he tried to decide whether to continue walking and take the ferry to France or go back home. He wasn’t sure where he was supposed to be. The indecision was taking a…
Without the right tools, we can’t build a house. Without the right people, things will get broken
“You are fired!” John yelled at me as I was lying on the ground after falling off the roof of the house. John was mad because his sawhorses had been broken in half because of my stupidity. I was stunned and just wondering if I had broken anything in my body as a result of…